In May 2014, John Holland employed Vertech to work on the Gladstone LNG Jetty. Vertech was the first contractor approved for rope access operations on a Bechtel site in Gladstone.
Gladstone LNG Jetty Tension Netting
The scope of work consisted of coatings repair, concrete repair, and visual inspection on the underside of the jetty. Due to the extremely difficult nature of accessing the underside of this structure, the client requested that Vertech develop a specialised alternative method of access.
Innovation
Vertech designed and successfully installed multiple tension netting work platforms underneath the jetty to gain access to the work area. These tension netting work platforms were specifically engineered to suit the work area, and all designs were verified and signed off by a third-party Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland.
Using the tension netting reduced manual handling, reduced the time workers needed to be suspended in harnesses, and reduced the overall exposure to working with heights. The tension netting was fast to install and made the coatings and inspection work far more efficient, which reduced the overall costs and allowed the client to meet their program dates.
Although it was not required on this project, it is possible to interchange the netting for engineered decks and install side netting, creating a fully encapsulated work area that other trades and engineers can access without needing to work at height. Vertech currently can design, supply and install engineered decking systems. All tension netting and suspension decking projects undergo a full engineering review, and each system is individually certified. Loadings can be varied to suit the scope of works with up to 3kPa UDL on deck systems. Complete encapsulation for height safety and coatings management is also available.
System Benefits
The benefits to using tension netting/suspended decking to complement conventional rope access techniques include:
- Conventional rope access would have been restricted to inspections to the outer most faces of the concrete. The tension netting surface allowed for complete inspection of the required concrete beams.
- Rapid access to the work area without the need for relatively expensive scaffold.
- Quick to install/de-rig in the event of adverse weather i.e. cyclones.
- Tension netting/suspended decking provides continuous trafficable surface which enabled site inspection time to be decreased.