Understanding of Facade cleaning

Façade is the least practiced word and also different in pronunciation. Generally, people pronounce like as Fakad but its pronounce is fasad(/fəˈsɑːd/). In the facilities industry, this word practiced more. Window Cleaning, Glass Cleaning, Rope Access Cleaning these words are interrelated with the façade. 

Facade is the exterior side of a building, generally, but not always, the front. The word derives from the French language, meaning “face” or “front”.

The façade also known as a building envelope. The facade of a building is clearly the most important aspect from a design perspective, as it’s the first thing people will usually see. Glass is one of the most popular choices for the building facade particularly since the industrial revolution. Although some properties may feature facades made from metals such as stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, etc.

When building façade becomes dirty needs to clean. There are a number of reasons why a building facade can appear dirty. In UAE perspective desert storm and less rain are major factors for facade dirtiness.

Façade cleaning process

How a facade is cleaned will depend on the material it is made from. The equipment and solutions used will be specific to the type of material so as to ensure no damage occurs during the cleaning process. The building’s location and function may also determine exactly how the facade is cleaned. Nowadays built many buildings at irregular shapes. So the general cleaning process cant applied there.

Facade Cleaning Mechanism

There are various methods and techniques for façade cleaning. These are-

Boom 

‘Boom’ is the oldest and most commonly used mechanisms historically. It consists of a scaffold that carries multiple washers and therefore allows a group to work simultaneously. Note that this is a permanent system, i.e., it is fixed on the roof of the building to be used as and when required.

Carriages

Powered davit carriage units save the labor-intensive operation of moving portable davits. Like typical davit systems, the mast can be lowered out of view.

Portable Davits

One of the most economical solutions for facade access, portable davit masts move between fixed davit bases and can be lowered out of sight when not in use.

Bosun Chair

Bosun chair is a modern invention and is designed for a single cleaner. It can be operated from the chair itself. It offers access to tight areas of an edifice while keeping the washer safely seated in a comfortable position. It’s ideal for conditions of prolonged and dedicated window cleaning. As with many historical items, the bosun chair has served its purpose well in the past; but with modern advances, it has quickly been outdated by modern “industrial rope access”. 

Robot System

Japan and Germany is using the robotic system at high rise building façade cleaning. The general shapes of exterior wall maintaining robots that have so far been developed are divided into three kinds: a robot system that uses a gondola installed on top of a building, a robot system that uses a guide rail and a mullion installed on the exterior wall of a building, and a robot system that performs the work by utilizing the self-moving mechanism.

Rope Access

Rope access cleaning is the most effective and easiest method of façade cleaning. It can be done at any time without interrupting the other works and it also doesn’t take up your time. Operators do their tasks easily and get your work done efficiently. Rope cleaning makes it easier for cleaning at any height and there is very much less effort in moving from one location to another while cleaning.

Image: Facade Cleaning and Image Courtesy: Blue Diamond Group

Fitness of rope access cleaners

Since facade cleaners scale and descend buildings that are more than 50m high, so cleaners be medically checked for ailments that could affect their performance. This medical examination needs to be carried out at the time of induction into the company/contract. As per the British Standards and Dubai municipality guidelines a cleaner working at heights must be medically checked for:

• Heart disease
• High or low blood pressure
• Epilepsy / fits / vertigo
• Giddiness/difficulty with balance
• Impaired limb function
• Alcohol or drug dependence
• Psychiatric Illness
• Obesity
• Diabetes

Image: Facade Cleaning and Image Courtesy: Blue Diamond Group

Rope access kit

A basic rope access kit would typically include the following:

• Rope should be of kernmantel construction, semi-static (low-stretch) type, of a diameter between 10.5 mm and 11.5 mm, in accordance with EN 1891. Rope must be able to withstand any forces that it is subjected to. Ropes should be checked before and after every use for cuts, abrasion, soft or particularly hard areas and signs of chemical contamination or heat damage. They should be stored ready for use in a clean, dry area undercover away from sources of contamination such as solvent fumes. They may be washed in mild soap, rinsed thoroughly and hung to dry naturally in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight or heat.
• Working line: This is the mainline with which the worker descends
• Safety line: The line adjacent to the mainline. Worker should be connected to both lines
• Ascender: Used when the cleaner needs to climb up the rope
• Back-up device: A back-up rope adjustment device attached to the back-up safety line protects the technician from a fall if the main working line fails or if the technician slips or loses control in any way. The back-up device is intended to lock on to the safety line without causing damage to the rope and absorbing any shock load that may occur, thus preventing a fall from occurring.
• Helmet: A helmet is used to provide head protection to the wearer from injury of any type. There are two European standards governing helmets for work at height. Unfortunately, in India, helmets are not used for a full advantage.
• Chest harness: A chest harness is used to convert a regular work positioning harness into a fall arrest harness, with a suitable attachment to connect the two. The chest harness is worn around the upper body when working and is essential for ascending the rope. The ascending device is usually attached between the chest harness and the seat harness thus connecting the two harnesses for total body support. This harness will keep the cleaner safe in event of the failure of the rest of the equipment as he is preparing to climb down a building.
• Chest ascender: An ascender is a rope adjustment device which, when attached to an anchored rope of appropriate type and diameter locks under load in one direction and slides freely in the opposite direction.
• Work harness: Used while coming down the building.
• Descender: A descender is a manually operated, friction inducing, rope adjustment device, which when attached to an anchored rope of appropriate type and diameter, allows the user to achieve a controlled descent and to stop with hands-off anywhere on the anchor line. Descenders are normally used in industrial rope access for descending the working line or positioning the operative.

Checklist

The regulations require that collective protection takes priority over personal protection. The regulations require the following;

• 1. All work at height is properly planned and organised.
• 2. All work at height takes account of weather conditions.
• 3. In rope access, maximum wind speed allowed 25 mph. So wind speed report considered for starting the job.
• 4. Those involved in work at height are trained and competent.
• 5. The location of the work is safe.
• 6. Equipment is properly inspected.
• 7. The risks from fragile surfaces and falling objects are properly controlled.

Image: Facade Cleaning and Image Courtesy: Blue Diamond Group

Reading this article we think you gain a general idea about façade cleaning. More and more professionalism required at façade cleaning. Blue Diamond Group is more professional at the façade cleaning issue.