Round The Building In 5 Days

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30542, 10 September 1964, Page 1

Round The Building In 5 Days

The power-operated cradle for windowcleaners at the Government Life building in Cathedral square was used for the first time this week. It is the only one of its kind in Christchurch.

The unit, which was built in Western Germany, runs on double rails on the roof around the four sides of the building. It is suspended by wire ropes from two jibs and can move both vertically and horizontally. The cradle or gondola has accommodation for two window cleaners. To stop any swaying in the wind it is equipped with two sets of large, rubber suction cups which are moistened and attached to the window. The cradle is operated by a set of buttons similar to that on a lift. It has a num-

ber of built-in safety devices in the event of a power cut or other emergency. There is a sensitive bar around the bottom of the three sides of the gondola nearest the building which automatically stops the motor if it touches anything. Before the unit could be used it had to pass an inspection by the Department of Labour. When the machine moves along the rails, a bell rings continuously to warn anyone standing near it on the roof to keep clear. The public are not permitted near the rails, which are surrounded by a high iron fence. Only workmen of the window cleaning contract company, Crothall and Company (Canterbury), Ltd., and other authorised persons are allowed outside the glassed-in enclosure on the roof. There is telephone communication from the gondola and the roof. If this does not work the workmen can sum-

mon assistance with a hunting horn. The gondola contains two tanks for water. Two workmen employed by the contractors, Messrs J. H. Smith and K. N. Bunkum, demonstrated the machine to a reporter, who was lowered over the side of the building, which is more than 100 ft above the street. They said they had no fear of heights and that the job had its compensations. The gondola attracted a good deal of attention from office workers in the building as it went down but very few in the street noticed it.

The unit was installed under the directions of the consulting engineers for the project, Maindonald and Associates. The rails on which it operates were constructed in New Zealand by D. F. Nuttall Steel Constructions, Ltd. The jobs from which the gondola is lowered resemble those of a ship’s derricks for life-boats. It is estimated that it will take two men about a week to clean the outside of all the windows in the building covered by the contract. The ground-floor windows are cleaned by the tenants.