Sheffield protection company provides safety for Britain’s tallest spire

Eurosafe Solutions, a Sheffield-based fall protection company, has completed work to secure the tallest spire in Britain at Salisbury Cathedral.

Eurosafe Solutions were approached by the cathedral’s estate department to replace ropes and supply a secure working environment inside the 123 metre high spire.

Since the site dates back to 1365, the Sheffield company had to overcome several unique challenges during the project, and as most of the existing scaffolding was made from old ships and oak beams, the Eurosafe Solutions team wanted to preserve it due to the historical significance.

Therefore, the company decided to use rope access techniques to provide the safest solution, whilst providing minimum disturbance in order to retain the integrity of the spire.

Furthermore, the spire already had a number of rigging ropes attached but these had to be replaced to ensure the safety of the employees working on the spire. As Eurosafe Solutions has more than 20 years’ experience in providing rope access solutions, this did not present a problem.

As well as designing and installing a comprehensive range of fall protection systems, Eurosafe Solutions also supplies an efficient test and inspection service. The company offers total project management to ensure that fall protection systems on a building are compliant with the latest regulations, minimising risks to operatives and providing peace of mind to building owners.

With over 20 years experience in the installation, testing, inspection and monitoring of fall protection systems, Eurosafe Solutions has worked with some of the UK’s iconic buildings, including the O2 Arena, The Millennium Stadium, Manchester Evening News Arena, Gatwick and Heathrow Airports and the Emirates Stadium.

Ian Shore, rope access co-ordinator at Eurosafe Solutions, said: “Myself and a colleague were tasked with installing a rope-based safety system to provide site maintenance personnel safe access as they climb up internal ladders within the spire of the cathedral.

“As experienced rope access technicians, we applied a rope access methodology to overcome on-site issues, such as a lack of direct anchorage and a structure built long before safety requirements were as strict as they are now.

“Working on such an iconic structure is a pleasure as you get to see the behind the scenes areas the public don’t ever see.”