Netting platforms and rope-access solutions from Skyriders Access Specialists (Pty) Ltd. were integral to the completion of maintenance and repair work at the Greenstone Shopping Centre in Johannesburg.

Greenstone Shopping Centre is an 88 916 m2 retail development owned by Sasol Pension Fund and managed by JHI Retail. In October 2017, parts of the mall’s ceiling collapsed following a heavy wind and rain storm. Skyriders was contracted by construction and building company Bartlett Construction in October 2017, and completed its scope of work by March 2018.

Skyriders Marketing Manager Mike Zinn explains that the project was divided into several phases. During the first phase, personnel entered the mall’s ceiling workspace to remove all dangerous and loose materials, in order to allow safe access for contractors.

Phase Two saw the installation of a temporary work platform system consisting of steel cables and heavy-duty nets, which were crucial so the mall could continue operating, while allowing for the critical maintenance to be undertaken underneath the ceiling after hours. This saw Skyriders its particular scope of work on the project from 19:00 to 07:00

“The netting system enabled specialised ceiling, fire protection, lighting and electrical contractors to access the affected areas in order to carry out the required maintenance and repair work on the damaged ceiling,” Zinn explains.

The temporary work platform system was an ideal solution, as hanging scaffolding could not be used on-site due to the weight constraints, while erecting scaffolding from the ground up was also not viable, as this would have restricted the free flow of shoppers in the mall during the day.

Therefore, the installation of the net system, about 20 m above the heads of patrons, served a dual purpose. Firstly, it ensured that all objects that might fall from the ceiling during the repair and maintenance process were caught by the net and, secondly, that all contractors were able to carry out their activities effectively using the net system as a work platform.

Phase Three of the project entailed moving the nets around the work area to allow workers to access the different sections of the ceiling that were in need of attention. In addition, steel-erection rigging was utilised extensively, as large steel cables had to be installed on existing steel structures using specifically-placed chemical anchors. In turn, the netting system was attached to these steel cables.

“The temporary netting platform is definitely something we would like to see used more widely. It ensures that maintenance activities are carried out quicker and more cost-effectively. Other advantages include the system’s high level of flexibility, and the fact that it is reusable, as the nets can simply be rolled away and used again at the next project site,” Zinn concludes.