FEATURE WORKING AT HEIGHT On this occasion the firm was able to avoid any chemical cleaners and found the sheer pressure of the water sufficient to thoroughly clean the cladding and structural steelwork of the stadium. The operatives rigorously undertook the job working with the complex machinery. During this time however, other major works were also being completed around the stadium including the removal and renewal of the pitch. This meant that the Cleanex team not only had to consider their own logistics, but they also had to work around the other contractors which entailed early starts and late finishes to get the job done. Chris Condliff, operations director at Cleanex said: “This is the second time we have completed large and detailed works for Stoke City and we have now established a very strong relationship with the team at the ground. It was fantastic to see the job fulfilled especially due to its complex and somewhat dangerous nature with all of the heights involved. The added challenges of working around the ground workers and negotiating access for all of our heavy machinery were just part of the job. We found a solution that worked for everyone and this included some additional work outside of hours but it was necessary to get the job done professionally and to the best of our ability. We completed the works over three weeks due to the sheer size and scale of the grounds and were very pleased with the end results.” FAREWELL TO SCAFFOLD Mark Styles, managing director at Thomann-Hanry explains how its unique system - façade gommage - offers an alternative to scaffold in the exterior cleaning industry As ‘falls from height’ remains one of the most common causes of fatalities and major injuries in the construction industry today, with more than fi ve incidents every day, managing director of leading building cleaning and restoration company Thomann-Hanry, Mark Styles, calls on the property industry to avoid scaff old when possible, especially when cleaning the exterior of buildings. “In the building cleaning industry today, the use of scaffold is largely avoidable bringing huge benefits to the safety of workers who can instead work from the more secure environment of an enclosed cabin. With frequent incidents, the reassurance of cleaning a building without the use of scaffold is appealing to the workforce as well as the proprietor. We want to highlight this and help reenforce this message across the industry.” comments Mark Styles. In addition to the safety implications, avoiding unsightly scaffold when exterior cleaning works take place ensures business can run as usual, minimising loss of trade, maximising profit potential and maintaining an ‘as normal’ functionality, whatever the business - especially beneficial to those in retail or the hospitality trade. 22 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2016 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY Thomann- Hanry is currently in the process of cleaning Primark on Oxford Street, London – with a high footfall location maintaining the flow of trade is critical to the business and was a driving force as to why façade gommage was chosen as opposed to scaffolding. Lack of scaffold also ensures vastly improved security during the operational period – a particular benefit to sectors where security is paramount such as banks or hotels. Mark Styles continues: “When considering an exterior clean, using a unique system that does not require the use of scaffold, such as ‘facade gommage’ by Thomann-Hanry, is a huge benefit not only to the safety of workers but to the functioning business as works take place. Not only do we have a number of high profile banks and hotels as clients but interestingly many leading property companies – Land Securities, Grosvenor Estates to name a couple – have chosen the scaffold-free technique when cleaning their own buildings, which has to be the best endorsement ‘going scaffold-free’ can get. Eamon Condon, contract administrator, Land Securities, commented: “Land Securities is the largest property company in the UK with a 40 metre high ‘head office’ building on one of London’s busiest streets with retail tenants below. When Thomann- Hanry approached us saying they could not only clean all the stone, aluminium and glazing from platforms but replace sealant and defective grout without scaffold as well, we were intrigued. Their systems performed exactly as they said they would and were a perfect fit with our image as an industry leader.” With industry leaders choosing scaffoldfree options and the reassurance of safer working practices, when considering your façade maintenance don’t look further than Thomann-Hanry. In the building cleaning industry today, the use of scaff old is largely avoidable bringing huge benefi ts to the safety of workers who can instead work from the more secure environment of an enclosed cabin.”
Cleaning Hygiene Today October-November 2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above