Orb Rope Access were appointed to clean the windows and glass elements of the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum building, using rope access.

The brief

We were asked to clean all the windows in the heritage building above standing height, as well as the glass lift and glass panelling around the observatory.

The building

The Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum in Widnes, Halton is housed in Tower Building, constructed around 1860 by John Hutchinson. The four-storey heritage building was originally used as an administration centre. It later became the head office of the Gossage soap company.

In 1989 the building was extended to include a glass lift and an enclosed, glazed rooftop observation deck. In the 1990s, a new gallery with interactive exhibits, and an education and visitor centre were added to the building.

As a heritage site, the building of the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum has great significance for the local area as it holds historical photographic collections and archives relating to the social activity and local history of Merseyside and areas of Lancashire and Cheshire.

The work

Any work carried out on a heritage building must be done with expertise, sensitivity and care.

When cleaning the windows, the glass lift and the observatory glass panelling, we used our extensive experience of working on heritage buildings to carry out the work, taking great care to avoid damaging any delicate elements.

Because the building is used by the public, we were asked to work early mornings and on days the museum was shut so that we didn’t cause any disruption to visitors that would spoil their experience.

The work took 5 days to complete.

Benefits to the client

Using rope access for the cleaning was far more cost-effective than deploying MEWPs (mobile elevated work platforms). The MEWPs would have also been disruptive to visitors and the general public.

The client had the peace of mind that Orb Rope Access is a member of the Heritage Trust Network, and therefore recognised for expertise in working on heritage buildings.