System: Specialist Access

Gutter clearing meets gardening duties

OneFifty recently carried out a roof clean on a large industrial unit in Swindon. The roof of the building had an unusually high parapet wall which made it hard to see what state the roof might be in. We had been called in because the managing agent had spotted a tree growing above the parapet wall and realised urgent action was required.

Nature finds a way

There were quite a few big trees growing close to the building and a lot of leaves were landing on the roof, completely clogging up the gutters. Over time these had composted, creating a very fertile medium for plants to grow in. Seeds landing on the roof had quickly become embedded in the leaf compost, taken root and flourished.

Director Andy Morris said; “It’s actually not uncommon to find plants, and even trees, growing on roofs and in gutters that are not regularly cleaned. This is because seeds carried on the wind become embedded in accumulated leaves and debris where they take root and often flourish. Obviously, this is not good for the building as water is prevented from flowing along the gutters and away from the building. Water that accumulates on the roof often seeps into the building structure, causing serious long-term damp-related problems.”

Roof cleaning and gutter clearance

It was a pretty straightforward project. Thanks to the parapet wall, once they were on the roof our operatives simply required safety lines to carry out the work.

It had actually been quite some time since the roofs had been cleaned so our team rolled up their sleeves and got down to work, using shovels to dig debris out the gutters and then giving the roof a thoroughly good clean. It turned out that the tree that had alerted the agent to the problem in the first place was actually a couple of feet tall!

The agency was delighted with the outcome and have contracted us to carry out regular roof cleaning to prevent a repeat incident.

To find out more about our exterior cleaning services please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Exterior surface cleaning – Mallard Road Retail Park

We recently cleaned the building façades and paved areas of the Mallard Road Retail Park in Bournemouth. We were contracted to carry out the clean by a third-party grounds maintenance company that often uses our exterior surface cleaning services to compliment the work that it does.

first impressions really count

In retail, first impressions really do count; keeping the building façades and paved areas of a retail park clean and well-maintained helps create a good first impression.

The way the shops look from the outside, is seen as an indication of what shoppers can expect to find on the inside. A poorly maintained exterior is likely to put people off visiting, which, in turn, will have a negative impact on sales.

In the current environment, retail parks need to do everything they can to enhance their customers ‘user experience’ in order to encourage more people to visit and shop at their centres.

Out of hours cleaning for minimum interruption to business

We do a lot of exterior surface cleaning at retail parks and this was a straightforward project for our experienced team. The cleaning was done out-of-hours to reduce impact for businesses and shoppers, as well as to allow us to get the work done as efficiently as possible. This also reduces potential health and safety issues associated with carrying out cleaning when there are people in the vicinity, so it works for all parties.

Regular cleaning helps maintain appearances

Everyone was delighted by the standard of our work, as well as the efficient planning and implementation of the entire project. We have now been booked to carry out regular annual cleaning of the building façades, as well as six-monthly cleans of the paved areas, to help ensure that the shopping centre continues to look its best.

To find out more about our exterior cleaning services for retail parks please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

High level interior cleaning – Moss House, University College Birmingham

We recently cleaned the glass panels surrounding the spectacular central atrium of Moss House, University College Birmingham.

Moss House is University College Birmingham’s newest campus building. It features a host of cutting-edge facilities for students studying vocational degree courses such as nursing, social work, physiotherapy, sport and fitness.

Award winning building deserves brilliant cleaning

The building won the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) West Midlands Award in 2021 which described it as one of the best buildings in the region. Not surprisingly, keeping the building looking its brilliant best is top of the agenda for the team in charge of the management and maintenance of the building. This was especially important when preparing for a big annual open day.

clever access and elbow grease

OneFifty was delighted to be invited to carry out the cleaning. We do a lot of high-level internal cleaning and each project has its own unique requirements. The first challenge at Moss House was getting the appropriate high-level access equipment into the building.

We used a spider elevated platform to gain safe access along with telescopic poles to reach and clean the highest panels.

EXPERienced IN INTERIOR CLEANING

Of course, interior cleaning requires a different approach to working on the exterior of a building; our team understands this and a great deal of care and attention was taken throughout.

The project was completed within the required time frame, and the glass panels surrounding the statement staircase at the centre of the atrium were left sparkling clean ready to welcome this year’s new cohort of students.

To find out more about our high level interior cleaning service please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Cladding Cleaning – Tower Park leisure & entertainment centre

Creating a good first impression is really important, especially in the leisure and entertainment industry. The exterior of a venue is seen as a reflection of what people can expect to find inside, as well as the products and services on offer – so a poor appearance is likely to have a negative impact and potentially put people off visiting.

The management company in charge of maintaining the Tower Park leisure and entertainment centre is well aware of this. They contracted OneFifty to clean the exterior façades of this enormous centre.

Tower Park is one of Poole’s largest leisure and entertainment destinations serving the communities within Poole, Dorset and Bournemouth. It occupies an area of 199,000 sq. ft, and has an open plaza between the buildings with outdoor seating for visitors. Leisure and entertainment facilities include; Splashdown – a massive water park with 13 outdoor and indoor flume rides, a 16-screen multiplex Cineworld Cinema, a Hollywood Bowl bowling alley, a kids soft play centre, a bingo hall and a gym. It also has a variety of popular food outlets including Nandos, Pizza Hut, Pizza Express, KFC and Taco Bell.

Keeping up appearances

In a previous refurbishment project many of the building exteriors had been clad with either metal or plastic cladding. Over time, these clad façades had become dirty and stained, and they were in need of a thoroughly good clean.

OneFifty has particular expertise in cleaning clad surfaces, we know the best way to remove dirt and staining as well as how to treat the surfaces so that they stay clean for longer once we have completed our work.

Our experienced team also have the right cleaning equipment and access systems to be able to carry out the cleaning efficiently and effectively, with work being completed out-of-hours to ensure minimum interruption to business.

What a difference a clean makes

The huge branded façades of Cineworld and Splashdown were transformed once we had completed cleaning and the whole centre looked pristine and welcoming. The management company was so pleased with our work that they have added us as a preferred supplier and will be contacting us for other projects in the near future.

To find out more about our high-level cladding cleaning services please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

 

Cleaning the Bears High-Performance Training Centre

Bristol Bears have an amazing High-Performance Training Centre in Abbots Leigh. The site includes two full size pitches and a huge covered indoor training centre which contains an exact half sized Ashton Gate measured pitch.

It was this structure that we were asked to clean.

Size matters.

OneFifty often works with Bristol Sport (who manage the Ashton Gate stadium) and they contacted us to see whether we could help clean the covered pavilion.

The structure consists of a two-storey steel-framed Tensile Fabric structure. As well as the astroturf pitch it also houses a state-of-the-art gymnasium, medical facilities, hydrotherapy, nutrition, administration offices, a board room, team analysis room, a players’ lounge and a high quality kitchen and dining room (run by a full-time chef)!

The structure has been in situ for around 3 years and the white fabric had become stained with algae and dirt.

The challenges

There were a number of challenges associated with the cleaning.

  • Access and parking was extremely restricted
  • Great care needed to be taken to not damage the material
  • We could not use any product that might contaminate the surrounding area (grass/training pitch)

high performance cleaning

We managed to squeeze MEWP alongside the structure. It’s hydraulic boom allowed us to achieve really good outreach and carefully clean the fabric using soft brushes and pure water. We also used some gentle pressure washing where staining was hard to remove.

We are very proud of our team who worked hard to complete the cleaning and leave the pavillion looking sparkling clean. Our client was delighted with our performance – and the results we achieved.

To find out more about our exterior cleaning services please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Gutter cleaning for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH)

We recently completed cleaning the gutters for Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital (QEH), an independent day school in Clifton, Bristol.

QEH, is housed in an impressive historic building located near Cabot Tower on Brandon Hill. The building, designed by local architects Foster and Son, dates from 1847 and has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II listed building, including the terrace steps and walls, and the lodge and gates.

GUTTER Access proves a challenge

We used our truck mounted cherry picker to reach the high guttering on the outside of the building and our gutter vacuum for the lower level guttering in the interior courtyard.

The school also needed some high level maintenance work done in the interior courtyard which has no vehicle access. We had suggested using ropes to reach and carry out this work as this would be a quick and cost efficient solution and the school. The school was delighted with the idea, and the work was approved and carried out to suit the their preferred timings.

One Fifty had been recommended to QEH and we had previously carried out other small cleaning projects for the school including removing slippery paint markings from the tarmac driveway leading up to the building. Their operations manager had been very pleased with both the standard of our work and the speed and efficiency of our delivery, which is why they had invited us back to quote for the gutter cleaning project.

Living up to expectations

We were delighted to have this opportunity and keen to meet their expectations. Our experienced IRATA and IPAF qualified operators carried out the high level gutter cleaning safely and efficiently, leaving the gutters clear of debris and able to perform the job of carrying water down and away from the building structure.

The operations manager was impressesd by our approach to tackling the challenge of accessing the high level maintenance work in the courtyard, as well as the quality of our work. We look forward to being invited back to carry out more external cleaning projects for QEH in the future.

To find out more about gutter cleaning, or any other high level exterior cleaning services, please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Managing HSE on roof and gutter cleaning projects

Our team regularly carry out commercial roof cleaning projects which require a health and safety assessment regarding risks associated with working at height. A recent project involved cleaning both the roof and gutters of a large unit located in a retail park in Devon.

The corrugated low-pitch roof of the unit was surrounded by wide trough gutters. The roof had become discoloured due to organic growth including lichen which had started to develop on the roof, whilst the gutters had become blocked by luxuriant plant growth!

How gutters become Colonised by plants

Dirt, in this instance washed down from the low pitch roof, and debris such as leaves, accumulate and decompose in gutters creating an environment that is surprisingly favourable to plant growth. Then, seeds carried by the wind and birds, land, take root and grow.

When gutters become so blocked water drains very slowly resulting in the gutters flooding. This can lead to water sitting above the roofline and leaking into the property causing immediate and long-term damage. It also dramatically  increases the weight being held within the gutters which can also cause long-term issues to their structure.

Fast, efficient high quality cleaning

The first task was to clear the gutters before we could start to clean the roof. Once these were clear water could once again flow freely down away from the roof and the building. We then worked on the roof removing lichen and other organic matter to leave it looking sparkling clean (see pics below).

Health and Safety when working at height

As can often be the case, the cleaning element of this project was pretty straightforward. It was rather the proper management of health and safety with regards to high-level access and working at height that required our knowledge and experience.

Working on roofs is logically hazardous because it involves working at height. Roof work accounts for a quarter of all deaths in the construction industry – and not all people killed are roofers, many are maintenance workers such as ourselves.

A RIGOROUS APPROACH TO HSE

OneFifty takes Health and Safety extremely seriously and we are rigorous about following the latest HSE guidelines. Our qualified operatives are experienced in working at height and our work is all fully insured.

Fall Arrest systems

On this project we used a fall arrest system for additional security. The purpose of a fall arrest system is to protect a person if they fall by shortening the distance of the fall and preventing them from hitting the ground. It includes three key components; i.) a body harness and ii.) a connector which is securely fastened to iii.) a reliable anchor point.

All anchor points require an annual inspection and must have the ‘pass’ test date clearly displayed. On this project we used pre-installed anchor lines that been inspected and approved as safe to use.

If you would like to know more about roof cleaning, or any other high-level cleaning service, including testing fall arrest systems, please contact Max or Andy Morris on 0333 234 1445 or email and we’ll get back to you.

Smart solution to clean atrium of Merchant Venturer’s House

We recently cleaned the internal glass panels and steel supports of the atrium in Merchant Venturer’s House, part of Bristol University.

The atrium consists of a high, white, steel girder structure supporting panels of glass that allow light to flood down into the building. Over time both the metalwork and panels had become very dirty and the University really wanted to get them cleaned up ready for their next big open day.

A job TOO HIGH

They’d spoken to a few suppliers, but none were very forthcoming about doing the work, probably because the access was too complicated. So when we said we’d be happy to do the job, could arrange high-level access, and get it done within the required timeframe, they were delighted.

TIHINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

We do love a challenge and having to think creatively about a project, so this was right up our street. It was a tricky one – there was no easy way of reaching the very high steels and glass panels. The floor below the atrium was a floating timber structure that could not support any heavy weight – so no spider cranes, no matter how lightweight. Rope access was the answer – a job for our abseil team.

Once in the air, our agile operatives used a method called ‘aid climbing’ to move along the steel girders and carry out the cleaning (see images below). The actual cleaning was straightforward, done using clean damp rags to wipe off the dirt. As soon as a rag was dirty it was discarded and replaced with a new clean one to make sure there was no smearing.

Painting, cleaning and fixing

As well as cleaning the metal work and glass panels, we also painted and carried out some simple repairs to the 16 metre tall back wall. Once complete everything looked spotlessly clean and fresh. The area did have to be closed off while we were working, but the job was done in just five days. This suited our client who, intrigued by our approach, popped by to see exactly how we would gain access to such a difficult-to-reach area. They were suitably impressed by our team’s performance and gave glowing feedback when the work was complete.

To find out more about our complex high-level building cleaning services contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

 

Hi-level performance to clean Cabot Circus ceiling

In business it’s important to build good long-term relationships. OneFifty has done exactly that with Cabot Circus, cleaning their stunning glass link-bridge, removing unwanted graffiti and carrying out a high-level exterior cleaning. When they needed the interior of their enormous domed ceiling cleaned we were delighted to be asked to do the job and definitely up for the challenge.

The dramatic glazed roof – the first structure of its kind in the UK – consists of a 5,800m2 grid shell structure. It radiates out from the central retail area into the adjoining streets, linking five individual buildings.

tradition cleaning methods – hi-tech access

In order to not impact the interior spaces of the centre – the courtyards, terraces, stairways and escalators – we needed to clean the glass panels and steel frames by hand – not a problem. The challenge was access. The high glass roof is domed and irregular, requiring constant adjustments to the access equipment in order to reach the different sections. There were also limits to the weight of equipment that could be set up inside Cabot Circus.

We used a 43m Spider which gave us flexibility to manoeuvre under the canopy, which is 33m at its highest point, and a MEWP for cleaning the sections radiating off the main dome. Keeping track of exactly which panels had been cleaned and making sure not a single panel was missed required an extremely methodical approach.

SMART planning delivers cost efficiencies

Work was carried out at night, after the centre had closed, ensuring no negative impact on commerce. We also arranged for equipment to be stored off-site by day, so that anyone visiting the facilities would have no idea cleaning work was going on.

All aspects of health and safety associated with this complex project were taken care of – our experienced operatives are IPAF qualified and we are fully insured – providing peace of mind for our client.

The job took place over a two week period, one week faster than the previous contractors had taken, largely down to smart planning and careful project management. Our client was delighted with the outcome.

We love the images taken during the project, well worth a browse!

Cleaning Cardiff’s tallest building

Bridge Street Exchange is a 26 storey high-rise building with conjoining 11 and 5 storey blocks. It’s a mixed-use development providing high quality student accommodation as well as retail units on the ground floor.

At 85 metres Bridge Street Exchange is the tallest building in Cardiff and we were really excited to be asked to carry out the cleaning of such an impressive high-rise building.

Straightforward maintenance cleaning…

It was actually a pretty straightforward maintenance clean of the building’s aluminium-clad façade and windows, prompted in-part by increased quantities of dirt and dust being created by a nearby building site. We used a mix of hand cleaning and reach and wash, using pure water, to remove the dirt and leave both the cladding and the windows sparkling clean.

… extremely high-level access

Not surprisingly, given the height of the building, it was the complex high-level access that presented the challenge. Our expert team used a combination of rope access for the higher level cleaning and a cherry picker to reach and clean the lower level areas of the building.

Efficient, cost-effective and fully compliant

This combination proved both the most efficient and cost-effective way of tackling the Bridge Street Exchange cleaning project.

Our experienced IRATA and IPAF qualified operators carried out the high-level cleaning work safely and efficiently, delivering an excellent result. And of course, we have Health and Safety and insurance fully covered, providing peace of mind for our client.

To find out more about our high level exterior building cleaning services contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.