Rope-access specialist Skyriders was appointed by multidisciplinary construction company Liviero Group to monitor the risks of at-height falls, entrapment or equipment malfunctions at its Wilge housing project, in Limpopo.

A two-man Skyriders team was initially deployed on site in August 2014, after which two more rope access technicians were added in June to assist with the roofing portion of the project.

The team is also responsible for the installation of temporary horizontal life lines and ongoing general assistance tasks required by the site manager, with Skyriders marketing manager Mike Zinn further indicating that the highly skilled and experienced Skyriders team are also on call to rescue construction workers in the quickest, safest and least distressing manner possible.

He notes that the project has been running smoothly to date. “Liviero takes the safety and wellbeing of its employees seriously. Skyriders technicians are trained to apply a supreme standard of safety, while disproving the common perception that rope access is dangerous. Ongoing successful projects, such as this, are shifting industry mindsets towards realising the benefits of rope access.

“Rope access enables workers to access difficult-to-reach locations, without the use of other costly and time-consuming means. Suspended in their secure position, rope-access technicians are able to carry out numerous forms of rescue,” Zinn says.

As part of a joint venture with construction company Masibuyisane Construction, Liviero is responsible for the development of the R258-million project, which includes the construction of 334 units, each capable of accommodating four artisans and technicians working at the nearby Kusile coal-fired power station.

Large construction projects such as Wilge have hundreds of workers operating high above the ground on the building structures, which they gain access to through numerous means, including cranes, cherry pickers, lifts and scaffolding. As a result, there is always the inherent risk of a fall or entrapment.

Zinn points out that a number of high-profile construction companies rely on the expertise of Skyriders for various rope- access solutions. “Skyriders has established itself as the preferred partner for work at height and confined spaces projects. Despite a downturn in the market, safety remains paramount, and we look forward to servicing our clients’ needs well into the future,” he concludes.