Location: : Indaver Rivenhall IWMF, Essex
Industry Sector: Energy from Waste
Scope of Work: Rope access cleaning of the upper chimney stack ring and adjoining steelwork using manual methods.
Team Deployment: IRATA-qualified rope access technicians.
Overview:
Think Access was appointed by the principal contractor to carry out manual cleaning of the upper ring of the chimney stack and its adjoining steelwork at a large Energy from Waste facility in Essex. The stack, rising to 70 metres, had accumulated general dust, debris, light rust staining and construction residue across its stainless steel cladding panels. A five-person rope access team carried out the work over multiple days, using twin-rope systems installed from gantry-level structural steelwork. The team worked systematically around the full circumference of the stack. The team logged all activities through the GetKonnected platform and recorded signed client confirmation at the completion of each day’s work.
The Challenge:
Cleaning a 70-metre chimney stack sounds straightforward until you actually look at the access problem. The panels are large, curved and continuous; the surface sits at significant height with no conventional platform capable of reaching it; and the site operates as a live energy recovery facility under a structured CDM regime with the principal contractor holding overall site control.
Previous cleaning had been attempted by other contractors using drone-mounted high-pressure water systems. That approach had not achieved the required standard, and the stainless steel panels still carried heavy staining and construction residue across much of their surface. The client needed a team that could get physically close to the panels and clean them properly, one section at a time.
The cleaning process itself presented its own difficulties. The panels are slow to respond to manual cleaning methods and the work is physically demanding. Each day, the team descended on twin ropes from the gantry steelwork, working systematically across the circumference while actively managing dropped object risk and monitoring wind speeds in challenging late‑autumn weather conditions. The site required daily permits to work, client-provided take-5 documents completed before each shift, pre-planned drop zones signed off by the client and coordinated directly with the site representative, and a current rescue plan assessed by the Level 3 Supervisor each morning before any work began at height.
The Solution:
Think Access deployed the five-person team to site with a RAMS package prepared specifically for the task, covering rope access operations, COSHH controls for the approved cleaning products, dropped object management and emergency rescue procedures.
Access to the top of the stack was gained via the permanent vertical rail ladder fixed to the stack structure. The Level 3 Supervisor ascended first using the fixed fall-arrest rail system, then installed a tension line from the top rung to the base before any other operative climbed. Each team member ascended using the tension line as an additional safeguard, with only one operative on the ladder at any time.
The team carried out the cleaning works from twin-rope systems anchored to the gantry-level structural steelwork. They fitted caterpillar bars edge protection and Petzl rope protectors to prevent rope damage at the leading edge. Operatives descended to the top ring of the stack and worked around the full circumference, cleaning each panel section with hand tools including squeegees, brushes, scrapers, rags, and window‑cleaning blades. The team did not use any powered tools or pressurised cleaning systems at any stage.
The team collected loose debris in tethered tote bags and lowered it to ground level for disposal. They established exclusion zones beneath the working area and installed signage to prevent third‑party access. The Level 3 Supervisor inspected all ropes, anchors and equipment at the start of each shift and logged this through the pre-start task sheet process. Work stopped on any day where wind speeds exceeded the 25 mph threshold, with weather monitored continuously during each shift.
Each working day started with a full team briefing from the supervisor, a daily point of work risk assessment, confirmation of the site permits and a briefed rescue plan documented before the team went to height. At the end of each shift the team reported to the site representative before leaving, with digital timesheets and site images submitted through GetKonnected and signed off by the client representative.
Results:
Think Access completed the chimney stack clean across the agreed programme, with all panels cleaned using manual rope access methods to a standard the client accepted. Where progress was slower than initially anticipated (the staining required significant dwell time and physical effort to shift), the team kept the site representative informed daily and continued under their instruction. The client signed off each day’s timesheet on or shortly after completion, providing a clear record of attendance, scope completed and confirmed acceptance of the work carried out.
The team managed the site without incident throughout the works. All rope access activity complied fully with the CDM framework, and the team followed the principal contractor’s permit system, drop‑zone controls, and site‑specific documentation on every shift. The team retained full digital records, including signed timesheets, site images, and pre‑start documentation, within the GetKonnected platform, providing the client with a complete audit trail for the entire operation.
Rope Access Cleaning for Stacks, Structures and Hard-to-Reach Areas
If you’ve got a structure that conventional access can’t reach, or a cleaning method that isn’t getting the results you need, Talk to Think Access. Our IRATA-qualified teams work at height on live industrial sites across the UK, with the safety management, documentation and digital reporting to back it up.
