13.12.2023 | Facade

Even very modern facades also need fall protection

Time to travel new paths. That’s the motto of Lobster Data GmbH in Tutzing (Bavaria). But it’s not just as a software provider that Lobster puts its faith in developing and selling highly innovative solutions. Recently the company management decided to travel new paths in terms of safety too.

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Specialist series: Fall protection for facades

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7 tips on installing concealed fall protection systems on façades, with or without rope access technology

Safety systems should not spoil the aesthetics of the façade. Nevertheless, they are important for maintenance & cleaning. The imposing glass structure was in the spotlight when it was time for cleaning the windows, because nobody had thought about the fall protection system required for this on the building’s unusual façade. So that you avoid being confronted with exactly this challenge, we have put together 7 tips for concealed fall protection and rope access technology.

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Correct planning and implementation of rope access technology on facades

Fall protection with rope access technology is an ideal solution for facades if they are also planned in good time. Architects increasingly decide to install rope access technology. The best way to integrate the rope access technology seamlessly into the building structures is to factor it in at the planning stage. The challenges arising during planning and implementation and the mistakes to avoid are summarised below.

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Holistic rescue concept for facades

After a fall every minute counts. Of course, the goal must be to avoid accidents through even better planning, equipment and training. If accidents do happen, rescue measures must be professionally prepared in order to keep the consequences as low as possible. One missing link to the rescue chain can lead to serious injuries and death. In this article you will learn how rescue concepts are prepared in connection with facade work and how rescue measures are to be carried out in an emergency.

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What is rope access technology and what are its benefits for facades?

Safety & beauty on facades - no problem with rope access technology. Because of very differing facade types, a safety system is required with which the user can reach otherwise inaccessible locations for cleaning and servicing tasks. This is particularly where the illusion of safety occurs more quickly than most people would like. Thanks to its great flexibility and high safety standards, one process which currently enjoys favour is rope access technology. In this article, we explain to you the concept and its benefits.

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5 modern facade types on which rope access technology is possible

Facades differ greatly. Every facade is unique and has its own special requirements in terms of safety, because each building shell must be cared for, serviced and, where necessary, repaired. In order to avoid the illusion of safety, a sustainable safety concept is therefore absolutely essential. In this blog, we would like to introduce to you 5 facade types where we have already gained experience in the past and were able to apply fall protection using rope access technology.

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A day’s work in rope access technology for facades

Safety is created above all through the correct workflow. Since 2019 rope access technology has been officially registered in TRBS 2121 as authorised working equipment. It is a rope-supported access process for installation, cleaning, and service tasks on facades. A debriefing and analysis takes place afterwards. In our blog, we’d like to show you this chronology for the individual steps of rope access technology, and to explain each of them briefly.

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Rope access technology on facades - all information at a glance

Definition, benefits, system, processes, legal foundations & more. Buildings are becoming higher, more modern, more complex, more spacious... The safety technology for working at height on these buildings must be correspondingly well-developed and flexible. This is why agile and dynamic rope access technology is being used with increasing frequency. It provides optimum fusing of aesthetics and safety on facades, and simultaneously provides the users with maximum flexibility when performing facade tasks such as cleaning, servicing, or repairs.

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All-round protection on facades with the (S)TOP application principle

Industrial safety on facades is essential. Dangerous behaviour in the workplace must be avoided under all circumstances. In our example, the solution would be suitable fall protection for cleaning the ceiling-high window. Ideally, risks are already eliminated in advance,e.g. by means of correct workflows. We now consider, in terms of facade safety systems, what the acronym (S)TOP represents and what lies behind it.

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7 steps of risk assessment of facades

Tasks on facades harbour risks which have to be minimised. Safety concepts for risks of falling from facades, on roofs, and also in industry have been our special field since 2001. Facade safety is an especially exciting area, because there are an incredible number of different facade types, each with its very own requirements.

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How To Achieve the Optimal Invitation to Tender for Facade Protection

Our experts share their best tips. The earlier the technical advice and planning for facade protection takes place, the better you’ll have your costs under control and the more successful you’ll be in the tendering process. Discover our 3 professional tips for this.

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Fall Protection for Facades: How Much Does it Cost?

All cost items at a glance. Roland K. opens the envelope and pulls out a multi-page stack of paper, and his heart almost stops. The offer for securing the facade of his current construction project is much higher than he’d previously calculated in the tender. Our architect Roland K. here could have avoided this sinking feeling that comes with discovering unanticipated costs. Because with good and early planning, cost-effective solutions for fall protection on your facade can be found. Read on and find out what the costs are made up of, and how you can plan and implement facade security in a way that will save you money.

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Whoops, facade safety forgotten – what can be done?

Necessary steps & expert tips that work. Inclusion of an experienced expert for facade safety early in the project pays for itself in the end, through appropriate know-how and attractive cost benefit advantages. And even if the fall protection system has been forgotten, a partner like this usually has a final ace up his sleeve.

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Fall protection on facades: 2 best practice examples

Stylishly matched to the project’s architecture. For every fall protection system, the focus is on saving lives. A holistic, sustainable safety concept for the facade safety system is the best possible gain for construction projects. At the same time, the safety system should integrate into the overall concept of the building, and complement the architecture. Discover two best practice examples for façade protection below.

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High-level view of fall protection on facades

Fall protection on facades needs to be stylish and safe. Every year, hundreds of people suffer accidents on roofs, facades, and other workplaces at height. The shockingly high number of such accidents could be reduced if suitable fall protection systems were in use. However, at the same time the facade safety system should not detract from the beauty of the building, because every structure has its own aesthetic value.

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Fall protection for Lobster’s facade

Even very modern facades also need fall protection

Time to travel new paths. That’s the motto of Lobster Data GmbH in Tutzing (Bavaria). But it’s not just as a software provider that Lobster puts its faith in developing and selling highly innovative solutions. Recently the company management decided to travel new paths in terms of safety too.

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Med Campus Linz - safe facades with TAURUS

Safety at dizzying heights: TAURUS from INNOTECH as fall protection for the MED CAMPUS Linz

The building’s modern, aesthetic facade, designed by the LORENZATELIERS architectural practice, obviously has to be cleaned and maintained regularly. So that these cleaning and maintenance tasks on the external components of the facade, plus the window and glass elements, were made as safe as possible, those responsible decided on a TAURUS professional fall protection system.

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TAURUS for façade protection at Axel Springer

TAURUS rail system, the perfect fall protection system for all types of modern facades

Regardless of the facade type, the topic of safety is always of decisive importance. Especially for intelligent facades which adapt to different weather conditions and to the actual position of the sun, regular servicing and cleaning is always necessary. Find out in this post how TAURUS is the optimum solution as fall protection for facades.

AIO was the only solution that worked for Lobster in Bavaria.

Manuel Silbermayr
Fall protection for Lobster’s facade

The actual project was the installation of a new, professional and certified fall protection system for the very modern facade of the company building in the Upper Bavarian town. This facade requires ongoing cleaning and maintenance.

Once again, this case demonstrates: no two facade projects are the same. And depending on the type of facade, the requirements for the safety system obviously also vary. Lobster Data GmbH decided on an intelligent glass facade system, with slats which react to the ambient solar radiation, and position themselves accordingly – within fixed start and end positions.

To make the inherently dangerous activity of cleaning the facade of the company building in Tutzing as safe as possible, an equally intelligent and modern safety solution was required. What Lobster’s management found was the AIO lifeline system from INNOTECH.

 

The challenges in detail

However, it wasn’t just the special slats on the Lobster Data building that represented an enormous challenge when protecting all cleaning and maintenance tasks – there was also the special steel substructure and its positioning. In addition, malfunctions on the high-tech facade can occur at any time, and these have to be fixed as quickly as possible. And, of course, the glass behind the anodised metal slats also has to be cleaned regularly.

When planning the safety solution, it was particularly important to bear in mind that these slats move automatically in order to shield the indoor spaces from intensive solar radiation and prevent the room temperature from increasing unnecessarily during the summer. For this, the start and end positions of the slats were of vital importance.

It was essential to install the AIO PASSABLE OVERHEAD LIFELINE SYSTEM so that at no point did it conflict with the moving slats, which would have impaired or restricted the sophisticated functioning of the facade.

In addition, the facade in Tutzing also has a number of clear areas, i.e. sections without slats, as the latter were installed only in front of the glass facades. For this reason, it was also important to conceal the fall protection system as much as possible, in order not to spoil the aesthetics and visual appearance of the building.

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The solution in detail

Because of the special circumstances onsite, the clear choice for the management of Lobster Data GmbH was the AIO overhead lifeline system from INNOTECH – in particular with the new AIO-GLEIT-22 slider. For the facade of the company building, a total of 240 linear metres of lifeline system was attached to the metal substructure.

It was possible to adapt the system perfectly to the existing facade structure. Thanks to the detailed arrangements and the prefabrication of the facade elements, no further onsite drillings were needed, and this in turn eliminated additional installation effort and expense and the problem of metal corrosion.

Through deploying the AIO lifeline system, the facade is now universally accessible in 100% safety, without repeated attachment and detachment. Not only does this ensure greater safety for all maintenance and cleaning staff, but it also saves costs, because it is possible to react quickly at all times, and any malfunctions can be fixed immediately.

 

Why INNOTECH?

Lobster’s management was immediately attracted to INNOTECH’s AIO lifeline system, because the company building created a large number of challenges, and this solution is very adaptable. But in addition, the company’s managers were very satisfied with the project implementation and with the installation. For example, the metal substructure – including all system and edge separations – was very closely inspected by Lobster and Innotech together.

And the corresponding transmission of forces was clarified in detail with the steelwork constructor. This was the only way that the safety solution could be installed without drilling into the facade. All parts were prefabricated by INNOTECH so that this was not even necessary.

As well as training the customer on the system, all other users involved with cleaning and maintaining the facade were also familiarised with every relevant detail of the system’s use. Last but not least, a training video was also produced. This demonstrates all important activities in detail, from donning a harness to attaching to the system.

 

Summary

The facade safety project for the Lobster Data GmbH company building in Tutzing has once again demonstrated the challenges involved when selecting the optimally suited safety system, particularly on very modern facades. But even very complex facades require regular cleaning and maintenance – and these tasks need to be performed as safely as possible. In the interests of all involved.

Here, to be fully on the safe side, it is advisable to consult a professional, certified manufacturer of fall protection systems. This is the only way to guarantee that a fall with severe consequences can be prevented in advance. And – as seen in the example of Tutzing – there is absolutely no need to spoil the aesthetics of the building for this.

If you are indeed searching for a professional fall protection system for the facade of your company building, then simply contact us. Our experts find the best solution for every challenge. You will find further information about this subject in our guideline for safe facades.

Guide for safe facades