Longannet Boiler Project 

Site Background

Longannet Generating Station is now entering its decommissioning phase and its contribution to the grid ceased in 2016. During its life, HAKI Access Solutions were invited to consult and deliver a variety of projects. One of the more complex requirements was to fit our suspended TechniSpan platform inside one of the stations boilers for various mechanical repairs and tube replacement on the super heaters. Due to the weight of the tubes, the platform had to facilitate the laydown of the condemned steelwork and the uplift of the replacements. A high UDL was required to facilitate this and in addition, the only entry to the boiler was a small hatch suitable for personnel access….challenge accepted!

Project Requirements

·       Design and install a suspended underdeck access platform to facilitate the required remedial works.

·       Due to lack of suitable pick up points for traditional scaffold, a rigging solution was to be incorporated into the design.

·       Devise a solution working around the extremely limited access.

Our Solution

We designed a bespoke TechniSpan access solution for the client. The platform was built in 1.25m wide “bays” outside the boiler and cross-hauled in using 110v winches. Once in position, the bays were pinned longitudinally together to form the required size platform. This task required us to create a detailed lift plan and execute it perfectly for it to work. Communication was key!

Safety & Commercial Benefits

·       Rapid Installation of Platform Access.

·       70% reduction in working at height and with rope access providing a means of working at height with an exemplary safety record.

·       Bespoke blend of scaffolding, rope access and rigging and lifting skills, teamed with project management experience combining to deliver an effective solution.

·       90% reduction in manual handling. Light weight trusses and rigging and lifting techniques reduce the risk of injury significantly.

·       Build and strip was 60% faster than traditional scaffold with a 75% reduction in labour costs. Asset turnaround was significantly quicker than previous repairs.