History

The Natural History Museum, during the course of renovation works in the Hintze Hall, required high level cleaning and painting works.

Access would have to be devised and approved by the approved structural engineering team, with works undertaken over night.

Approach

Our HSE Team and IRATA3 Abseiling Supervisor devised a system of safe access, prioritising protecting the unique structure.

Complex systems of rigging were created for the team to use, ensuring that point and transverse loading of the structure was minimised.

Work Summary

Our teams of Scaffolders, Abseilers and High level Cleaners worked on site for two weeks – to ensure all works were completed to a very tight schedule.  Additional works were incorporated into that schedule when issues were discovered and reported.

Figures

NHM Estates Department

February 2017

Total Budget – Five Figure Budget

Thirty Man nights of specialist labour (Abseilers, Scaffolders, Working at Height technicians)

Added Value

Single point of contact for all works.

All works out of visitor hours. 

Creation of new cleaning tools on the job to provide outstanding finish.

Flexible management to allow for additional jobs and unforeseeable tasks.

Results

The installation of the blue whale exhibit ran to its precise schedule, with the skeleton being moved into a clean new home. 

Written commendation was received from both the Museum and the construction team for quality of works.