Spider lifts vital for restoration of iconic glass house
JMS has supplied and operated spider lifts for contractors restoring glass in the world-famous Temperate House at Kew Gardens.
A Hinowa lithium electric spider lift and a Teupen Leo36T diesel spider lift were both needed to carry out the delicate work of replacing glass in the glass house which is home to some of the world’s rarest plants.
JMS powered access platform operator Tim Barlow controlled each machine while carrying the glass restoration contractor, tools, and materials to the work site.
He said: “We’re very pleased to be supporting the restoration of building that’s so important to both science and the nation’s architectural heritage.
“For projects like this, we need to deliver a very responsive service. We must be on site ready to go exactly when and where we’re needed with precisely the right spider lift.
“Given the very wide range of spider lifts in our hire fleet, and the experience we have supporting work on other important heritage site, we can be trusted to get the job done.”
Spider lifts rise over glass house
Aerial platforms play a crucial role in maintaining such fragile structures, not least because latest health and safety regulations and standards prevent people from standing on them.
The up and over reach of the two JMS spider boom supplied meant the glass installation contractors could be taken to the precise point they needed to work in the centre of the glass house.
The Temperate House in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, West London, opened in 1863 and is the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world.
The glass restoration work is part of an on-going five-year restoration project. The glass house had been closed temporarily and was reopened to the public in May 2018 by Sir David Attenborough.
Powered access vital to restoration and repair
The glass house frame is made of aluminium, so only lightweight glass can be installed in the structure.
The glass breaks so easily that visitors need to be protected from falling shard by a mesh net.
As well as supporting the glass pane replacement, JMS tracked spider booms have been used to lift glass to contractors working on scaffolded sections of the structure.
Right spider booms for the job
The tracked booms hired for the glass restoration project at Kew were ideal for task, not least because they could travel easily across landscaped areas to reach the worksite.
Hinowa Lightlift 26.14 Performance IIIs electric spider boom
The Hinowa Lightlift 26.14 llls electric powered tracked platform has a working height of 25.7m and a maximum outreach of 13.75m and is compact, lightweight and versatile.
Its lithium battery is emission-free, quiet, and maintains high power levels for long periods, as well as fast recharge times.
Teupen Leo 36T diesel spider boom
The Teupen 36T diesel tracked spider boom has a maximum working height of 35.5m and a maximum outreach of 15.6m.
The spider lift has excellent weight distribution and non-marking rubber tracks, enabling it to work on floors with load restrictions and sensitive surfaces.
Nationwide Service
All powered access equipment is available for hire nationally through JMS’s depots in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, Leeds, West Yorkshire, Pinewood studios and Radlett.
For more information abouttracked boom hire, or to hire any of our powered access range, please call 0845 457 0000, email hire@jms.co.uk or use our new web chat facility on jms.co.uk
