Maintaining facilities on sprawling university campuses is an ongoing job. With multiple sites, buildings and systems, ensuring each and every one is adequately updated and maintained to standards is important.
So, when Axis Maintenance Services contacted RISSafety on behalf of the University of Queensland the RISSafety team knew they had a large job ahead of them.
Founded in 1909, the university is one of the six Sandstone universities in Australia. Set across multiple sites in St Lucia on the outskirts of Brisbane, the campus has multiple buildings of various design and construction.
While undertaking regular works, the Axis Maintenance Services team discovered that 44 buildings across multiple sites needed rectifications and installations.
How RISSafety delivered the project
RISSafety’s expertise in customised height safety solutions was instrumental in addressing the complex requirements of the project while ensuring minimal disruption to university operations.
To meet current standards, RISSafety proposed a multi-faceted approach. This included conducting thorough audits of existing safety systems, recertifying height safety systems to ensure compliance, and rectifying or installing new height safety systems and access solutions where necessary to ensure the safety of workers completing tasks at heights.
A key aspect of the solution was the requirement to eliminate the need for temporary fall arrest systems on all buildings, replacing them with permanent systems compliant with Australian Standards 1657, 5532 and 1891.
The university’s operational requirements posed unique challenges that RISSafety was well-equipped to handle. All buildings needed to remain fully operational during the works, without interruptions to activities on the campus. This required careful planning and execution of the project to minimise disruption.
RISSafety also implemented robust and safe debris protection, collection, and disposal measures to safeguard both the site and its occupants during installation.
A critical component of project delivery was designing and implementing compliant fall arrest systems. RISSafety’s highly trained height safety experts used their experience to create innovative solutions that not only met but exceeded safety standards. These systems were designed to provide maximum protection while allowing for efficient maintenance of facilities over many years in the future to prolong the benefits from the buildings.
The challenge: multiple roof profiles
The first step involved the RISSafety team identifying roof profiles and support structures for each individual building for product installation.
The team faced a complex challenge when tasked with upgrading the height safety systems across a diverse range of buildings. The scope involved structures spanning nearly nine decades, each with its unique architectural characteristics and roofing solutions.
With individual buildings ranging from 1937 to the present date, many height safety systems had either been previously decommissioned or were expired.
Another hurdle was identifying and assessing various roof profiles. Multiple different roofing materials and designs, from traditional tiles to modern metal sheeting, each required a bespoke approach. In many cases, the team had to rely on their experience and problem-solving skills to develop custom solutions.
Solving heritage issues
Heritage-listed buildings across the university campus presented further issues, requiring special consideration to ensure that safety installations would not compromise their historical integrity.
The solution of colour-matching the new devices to the existing buildings demonstrated RISSafety’s commitment to preserving the visual appeal while still modern safety standards.
For buildings from the earlier part of the 20th century, original roof specification documentation was scarce or non-existent. This lack of data created challenges in designing modern safety systems that would be compatible with these older structures.
Axis Maintenance Services were satisfied with the results that merged modern height safety systems and certifications with respect for heritage construction and design.
As Australia’s leading height safety organisation, RISSafety’s team of height safety inspectors have the experience to deliver safe, compliant solutions. Speak to us today.
