Turnarounds can be lengthy and costly business events, shutting down whole sections of a plant while inspections, renovations and repairs are done.
Full-cycle rope access: A critical need during turnarounds
RCS rope access team installs insulation at the top of a tower.
Revenue lost by shutting down parts of a production line can significantly impact a company’s budget and bottom line. Earlier this year, we performed a turnaround in Deer Park, Texas, that saved a client over $1 million in time and materials with our rope access setup.
A turnkey solution that saved $550,000
Traditional scaffolding takes about one month and 18 skilled workers to set up before the work begins. On top of that, it requires congestion planning and potential revisions that cost additional time and money. There are other considerations like falling objects and extra costs for mechanical contractors.
Rope access, also known as industrial climbing, uses ropes and associated equipment to give workers access to hard-to-reach areas without using scaffolding or aerial work platforms. Rope access includes a work line that allows workers to move around the worksite, a safety harness, an emergency safety line and related hardware.
Rope access provides a safe and cost-effective alternative solution for most of our customer’s project needs. It allows our multi-craft rope access teams to execute and complete large portions of a project without waiting for support structures to be built. This leads to a marked reduction in:
- Overall manpower
- At-height exposure hours
- Lost time between craft handoffs
- The overall cost of a job or project
To determine if a project qualifies for rope access solutions, we take a lot of things into consideration. We look at the job location to see if the project area is over 10 feet high and if it will require fall protection. Then, we ensure that the needed tasks are achievable through rope access. If it is achievable, we make sure that there are suitable anchor points to achieve maximum safety and successful project completion. If all these factors check out, we compare the overall cost of the project using rope access compared to other methods to ensure it is the most cost-effective method for the client.
For this project in Deer Park, all mechanical work was done via rope access. This process erased the need for scaffolding and mechanical contractors. In addition, it took only one week and four workers to set up, saving the client over $550,000 in the process compared to using scaffolding.
Strategic use of netting saves over $700,000
At RCS, safety is our No.1 priority when it comes to our workers. In addition to rope access, we also installed safety nets measuring 80 feet by 240 feet on the fin fans to prevent the need for an elevated work platform. The benefits of this were twofold.
The netting was positioned to catch dropped objects and make them easily retrievable. One of the biggest issues on a turnaround project is injuries related to dropped objects, as contractors typically do not tether their tools or materials. The netting ensured that dropped tools were caught, and there were zero injuries or incidents related to dropped objects for the entire turnaround.
It created a barrier to catch dropped objects between the fin fans and the pump alley below them. This allowed two teams to safely work on each side of the barrier for faster results. Had the nets not been in place, workers would have only been able to work in one section at a time to avoid the risk of falling object-related injuries. This allowed us to complete the task three weeks ahead of schedule and save the client another $700,000.
RCS delivers record-time results
Our RCS rope access system and netting allowed us to successfully install 17 blinds onto two columns over 200 feet tall, saving the client over $1.2 million dollars. We completed all aspects of the turnaround in record time, including full torque values, final make-ups and full API reporting. The client was thrilled with the result, and we received major recognition for our work in the process.
Amazing results from other rope access projects
RCS is focused on delivering exceptional results accomplished through professional project planning, execution and monitoring. Building on a solid foundation of proven methodologies, combined with a perpetual drive for excellence, RCS is committed to safely executing turnkey solutions through value-driven, integrated specialty services that set the benchmark for customer expectations.
Our mission continues
RCS was founded in 2007 as Refractory Construction Services Co. LLC, with the singular focus of providing refractory repair and installation services. RCS has since evolved into a premier provider of integrated project solutions.
We are now a multi-tool option for turnkey projects that incorporates specialty welding and mechanical expertise, as well as access solutions, insulation and abatement.
RCS is focused on delivering exceptional project results through project planning, execution and monitoring. We operate with the understanding that a well-developed plan is crucial to successful project execution. We place top value on immediate and efficiently coordinated responses to unplanned and emergency work. As a result, we have a safety culture where safe work practices are kept at the forefront of our employees’ mindset. By investing in every employee through indoctrination, inhouse craft training and incentivizing, we have built a workforce that is empowered to take responsibility for themselves, their fellow workers, our clients and the surrounding environment.
The RCS management team consists of experienced project managers and supervisors, all carrying industry certifications. We safely and successfully execute numerous large turnaround projects on a wide array of industrial equipment while adhering to committed budgets and timelines.
Building on a solid foundation of proven successes like the one in Deer Park, combined with our perpetual drive for excellence, RCS is committed to continuing safely executed turnkey solutions through value-driven, integrated specialty services.
We look forward to becoming your preferred industrial contractor, and we thank our Deer Park clients for placing their confidence in us for this project. We are proud of the historical results and the financial savings our rope access strategy provided.
Whatever your scope of work calls for, RCS has you covered.
For more information, visit refconserv.com or call (281) 335-3633.
