News


Inspection, repair, maintenance all bread-and-butter work for Skyriders

November 2021 News

What do a leisure complex, a 50-storey skyscraper and shopping centre and a major food-processing plant have in common? These are all unusual projects where leading rope access specialist, Skyriders Access Specialists, was called upon to carry out a range of inspection, repair and maintenance services.

“This is a major growth area for us, especially as ordinary maintenance schedules still have to be adhered to for maximum productivity and efficiency, despite the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” comments marketing manager, Mike Zinn.

Skyriders is able to field small, flexible and dynamic teams that can offer a range of services while being fully compliant with all Covid-19 regulations. “Building a massive scaffold structure takes considerable labour, while rope access only requires a small team,” explains Zinn. “The same applies to our drone department, where a two-person team can visually inspect the entire furnace area of a boiler without the need for scaffolding.”

While the Montecasino leisure complex has its own maintenance team and specialised contractors, it sometimes encounters specific issues that require work at height and in a confined space, which is where Skyriders’ expertise is best applied.

Recent work undertaken at Montecasino was to replace an anchor system on a bell tower, used to suspend advertising banners. Due to wear and tear, some of the anchors had started to come loose and the whole system therefore had to be inspected for safety reasons. Rope access meant that this could be done without extensive scaffolding.

A particularly tall feather in Skyriders’ cap was its work at the Carlton Centre in downtown Johannesburg on behalf of a third party tasked to carry out load testing on four winches in the food court area. However, the inaccessibility of the winches posed a major challenge and subsequently the company partnered with Skyriders to provide its rope-access expertise.

Often called upon to conduct maintenance, repair and inspection services at large-scale industrial structures such as smokestacks and petrochemical tanks, Skyriders has even carried out general routine cleaning in inaccessible areas at a major food-processing plant. A six-person team oversaw the fast-track project over a two-day period, deploying high-pressure washers using food-safe detergent to adhere to the strict hygiene and health and safety standards of the food and beverage industry.




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.

Read more...
From the editor's desk: A good servant and a bad master
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control) News
In our new AI-generated world it was inevitable that the Nobel Committee would have noticed. And last November two pioneers of artificial intelligence, John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton, won the Nobel Prize ...

Read more...
Festo 100th Anniversary: Celebrating a century-long legacy of innovation and commitment
Festo South Africa News
Festo has officially begun celebrating 100 years of groundbreaking technology, commitment and enduring partnerships. To kick off this historic milestone celebration, their Customer Innovation Day and ThankYou Party series brought together customers, partners and employees to reflect on their journey and look ahead to an exciting future.

Read more...
German Chancellor visits Beckhoff at Hannover Messe
Beckhoff Automation News
As part of the traditional Hannover Messe opening tour, Federal Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz visited German company, Beckhoff Automation. Hans Beckhoff, managing director and owner of Beckhoff Automation, presented his company and its comprehensive expertise in the field of software and AI.

Read more...
Iritron celebrates 25 years of excellence
Iritron News
When Iritron, a leading provider of engineering and industrial solutions was founded in 2000, it was on the principles of exceptional service and lasting part-nerships. Today, Iritron has grown from a small team of four into a company of over 120 employees, serving clients across South Africa and beyond.

Read more...
A racing partnership
SKF South Africa News
In one of motorsport’s most demanding arenas, a partnership forged in engineering precision and high-performance ambition has proven its worth. SKF, a global leader in bearing technology and innovation, celebrated a remarkable milestone in partnership with SVR Toyota GAZOO Racing, taking second position overall at the 2025 Dakar Rally.

Read more...
Question and Answer: Martin Hiller, portfolio director of AATF
News
AATF is here.

Read more...
Two weeks to go: AATF 2025 welcomes Africa’s industrial future
News
With less than two weeks to go, the countdown to Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 is on - and there’s never been a better time to register.

Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE grows its African footprint to become a leading force on the continent
SEW-EURODRIVE News
Momentum continues to grow behind the ambitious plans of SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa to become a leading force in the continent’s industrial gearbox business, drives and automation solutions.

Read more...
Schneider Electric at AATF
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric will be participating in the 13th edition of the Africa Automation and Technology Fair

Read more...