Rafferty’s have secured a sizable contract to carry out maintenance works on 2 No. 89m high twin flue steel chimneys and 1 No. 33m high multi flue steel chimney for a valued customer in London, UK.
The maintenance works are planned to start at the end of September and will require a specialised team of steeplejack operatives for a duration of nearly 8 weeks.
Following a recent external quality audit, Rafferty’s have been informed that they will achieve ISO 9001:2008 accreditation for a 12th year running. The certificate of registration will soon be posted on our website.
Rafferty’s would like to congratulate its management team for their hard work in maintaining this notable accreditation.
Rafferty’s have successfully completed emergency structural repair works to 2 No. steel chimneys on a Power Plant in the South West of England.
The 65m high x 6.3m diameter stacks had suffered corrosion attack and deterioration to the steel shell which required immediate structural plating works. An innovative scaffolding arrangement enabled safe access for our steeplejack and welder plater operatives to undertake the works from both inside and outside of the structures throughout their full circumference.
Rafferty’s highly specialised workforce along with their vast experience of structural repairs to steel chimney structures proved paramount on this project. Our swift and professional approach ensured the future structural integrity of these chimneys, much to the relief of our valued client.
The following photographs show the typical defects located and our steeplejacks and welder platers at work. Please click on the images to enlarge.
Rafferty’s have successfully completed structural modifications and repairs on a 37m high steel chimney for a valued client in the North West of England.
A re-design and feasibility study of the structure was initially carried out which revealed that modifications and repairs were required to ensure the structural integrity of the chimney. The modifications included removing the existing helical strake wind stabilisers and replacing them with a liquid filled stabilising damper system. Steel stiffening work was also carried out to an area of the chimney shell below roof level. Repair works included replacing areas of the internal gunite lining which had previously failed. A team of steeplejacks and welder platers successfully completed the project to the complete satisfaction of the client.
Rafferty’s have secured a contract to carry out structural repairs and modifications to a 73.2m high multi flue steel chimney for a valued customer in Northern Ireland.
Following a re-design and feasibility study of the structure it was determined that the existing helical strake wind stabilisers should be removed and a new liquid filled stabilsing damper system be installed. Steel stiffening work is also required to areas of the chimney windshield where metal loss has previously occured.
The contract is expected to take approximately 4/5 weeks and will be undertaken by a team of 3 steeplejack operatives, two of which are fully coded welder platers.
Rafferty’s have changed the name of their Company from Rafferty Chimneys Engineering Ltd to Rafferty International Limited, having sucessfully completed projects in numerous countries throughout the World.
Rafferty Steeplejacks have recently carried out an external and internal inspection of 2 No. HRSG steel chimneys for a valued client on a power station in the South West of England. The internal inspection revealed that the 2 No. chimneys had started to buckle in a specific area on both stacks. Following further investigation works externally it was determined that the buckled areas corresponded to the position of external cladding rings which had been holding moisture and deteriorting the chimney shell externally.
The two HRSG steel chimneys stand approximately 65m high above ground level and have a diameter of 6.3m. With the strucutral integrity of these huge chimneys now hanging in the balance, Rafferty’s carried out detailed design calculations, formulated a suitable repair method and, to the relief of the client, mobilised a team of 8 highly trained steeplejack and welder plater operatives to site within 24 hours. The two teams of 4 are now working in tandem on both chimneys and are carrying out structural plating and strenghening works thoughout the full circumference of the chimneys in the defective areas.
Rafferty’s unrivalled design capabilities and knowledge of steel chimney structures have proven paramount in this emergency situation and their employment of a highly specialised workforce have enabled a prompt and professional service to be provided at very short notice.
Rafferty Steeplejacks have successfully completed inspection and maintenance works on the 2 No. multi flue steel chimneys at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire. With only a handful of chimneys now left in Stoke-On-Trent, Rafferty’s were delighted to be rewarded with this local contract.
The management of Rafferty Steeplejacks regard the transport of their labour and equipment as an intergral part of our safe and reliable service to our valued customers. Rafferty’s continually review, maintain and update their fleet of transport and have today taken delivery of a new £20,000.00 Mercedes Vito van. The new van can comfortably transport 3 steeplejack operatives along with large quantities of plant, equipment and materials required for all types of chimney work. The van has also been fitted with a custom made roof rack to enable steeplejack ladders to be safely secured to the roof of the van during transport.
Realty Estates Ltd – Boddingtons Site, Manchester City Centre 2010.
Demolition of 55m High Brick Chimney.
In September 2010 Rafferty’s successfully tendered for the complete demolition of the iconic 55m high Boddingtons brick chimney in Manchester city centre. To be involved in the demolition of the Boddingtons brick chimney would always be done with a slight grievance by anyone associated with the steeplejack industry, as grand chimney structures such as this are now very few and far between. However, with all nostalgic feelings aside and the demolition unavoidable, we were delighted to be awarded with this high profile task.
Due to the densely populated location of the chimney, Rafferty’s 62 years of experience within the steeplejack industry was put to the test to ensure that the chimney was demolished safely, with minimal risk and no disruption to the general public. The method chosen by Rafferty Steeplejacks was to demolish the full height of the chimney in a piecemeal fashion, depositing all demolition rubble down the inside of the stack.
To provide safe and suitable access for the demolition, a moveable band modular frame scaffold deck was installed directly below the ornamental string course brickwork at the 45m level. Tubular scaffolding was then erected to the termination point to completely envelope the top 10m of the stack. Micro netting was installed at each scaffold lift to ensure that no demolition debris would become airborne and fall to ground level externally. With all scaffolding and safety equipment in position, the demolition could commence.
The Boddingtons brick chimney had three steel liners which ran throughout the full height of the brick structure internally. Therefore, before any brickwork could be demolished, the three steel liners had to be removed first. To remove the internal liners required the use of a 200 ton mobile crane. The crane would initially take the entire weight of each liner from the termination point of the chimney. The steel liner would then be hoisted approximately 10m above the termination point where it would then be supported. Once the liner was supported it would then be cut throughout its full circumference to enable the 10m section to be safely lowered to ground level. This process would be repeated until the full height of each liner was completely removed.
Once the internal liners were dismantled then the demolition of the external brick structure could proceed. However, the original designers and builders of this grand structure would not make life easy for anyone wishing to demolish it as they decided to incorporate a 3.6m high cast iron head with a 1.5m oversail within the brick structure at the termination point. Due to the age of the chimney the cast iron head could not be removed as one section as there was a potential risk of it splitting. Therefore, it painstakingly had to be supported and dismantled in a piecemeal fashion to ensure that maximum safety prevailed throughout this contract. Once the cast iron head was removed then the chimney brickwork could be demolished. This again was done in a piecemeal fashion with all rubble being deposited down the inside of the chimney. The modular frame scaffold arrangement was lowered in conjunction with the demolition until the chimney reached a height of 20m. The final 20m of the chimney was demolished using a high reach machine, transforming the Manchester city skyline forever.
Rafferty’s 62 years of tackling high risk works at high level proved paramount on this contract, with the entire project being successfully undertaken to the complete satisfaction of the client and without any safety incidents or disruption to the general public. Our long history of successfully completing chimney projects throughout the UK and the World is why this Company has remained ‘At The Top Since 1949’.