When Hastings Deering recently engaged RISSafety to fit a height safety system to their internal roof area and HVAC system, there were a few layers of complexity.
The first is that the offices are housed in the historic Hangar 2 at Archerfield Airport. Colloquially known as the ‘Igloos Complex’, this heritage-listed structure has been part of the Archerfield Aerodrome during World War Two, built for the maintenance and repair of military aircraft. The second is that the systems needed to be installed in a way that kept daily operations running uninterrupted.
Creating safe access solutions on existing structures takes careful planning. Not only do older structures and buildings often fall short of the Australian and New Zealand safety standards, but extra care needs to be taken on historic buildings to ensure they maintain their visual and structural integrity with a system that blends seamlessly into their designs.
Our team is well-versed in providing bespoke solutions on heritage-listed buildings, having completed projects for the likes of Museums Victoria and some of Sydney’s most iconic buildings.
A two-step safe access solution
The brief focused on two key access challenges within the hangar:
- Safe access to the internal office roof, allowing maintenance teams to safely reach elevated areas within the operational space.
- Safe access to the internal merchandise area roof, ensuring compliant access for inspection and servicing without interfering with day-to-day activity below.
Given the size and function of the hangar, any solution had to prioritise safety while maintaining workflow efficiency and avoiding unnecessary shutdowns.
With detailed planning and clear ongoing communication with site managers, our team designed and delivered height safety systems that provided compliant access for maintenance personnel, including:
-Installation of portable ladder bracket, guardrailing (including modification of the existing guardrail section) and self-closing gate
– Installation of an aluminium gantry section with guardrailing, portable ladder access and self-closing gate, providing compliant access to HVAC system for maintenance.
Assuring ongoing compliance
The completed installation allows maintenance personnel to safely access internal roof areas and HVAC systems without interrupting hangar operations.
RISSafety continues to work closely with the site managers, having been engaged to design and install additional roof access and fall arrest systems across the facility. The partnership also includes ongoing recertification, ensuring all systems remain compliant, functional, and aligned with evolving safety requirements.
Importantly, this project demonstrates how well-designed height safety systems can be integrated into existing buildings without compromising efficiency or safety.
Would you like to find out more about our end-to-end design and installation service? Or learn more about our site audit and recertification process? Reach out to our team today.
