The problem
The client needed the external glazing of a Grade II-listed multi-storey building in Richmond to receive a detailed professional clean. The building presented a difficult access challenge because large sections of glazing could not be reached effectively using conventional methods.
Previous reach-and-wash cleaning had not produced the finish expected by occupants and earlier attempts to reach difficult areas had also created concerns about potential damage to the building. Any new solution therefore needed to provide close access to the glass while respecting the constraints of the listed property and avoiding unnecessary large-scale temporary access.
Our solution
SW TEAM LTD planned a specialist rope access window-cleaning operation around the existing building access arrangements. An experienced IRATA-trained rope access team was deployed to reach the external glazing directly and carry out detailed cleaning using traditional techniques where required.
The building's existing rail arrangement required a practical way of moving the rope access position across the elevation. To overcome this, the team used a dedicated rope access trolley system with the existing rails, allowing technicians to reposition efficiently while maintaining direct access to difficult sections of glazing.
The cleaning sequence was planned around the building and its users, with photographic reporting used before, during and after the works. This gave the client visibility of areas that were otherwise difficult to inspect from ground level and provided a clear record of progress across the project.
The outcome
The external glazing received the detailed clean the client required without installing scaffolding or relying on a MEWP. Rope access allowed technicians to work directly at the glass and address areas that conventional cleaning methods had struggled to reach effectively.
The project demonstrated how a building-specific access solution can overcome difficult facade geometry while reducing unnecessary disruption around an occupied property. The completed works also provided the client with photographic evidence of the high-level areas cleaned.