Abfad ltd company profile november 2014

Specialist
Rope Access
Services
A Presentation by Abfad Ltd
November 2014

Company History & Profile
Providing National & International Services:
• Rope Access Multidiscipline Trades
• Tank Linings for Diesel, Petrol, Bio‐Fuels,
Ethanol and Aviation Fuel (Single & Double Skin
with Environmental / Containment Monitoring)
• Fast Set Solvent Free Coatings for long term
Protection for Steel & Concrete (Single
Application up to 2mm + using Plural Hot Feed
System)
• Civil & Industrial Engineering Services to suit
Clients Requirements
• Coatings for the Water Industry

Key Personnel
Chris Haritou
ABFAD Projects / Health & Safety Director.
Employed for over fourteen years continuously within the U.K. offshore oil and gas industry. I have been responsible
for offshore planning, logistics, administration, materials, and documentation requirements for the various disciplines
for the Construction and Maintenance department, which has numbered up to 1200 personnel.
Largest project involved with was Third Party Installation of new subsea pipelines and safety valves, installation of new
Gas Module with associated pipe work including full commissioning into existing facilities, project cost £600 million.
Through a close working relationship with instrumentation, electrical, black trades, painting, scaffolding and rope access
department’s I have gained valuable experience in planning, material take off, scheduling and monitoring projects to
their completion.
Since 1996 to date been involved with establishment and general office management including controlling project and
health & safety operations in coordination with Abfad co. Directors.

Key Personnel
Alan Fada
ABFAD Operations Director
Alan has 33 years experience in Blasting / Spraying within shipyards in the United Kingdom, Europe and Offshore
North Sea Oil Fields including the Middle East – United Arab Emirates.
Specialized in Rope Access Blasting and Spraying Offshore Jackets, Modules and Flare Towers.
Developed safety rope methodology whilst blasting and spraying from ropes and trained blast / spray personnel
offshore in these techniques.
Since 1996 to date been involved with Managing Projects on behalf of ABFAD Ltd consisting of high level
engineering activities to application of protective coating for steel and concrete including installation of Double
Skin tank liners complete with vacuum leak detection monitoring equipment.
Oversees training of apprentices for rope access blasting and spraying techniques including plant maintenance
and operation.

Innovative Project Management and Solution
Development of Rope Access Projects
Abfad Ltd takes a unique approach to Rope Access Services; we focus on developing rope access skills for trade personnel. Time‐ served
welder, for example, can be taught the specific rope access skills however methodologies for actually performing hot work at height need
to be fine‐tuned to carry out welding work efficiently, productively and safely, the same level of expertise can be delivered to all trades by
short in house training.
Many rope access personnel now train on a three day blasting and spraying course through OPITO (Offshore Petroleum Industry Training
Organisation) and promote themselves as blaster/sprayers, they do not have the necessary skills to perform this work safely or provide the
quality necessary for clients. Abfad can deliver scalable trade testing to ensure that personnel mobilising do have the necessary trade skills to
perform the work.
We believe the correct process is to train trades persons to work at height so they can provide a quality service for clients.
Unskilled persons with a rope access level 1 or 2 need to be apprenticed with skilled labour so they can attain the necessary skills to be a
valuable asset to a company. ABFAD Ltd take this approach with our personnel and train necessary skills as required for projects.
Falls from height are the most frequent cause of fatalities at construction sites and continue to be a major concern with the HSE. It is
particularly important that Health and Safety Systems are second to none when working at heights. ABFAD has a remarkable history of safety
during our 16 years in business. Although I have good experience in H&S offshore and onshore over the past 30 years I maintain training in
Occupational Health and Safety and am currently finishing an NVQ level 5 in Occupational Health and Safety, modules I am informed are
equivalent to Degree Level.

Scope of Trade Testing
Can include but not limited to:
 Rope Access Blasters
 Rope Access Paint Sprayers / Hand Coating
 Rope Access Substrate Mechanical Preparation to St3
 Rope Access Welding / Cutting / Drilling (hot work)
 Rope Access Cladding Repairs and Sheet Replacement
 Rope Access Instrumentation / Electrical Applications

Clients (but not limited to)
• Simon Storage
• Shell UK
• Total UK
• BP Global Alliance
• Network Rail
• Sabic
• Huntsman UK (Refinery / Oil & Gas)
• E.ON (Powergen)
• EDF
• Vestas Celtic Wind Technology Ltd
• Repower
• Newcastle University
• Foster Yeoman (Marine Industry)
• Canadian Coastguard
• M‐Real (Pulp & Paper Industry)
Sir Robert Mc Alpine
Amec
British Energy
Adgas (UAE)
Norwest Holst
Vinci Vesta Wind Turbine Limited
Local Authorities
Halcrow
Nuttall
Nissan
AlcanCITB (Construction Industry Training Board)
MOD Naval Base (Portsmouth)
Raytheon
James Hall & Co. (Spar Brand)
Center Parcs

Significant Rope Access Projects Undertaken by Abfad
 Das Island, Abu Dhabi, Middle East to change out Flare Tip and structural modifications on Flare Tower. Complete
blast and coating of another Flare Tower from tip to sea level.
 BP Coryton Refinery inspections, mechanical and structural activities.
 North Tees Refinery Flare Tip change out / Vertical alignment surveys of stacks / NDT Inspections / Bund Coatings /
Stack Coatings, etc.
 Jodrell Bank Telescope Coatings and Radio Dish Steel Plate Replacement (designed system to enable plates to be
replaced on telescope surface which has been adopted on other telescopes around the World – our design patented
by Manchester University.
 Set up Company in Canada Nova Scotia and applied solvent free coating to Lighthouse internally and externally and to
navigation buoys and sea chains; heating oil storage tanks – ceased trading in Canada 31st March 2005.
 Renewable Blade Inspection which ABFAD has performed for E.ON on a large onshore Wind Farm in Scotland. We are
currently looking into new technology for blade repairs as these structures are increasing in numbers within the UK.
 In addition to the coating refurbishment (rope access blasting and spraying) which we are currently employed on for
Climate & Renewable Utilities Company for their 30 Offshore Wind Turbines we also supply rope access trade services
to Power Stations throughout the UK.

Power Station Boiler House Roof
Fabrication and installation of high-pressure vent cowlings as detailed on roof structure by use of rope access

Fabrication and installation of high-pressure vent cowling and cladding repairs by use of rope access

Fabrication and installation of high-pressure vents by use of rope access

Power Station Transformer Housing
Mechanical preparation and coating project by use of rope access. Scaffolding not permitted within area.

Power Station Transformer Housing
Full primer applied after mechanical preparation complete ready for mid and finish coat application.

Power Station Auxiliary Boiler Stack
Removal of cladding and insulation, inspection of flange joints with coating repairs and reinstatement

New Wembley Stadium
Coating and welding by rope access on high-level beams and arch

New Wembley Stadium
Coating detail on arch

New Wembley Stadium
60 rope access technicians applying protective coating to all high level beams

Offshore Met-Mast within Wind Farm
Rope access blasting with magnet system

Rope access spray painting Installation of fabricated clamps and new ladder sections

Installation of fabricated clamps and new ladder sections

Hydrotight hydraulic securing of clamps

Structure painting complete, clamps installed and ladder sections connected

Met Mast off the Yarmouth Coast, Scroby Sands. Due to corrosion and
mechanical damage to access ladders, a tender was awarded by
E·ON Climate & Renewables UK Ltd. Project was to fabricate new
ladder sections and eight clamps, blast clean the structure to SA2.5
and apply a protective coating, remove existing damaged ladder
sections, install new clamps, tighten using Hydratight hydraulic
equipment, then install new ladders to structure.
1
2 Photograph detailing corrosion
to underside of main support
steelwork of walkway.
3 Close up detail of scale corrosion to main
steelwork just below walkway. Photograph
also shows blast standard where corrosion
has been removed by shot blasting.
4 Blast operations to Met Mast main stem using
rope access techniques and revolutionary
patented magnets to hold the operative in
position during blasting operations.

Spray coating steelwork
after blasting works
complete.
5
6 ABFAD Ltd trained
personnel tightening clamps
using Hydratight hydraulic
equipment. 7 Fully refurbished, picture detailing new clamps
and ladder sections installed, all works fully
complete and commissioned.
Completed project detailing fabricated ladder and clamps installation

Project Case Study
Scroby Sands Wind Farm is an offshore wind farm
located 1.5km off the Norfolk coast. The wind farm
consists of 30 Wind Turbine Generators each rated at
2MW, mounted on mono pile foundations. The
development has been operational since 2004 and is
one of the UK’s first commercial offshore wind farms
located at Scroby Sands in Great Yarmouth, owned
and managed by E.ON.
ABFAD Ltd successfully won this three year contract to
refurbish the mono pile steelwork from grating elevation to
sea level deploying rope access techniques.
Work consists of;
1. Removing gratings and davit arms in stages
2. Blasting steelwork structure to SA2.5 standard to
remove corrosion, profiling existing coating and feather
back all edges prior to coating application
3. Spray apply protective coating
4. Reinstate gratings and davit arms
Phase 1
2012 refurbish area of steelwork as far as Mono pile collar
section below grating support steelwork.
Phase 2
To refurbish all steelwork down from below collar section
to sea elevation.
Work has been performed with ABFAD Ltd unique
magnetic positioning aid clamp in conjunction with rope
access equipment. The magnetic clamps assist rope
access blaster sprayers to hold their position whilst
suspended from ropes reducing standard time norms when
performing their work activities to the highest quality.
Grit blasting performed
using highly skilled
roped access
techniques
1
Workboat alongside
mono pile carrying all
necessary tools and
equipment to perform
blasting, coating and
mechanical works.
2
Removal of gratings
and davit arms in
preparation for grit
blasting.
3

All corrosion removed to blast standard SA
2.5 and sound paint profiled to take new
coating
4
New protective coating, airless sprayed
applied to the required thickness.
5
New protective coating applied to underside
of walkway. 6
New protective coating applied to top sides
of walkway. 7

Re-install gratins
and davit arms.
8
Phase 1 refurbishment to walkway and underside of mono pile
complete. Phase 2 will take mono pile refurbishment from
underneath top collar section below gratings down to sea level.
10
9 Re-install gratings.

Offshore Wind Farm Mono Pile Coating Restoration
Rope access blasting

Before and After shots of restoration project by use of rope access and magnets

Refurbished Mono Pile

Refurbished Mono Pile also detailing stencilled number of structure

Rope access spray painting opposite completed Mono Pile

Ocean Nomad, semi-submersible
Rope access services

Removal of steam vent pipe from drilling derrick

Removal of steam vent pipe from drilling derrick and installation of newly fabricated pipe by means of rope access

Mechanical preparation of steelwork by rope access

Light house tower (Canada) fully encapsulated
internally and externally with a fast set
polyurethane 2mm thick
Fast set polyurethane
coating,
single application 2mm thick
to shipping lane
navigation aids

Ongoing R & D Providing Innovative, Patented Solutions to
Engineering Problems
With its engineering experience, the Abfad team have focused on bringing innovative, cost‐effective solutions to common
engineering problems. While primarily designed with the offshore industry in mind, these solutions have a multitude of uses and
can be applied equally effectively to land‐based operations.
A prime example of this is our patented permanent magnet units that have proven invaluable in areas that can only be accessed
by rope but need a method of moving the rope technician closer to the substrate to be worked on and anchoring them securely to
facilitate the various works to be carried out.
The market for these magnets we believe is huge and we have produced our 2013 model recently which provides a superior
performance.
Abfad’s deployment of this unique magnet system provides a productivity advantage. Its use increases speed of work such as
blasting, St3 mechanical surface preparation, welding, drilling , NDT inspections etc. as they secure rope access trade persons to
steel substrate providing precision quality work.

Magnet Certification
STANDARD TEST ‐ static pull test on 50mm segmented ground plate
Serial no 00100 Pull off 368kg

Industrial cleaning of vessel by means of rope access with unique magnet system

Mono Pile Coating Restoration
Blasting structure by means of rope access with unique magnet system

Thalassini Kyra
Coating repair by use of rope access and magnet system

Blister / Ballast Tank Construction
Shot showing rope access welder secured by magnet system

BP Schiehallion
Cosmetic coating of complete vessel by use of ropes and magnet system

Middle East Flare Structure
Rope access blasting

Offshore Oil and Gas Platform
Offshore Jacket Spray Coating

Damhead Creek Power Station
Mechanical preparation of weld seams, stripe coating, full up-coat of structures by use of rope access and magnet system

HMS Warrior 1860
Coating refurbishment of masts, yard arms, funnels, etc. by use of rope access

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Rope access coating, refurbishment

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE…
Major refurbishment of concrete ceilings in working Paper Mill
Kemsley Paper Mill, Kent
ABFAD provide a range of specialist services
to industry, but a project to refurbish the ceiling
and replace walls in a modern paper mill
presented a range of unique and demanding
problems. For example:
• no disruption to the mill’s 24 hour a day
operations was allowed
• hostile humidity and temperature (45-60°C)
conditions had to be overcome
• health and safety of mill employees, ABFAD
technicians and applicators, and the safety
of sensitive paper process equipment had
to be assured
Against strong competition from major civil
engineering and construction companies,
ABFAD secured the contract with an innovative
plan involving the design, fabrication and
installation of suspended decks and platforms
and the use of advanced Copon sealant,
polyurethane and finish coat systems.
Project highlights
Some 5000sq.m of the concrete ceiling running the
length of the mill had to be cleaned, repaired and
prepared for treatment, and two concrete walls either
side of a large skylight atrium had to be removed and
replaced with WARD insulated wall panels. To
tackle these requirements ABFAD:
 created a mobile platform (35.6m x 8m) and
installed its two main beams on the mill’s own
overhead crane rails using a 300 tonne crane
 completed platform fabrication and installation
using rope access technology and rigging
equipment to secure interconnecting sections
 designed and installed a special steel deck, plate
by plate, using rope access/rigging to span to
176ft skylight atrium opening
 designed a secure disposal system to deal with
over 200 tonnes of debris
 ensured all ceiling/atrium working areas were
sealed to prevent debris spillage and equipped
with effective environmental controls
Protective coatings
The client selected three Copon guaranteed
warranty coatings systems to protect the
renovated mill ceiling:
 Copon 165 sealer – designed especially to
penetrate porous concrete and increase its
tensile strength, and act as a primer for a
range of solvent free urethane coatings
 Copon 170 EL – an elastomeric
polyurethane rapid cure flexible lining that is
impact, abrasion and chemical resistant. It
provided a fully waterproof coating to
prevent any deterioration in the mill’s humid
atmosphere
 Copon HBF – a single pack moisture cure
polyurethane designed to give a cosmetic
but resilient colour fast finish
The ceiling was renovated to specification
in just 8 weeks – 4 weeks ahead of
schedule, with a 100% safety record, and no
disruption to mill operations.

Scaffold walkway installed to remove reinforced concrete walls within atrium.
Ventilation fans and trunking can be seen to cool area above Paper Mill machine during wall removal.

Photograph details Atrium with concrete walls removed. WARD insulation panel installed.

View of refurbished concrete ceiling, atrium WARD insulation boards.
Working platform and atrium deck plates for refurbishment work detailed in photo.
Atrium deck panels can be seen spanning between roof sections overhead platform at far end of picture.

Photograph detailing refurbished concrete ceiling, WARD insulation panels and overhead working platform

YEOMAN BRIDGE
Cargo Hold Bulkhead Coating
Case Study
Project was to protect the steel bulkheads
from further deterioration suffered from
coal and granite loadings.
Coal contains sulphur which causes severe
corrosion when in contact with the ship’s
steelwork.
After steel was blast cleaned it was apparent
that steel was extremely pitted due to corrosion
as detailed in photographs below.
The solution after blasting complete was to
coat the cargo holds using a solvent free
urethane which could be sprayed in one
application up to 3mm at the same time, saving
valuable time in dock. Resin completely
encapsulated the steel providing a barrier for
future granite loadings.

Yeoman Bridge
Picture detailing scaffold erection and condition of bulkheads.
Granite cargo hold, blast and protective coating project of bulkheads

Corrugated Bulkheads
blasted to SA 2.5 standard
prior to coating application.
Fast Set Urethane applied to cargo
hold bulkheads and ladder sections
to a thickness of 3mm (3,000
microns) in 1 single application
using plural component heated
spray pumps.

Yeoman Bridge
Detail of protective coating to bulkheads at 3mm nominal thickness applied to corroded steel

Lisnave Shipyard, Portugal – location of project.
Granite loading
into cargo holds.
Paint thickness reading detailing readings with little or no wear of
the solvent free resin taken 9 months later in the Cargo Holds

Company Accreditations
• ABFAD Limited is accredited to ISO 9001:2008 and OHSAS 18001:2007 for Industrial Rope Access; Specialist Coatings
including Tank Linings using 100% Solvent Free Epoxy and Polyurethanes.
• ABFAD Ltd is also audited to work in the Oil & Gas Industry and have passed all external audits from major clients including
Total UK, Shell and BP.
• ABFAD Ltd is a full member of IRATA, NESHEP (North East Safety, Health and Environmental Partnership), NECC (North East
Chamber of Commerce), APEA (Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration, PEIMF (Petroleum Equipment
Installers and Maintenance Federation and British Standards Institute.
• Chris Haritou is a member of the UK BSI Committee to revise the European Double Skin Tank Lining Standard EN 13160‐7,
meetings across Europe and in London which is still ongoing.
Personnel Training
All personnel are trained to IRATA standards Level 1, II, & III. Personnel are also trained for working in Confined Spaces, First Aid, Safety
Passport for Construction; Explosive Environments; Network Rail ; Abrasive Wheels; Insulation and Cladding; Steel & Concrete
preparation; blasting & spray coating; mechanical preparation to St3 and hand coating using traditional painting techniques as well as
Hydracat solvent free coating; double skin lining installation; plant safe operation. Specific training for trade work is performed in addition
to basic level of skills.

Accreditation
ISO 9001:2008 OHSAS 18001:2007 Full IRATA Member BP HSSE Accreditation

Testimonials
Numerous testimonials, including
many from Blue Chip companies,
are available on request

World‐class Technology Solutions
 Abfad have also developed a patented double skin lining system for underground and above‐ground storage tanks that is currently in
the final stages of accreditation from Europe’s most significant assessment arm TUV Nord. The system has already generated huge
interest on the worldwide stage, with significant enquiries being generated from as far afield as China, Saudi Arabia, United States and
Canada.
 FUELVAC® double skin liner is the most environmentally‐friendly system developed and in use in the UK and, we believe, the World.
The system uses engineered manufactured materials and solvent‐free resins which creates a seamless liner.
 To view an animation of the system please visit http://www.storagetankrepairscompany.com/fuelvac/install‐process/ scroll down on
the home page and the animation will run. A description of the features and benefits of the system is also available on the website.
The animation details single skin coating application in storage tanks using solvent free resins and the double skin installation process.
 Since 2006 to present time over 100 underground storage tanks have been installed within the UK and in 2011 Abfad double skin lined
two tanks for Simon Storage. FUELVAC® double‐skin liner installed with vacuum leak detection monitoring is the highest form of
monitoring that exists.

brought to you by
T. +44 (0) 191 543 7166 ‐ E. info@abfad.co.uk
Directors: Chris Haritou & Alan Fada
Registered Office: Unit 8, Teal Park Way, Teal Park Farm, Washington, Tyne & Wear, NE38 8BG

Abfad ltd company profile november 2014

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