Rope access used for inspection at pulp and paper plant
6 July 2020
News
When a pulp and paper producer required inspection and maintenance of its fire-water reticulation system, it turned to rope access specialist Skyriders to provide a quick and cost-effective solution. Skyriders’ experience in the petrochemical and power generation industries stood it in good stead with this flagship project.
“Our experience and track record with hazardous and chemical environments made it a natural extension for us to continue work in the pulp and paper industry,” commented Skyriders marketing manager, Mike Zinn. “For example, we were recently involved with a deluge system for a major petrochemical producer, a water mist system based on open spray heads attached to reticulation pipes connected to the water supply by valves.
The pulp and paper producer opted for rope access as this provided the safest and quickest access of its manufacturing facility for the mandatory inspection, which involved examining all of nozzles and hoses in the fire protection system. Traditional scaffolding would have been both time-consuming and costly to erect. Extra time for proper dismantling would also have had to be factored into the completion for the project.
The pulp and paper industry is a particular growth area for Skyriders, as these plants invariably have their own smokestacks and even boilers, which all require regular inspection and maintenance. In addition, rope access is often required to install lifelines, for other specialist contractors for example.
Skyriders’ track record in this sector includes hard-to-reach inspection and repair work on ducting at the Sappi Ngodwana plant in Mpumalanga. “The benefits of rope access really come to the fore in these major industrial sectors, where access to facilities, in addition to the high health and safety requirements, is of paramount importance,” concludes Zinn.
Further reading:
RS South Africa shapes future engineering talent
RS South Africa
News
RS South Africa is demonstrating that nurturing future engineers goes beyond traditional classrooms or competitions. On STEM Day, the company shone a light on the full spectrum of its educational initiatives.
Read more...
ABB and Compu-Power bring high-efficiency UPS innovation to IS3 X-Change 2025
News
ABB recently participated in the 31st annual IS
3X-Change 2025 in Cape Town, alongside its long-standing channel partner Compu-Power.
Read more...
UKZN’s SMART lab wins aviation award
News
: The SMART Lab at UKZN was awarded first place in the Aviation Research and Development category at the Civil Aviation Authority of South Africa’s award ceremony for outstanding contributions and achievements in the aviation sector.
Read more...
Meta and partners announce completion of 2Africa subsea cable system
News
Meta, in partnership with leading global and regional telecommunications companies, has announced the completion and activation of the core 2Africa subsea cable system. This marks a historic milestone in digital infrastructure, establishing what the world’s longest open-access subsea cable system.
Read more...
RS South Africa retains Level 2 B-BBEE status
RS South Africa
News
RS South Africa has once again achieved Level 2 B-BBEE verification.
Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE unveils world class facility in Gqeberha
News
In a landmark event in the Eastern Cape attended by key customers and industry leaders, SEW-EURODRIVE officially opened its expanded state-of-the-art facility in Gqeberha, marking a major milestone in its strategy to strengthen regional support and deepen its footprint in the region.
Read more...
Africa’s brightest young battery innovators
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric and Enactus, the international NGO dedicated to inspiring students through entrepreneurial action, have announced the winners of the 2025 Energy Transition Battery Innovation Challenge, funded by the Schneider Electric Foundation. It empowers young innovators to design battery solutions addressing the region’s most pressing energy challenges.
Read more...
Africa’s strategic role in powering the global clean energy future
News
The 2026 Africa Energy Indaba is to spotlight Africa’s mineral wealth, industrialisation potential and the urgent need for sustainable value chain development.
Read more...
The road to the Indaba
News
The Africa Automation Indaba 2026 is set to become a landmark gathering for Africa’s automation, process control and manufacturing community.
SA Instrumentation and Control will be running a dedicated editorial series spotlighting the voices, ideas and debates shaping Africa’s industrial future.
Read more...
Crash reconstruction tests advance vehicle safety research
News
The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Scientific Multidisciplinary Advanced Research Technologies (SMART) Lab recently participated in a series of collaborative crash reconstruction tests held at the Toyota Test Track.
Read more...
printer friendly version