Our Infrastructure Maintenance team saw an opportunity to improve our maintenance operations leading to increased efficiency for our customer.
20 hours less downtime | 30 man-hours saved | 11% reduction in total manpower
The Challenge
As part of a recent shutdown, our Rope Access crews were tasked with changing out the agitator blade for our customers. Our team got involved early and looked at how we could get the crew where they needed to be, safely and efficiently. Rope access was identified as a smarter way to tackle the job, removing the need for scaffolding and helping the crew get stuck into the work sooner.
By bringing rope access into the plan early, we identified an opportunity to get the crew to the work area without the time and manpower tied up in scaffold, eliminating overall downtime.
The numbers added up quickly:
- 12 hours to mobilise and erect the scaffold
- 48 hours for the mechanical works
- 10 hours to dismantle the scaffold
- 70 hours total duration
- 280 total man-hours
The Rope Access Solution
Rather than automatically reaching for the scaffold, the team looked at whether rope access could get the crew where they needed to be without all the extra setup.
The rope access team was brought in to assess the job and determine whether the work could be safely completed using rope access.
The result was a simpler approach.
By using rope access to get the crew into position, the job could be completed without the need to mobilise, erect and dismantle a full scaffold setup.
The rope access job came in at:
- 50 hours total duration
- 250 total man-hours
That’s 20 hours knocked off the job and 30 fewer man-hours compared to if the team used scaffolding.
The Result
- 20 hours less downtime
The overall job duration dropped from 70 hours to 50 hours, giving the operation 20 hours back.
- 30 fewer man-hours
Total effort dropped from 280 to 250 man-hours, representing an 11% reduction. Plus, with less hands needed to complete the job overall.
- Less time setting up access
The crew could get to the work area without spending hours putting up and pulling down scaffolding.
More time spent doing the actual job
By removing unnecessary access work from the process, the team could spend more of their time focused on getting the job done right.
Discover how Rope Access solutions could help make your maintenance solutions for efficient and reduce downtime for your operations.
