Rope access to the rescue
Leading rope access specialist Skyriders has been supplying rescue teams of accredited rope access technicians to Medupi power station since August 2011, and to Kusile power station since June 2012. Skyriders marketing manager Mike Zinn notes that the crews are responsible for numerous rescue tasks in any application that is over 2 m above ground.
“Each site has hundreds of workers operating high above ground on tall structures such as silos, smoke stacks and boilers – which they gain access to via numerous means, including; cranes, cherry pickers, lifts and scaffolding. As a result, there is always the inherent risk of a fall or entrapment, or mechanical breakdown, and the highly-skilled and experienced Skyriders teams of rope access technicians are on call to rescue workers in the quickest, safest and least distressing manner possible,” he explains.
Zinn reveals that Level 3 is the highest level of rope access training and all rope access supervisors are required to be Level 3 qualified. This enables them to supervise rope access teams, and to perform advanced manoeuvres and rescues onsite. “Obtaining Level 3 certification is a rigorous process that requires a minimum of 1 000 working hours to be logged as a Level 2before qualifying for training. This ensures that, in the event of an at-height emergency, the safety of all onsite workers is in more than capable hands.”
In addition to Medupi and Kusile, Zinn indicates that Skyriders also assists with rescue in an unofficial role at Kendal power station in Mpumalanga. Given the company’s success in the power sector, Zinn adds that Skyriders’ rescue services are becoming increasingly popular in construction too. “We are currently providing rescue services to a major construction company that is involved with a building project in the Ogies area of Mpumalanga. As safety continues to become a priority, I am confident that we can gain measurable market share in this sector in 2015 and beyond,” he concludes.
Ends
Notes to the Editor
There are numerous photographs specific to this press release. Please visit http://media.ngage.co.za and click the Skyriders link.
About Skyriders
Skyriders (Pty) Ltd, established in 1998, is a leader in the South African rope access industry, providing cost- and time-saving solutions to clients in the power generation and petrochemical industries who require rope access aided inspection, NDT and maintenance work to be done in difficult to reach, high-up locations.
Skyriders Contact
Mike Zinn
Phone: (011) 312 1418
Email: mike [at] ropeaccess [dot] co [dot] za
Web: www.ropeaccess.co.za