MechChem Africa March 2020

⎪ Environmental management, waste and cleaning technologies ⎪

Exterior maintenance is an important part of creating productive and hygienic professional environments. InterClean looks at commercial window cleaning trends, such as drones and robots, which are set to make cleaning tasks easier in 2020. Commercial window cleaning trends to look out for in 2020

D ubai’s Burj Khalifa skyscraper stands at a jaw dropping 828 metres and it takes three months toclean the tower fromtop tobot- tom. Toachieve this amazing feat, the cleaning teamattach themselves to thebuilding’s spire and from there they abseil down, cleaning as they go. Of course, not all buildings have such extreme window cleaning needs. But it does highlight howchallenging it canbe tomaintain exterior cleanliness. Building design, height andweather all add to thedifficultyofwindow cleaning operations, meaning cleaning teams need reliable equipment to get the job done safely and effectively. InterClean has compiled the four com- mercial window cleaning trends to look out for in 2020 and how they might transform a business. 1. Cleaning drones will take to the skies in a big way This trend could shape commercial win- dow cleaning in 2020. Some companies already use drones to clean tall, glass- fronted buildings and even wind turbines. The benefits of the technology are clear. It is a safe and incredibly efficient option

especially as newer, tethered cleaning drones increase the range and time for which you can use them. Drones are still relatively new in the sector which means there’s scope for improvement and innovation. 2. Robotswill be theones climbingbuildings Autonomous robotic cleaners will likely be the competition for cleaning drones in 2020. Offering similar safety and efficien- cy benefits, the difference is in customer needs – understanding the client’s needs and allocating the appropriate innovation to bettermatch the specific requirements of the environments. While drones still rely on a user to pilot them, robots can operate independently, providing a crucial benefit. 3. Management & Mobility apps will be- come standard As exciting as drone and robot use for cleaning operations may sound, both innovations need to be effectively man- aged, and this is where Management & Mobilityapps come in. By connecting team members via smartphone, management and mobility applications give complete

visibility to operations, and eliminate the possibility of duplication or missed tasks. This means improved and measured pro- ductivity to deliver better results while saving costs. 4. Sustainability will be at the front of cus- tomers’ minds Whichever way you develop your clean- ing operations in 2020, sustainability will underpin every decision. Companies are actively striving to create environmen- tally friendly products and processes. However, the need for sustainability in professional cleaning goes way beyond green cleaning. It is an all-encompassing ideal that seeks to establishmaintainable cleaning habits and methods for the bet- terment of the environment, workers, and businesses. q

Rope access is ideal for industrial cleaning applications Reducedmaintenancedowntime and a fast- er turnaround in a totally safe environment has resulted in the increased popularity of rope access for industrial cleaning applica- tions, says Skyriders marketing manager Mike Zinn. tenance budgets,” Zinn explains. Recently Skyriders combined rope access with the use of industrial vacuum cleaning trucks to remove fly ash build-up at a power station. Technicians installed the necessary rigging quickly and efficiently – allowing the fly ash to be vacuumed up quickly – beforemoving onto the next area.

“More and more industrial sectors are cot- toning onto the benefits, convenience, and safety of rope access as a highly effective means of inspection andmaintenance,” Zinn concludes. q

Here rope access is eminently suitable for utility providers such as power stations, which have large areas that are not only inaccessible to general cleaning providers, but experience ash and dust build-up that needs to be removed regularly. Whilescaffoldingisthetraditionalmeans of access for industrial cleaning at power stations, in the long term it is costly and unwieldy, especially if the area that needs to be cleaned is extensive and at height. “Rope access is sufficiently flexible to allow for more regular, proactive inspec- tion, which assists to reduce overall main-

Petrochemical producers also encoun- ter debris and residue build-up internally in tanks and on roof trussing. Recently Skyriders deployed its Elios Sky Eye con- fined-space drone technology on such a tank-inspection project to determine the extent of the build-up, and the general con- dition of the structure, prior to the clean-up operation itself. The rope-access specialist has also car- ried out industrial cleaning services at a massivebulk store at amajor fertiliser plant.

Rope access is sufficiently flexible to allow for more regular proactive inspection.

March 2020 • MechChem Africa ¦ 21