When RCL Foods needed to remove three 50-metre-high stainless steel ducting pipes from their concrete silos at the Willowton animal feeds mill in Pietermaritzburg, the project required riggers to work suspended at 62 metres in a man cage — one of Reef Rigging’s most height-intensive work-at-height projects. Here is how the team safely completed the operation in a single day.
Project Overview: Removing 50-Metre Silo Ducting in Pietermaritzburg
RCL Foods’ animal feeds mill in Willowton, Pietermaritzburg, has four concrete silos that are prominent local landmarks. Three stainless steel ducting pipes, each measuring 50 metres in height, needed to be removed from the silo walls to make way for a new moisture management system for the grain feed inside the silos. The operation required riggers to work at heights of up to 62 metres to unbolt the five steel brackets attaching each pipe to the silo wall.
The Height Challenge: Working in a Man Cage at 62 Metres
The only practical way to access the bracket positions on the silo walls at 62 metres was to suspend the rigging team in a certified man cage from a mobile crane hook and position them precisely at each bracket location. This approach requires exceptional coordination between the riggers in the cage and the crane operator on the ground. Two-way radios were used throughout to guide the crane operator to position the cage precisely at each work point along the silo walls.
Safety Management at Extreme Height
Working in a crane-suspended man cage at 62 metres presents significant safety demands. Before operations began, Reef Rigging prepared a formal man cage operating plan and fall protection plan, covering the rigging and certification of the man cage, harness requirements for all cage occupants, the communication protocol between cage and crane, wind speed limits for operations, and emergency procedures. All personnel in the cage were required to wear certified fall arrest harnesses, anchored within the cage structure throughout their time at height.
Project Outcome: Completed in 12 Hours
Despite the height challenges and the number of bracket positions that had to be accessed on four silos, the project was completed within a single 12-hour working day. All three ducting pipes were successfully removed from the silo walls without incident or damage to the silo structures. The project stands as a clear demonstration of Reef Rigging’s capability for technically demanding work-at-height operations.
For work-at-height rigging projects, contact Reef Rigging to discuss your specific requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions: Work at Height Rigging
What is required to use a crane-suspended man cage in South Africa?
In South Africa, the use of crane-suspended man cages requires a certified man cage with a current load test certificate, a formal work procedure and fall protection plan, the crane operator to hold a valid operator certificate and have experience with man cage operations, all cage occupants to wear certified fall arrest harnesses, two-way communication between the cage and the crane operator, and wind speed monitoring throughout operations. The applicable OHSA regulations and SANS standards must be complied with in full.