1 million hours on ropes

Our rope access team has recently reached a significant milestone, ticking over one million hours worked on ropes across the division since 2016, when we acquired Evo Access.  

At the time, we were looking to expand our service offering and Evo Access enabled us to offer a wider range of access solutions with flexibility and versatility.  

We started out with just six rope access technicians who completed a total of 1,392 hours between April and June in 2016. The following year, we went on to gain a full Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) certification and membership as an operator and trainer to further integrate the service offering into our business.​ 

Today, we have up to 300 technicians at any given time working to provide a variety of access options, including scaffolding and elevated work platforms, to ensure the most appropriate method is available for the scope of work across our maintenance operations. 

M&IS Rope Access Manager, Colin Stallwood, said the milestone is a credit to the entire team. 

“I have been with the business since April 2017, so I’ve been fortunate to see most of this growth, which has been built via some excellent teamwork and the ability of our people all over the country,” he said. 

“I have particularly enjoyed being able to offer our tradespeople the chance to upskill and gain rope access qualifications. I think it’s really important to be able to give all employees the opportunity to continue to grow and develop their skills.  

“Everyone who has been part of this growth should be extremely proud of what we’ve achieved,” Colin said.  

Rope access technicians perform many tasks in traditionally hard-to-reach areas. There are many trades and disciplines that can be completed using rope access, from electrical works on offshore oil and gas facilities, to structural repairs on mine sites and refineries.  

Currently, we have over 80 rope access technicians working across the eastern region who continue to help us to deliver safe and efficient outcomes across our projects.