6 Vital Pieces of Equipment for Facade Cleaning Technicians

Facade cleaning is a vital part of a company’s strategy for maintaining a good impression. Although it is not the largest factor for business success, it forms part of clients’ opinion of your company. Most people would choose to do business with a tidy-looking office than with an unkempt one, no matter how proficient the employees in the latter.

If you do not have the personnel and equipment to handle external cleaning jobs, it makes sense to hire a specialist. Rope access technicians provide that speciality; keep reading to learn about what tools they should have when completing a job.

Pulleys

Pulleys prevent friction and allow a worker to glide along a rope access system. These are essential parts of a hauling system and will enable the worker to change the direction of his moving ropes.

Karabiners and maillons

Connectors attach two bits of kit to secure the technician’s equipment to his harness belt. Generally speaking, there are two types of connectors that rope access cleaners use; karabiners, and maillons.

A karabiner is a quick connector with a clasped head while a maillon is a permanent fixture that has a gated hinge. Climbing enthusiasts also use maillons and karabiners to secure their rope access as they scale walls and mountain faces.

Etriers and footloops

Rope access technicians also use footloops and etriers in for climbing and mobility. Usually, these are made of heavy-duty nylon and have adjustable elastic straps which prevent the user from slipping off. The difference between the two is the number of loops. Footloops have one, while etriers have several loops along the apparatus, forming a ladder.

Fall arrest devices

Aside from having equipment for safe navigation, climbers also have mobile fall arrest devices that are ready in case of an uncontrolled descent. This is a reserve safety line, ensuring that the worker has a backup safety measure. These devices lock onto the rope without impeding the system’s stability; think of these as the seatbelts for climbers, ready to deploy during sudden acceleration.

Strops and slings

These are portable anchors that workers use when there are no fixed anchor points on the side of the building, and they need one to clean the area. To use these tools, workers need to find a stable rigging point like a pipe or beam, loop the strop or sling around it, and attach their karabiner through the rig. While these are both durable materials, strops are more suitable for facade cleaning. Since they have protective sleeves, strops are more resistant to heat and chemical damage.

Swivels and rigging plates

Finally, technicians must also have swivels and rigging plates. These are items that prevent ropes from entwining. A swivel is a rotational attachment that prevents the rope from twisting. When the rope is used to haul a heavy load and the load spins, the system will spin with it. Meanwhile, rigging plates divide and organise various ropes. You can use rigging plates to attach multiple rope systems to one rigging point.

Conclusion

In any workplace, employee safety is one of the most significant considerations. It is all the more critical in jobs that deal with facade maintenance and repairs. As such, it is important to hire rope access professionals who can do the job safely and competently, ones who do not scrimp on service quality and equipment.

Have peace of mind about employee safety when you hire Apex Facades. Our highly skilled rope access technicians provide a range of services in Australia, from maintenance and repairs, high rise window replacement, emergency services, and more. Get a quote today or contact us for inquiries!