Cladding testing, installation & removal

The tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017 put the matter of building cladding materials in the public spotlight. It is believed that the external cladding installed recently on the building contributed to the extremely fast spread and fierce nature of the fire.

Numerous owners and managers of buildings clad with Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) all over the UK found themselves testing, and often replacing or removing, cladding that doesn’t conform to the safety regulations and puts life, health and property at risk. Although only one high-rise residential development in Scotland (in Glasgow) was found to be extensively clad in ACM cladding, smaller amounts of ACM can be found on many other high-rise buildings, and it’s common on lower buildings (under 18m), where it’s considered to be relatively less of a safety hazard.
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Removing, replacing and installing cladding

especially on high-rise buildings, is a task that requires either extensive scaffolding, or employing highly skilled rope access technicians.

Rope access is particularly suitable for partial removal and replacement of cladding, and for collecting samples for testing in cases of doubt. Especially in such situations it is much cheaper, easier and faster to use rope access than scaffolding, without compromising safety of the residents of the building or your staff.