Glassolutions - working at height
When Glassolutions, part of Saint-Gobain Building Glass UK&I – the largest processor, distributor, installer and repairer of glass and glazing systems in the UK were asked to change a window in an apartment block, I was asked by Partners PR agency to document the process.
At first I thought it was a normal shoot, until I realised the window in question was 30 storeys high, would require a road closure, a highly skilled team, a special crane and nerves of steel...
My role was to document the whole process, gaining shots of the team working at height, and capturing the whole process.
This was no ordinary installation, and a complex logistics operation ensured that as the specialist crane arrived from Europe, a system of road closures, temporary traffic lights and diversions were put in place, right in the heart of Sheffield.
The crane arrived and was put into place:
The team inspect the damaged glass inside the apartment, high above Sheffield:
Safety is paramount on a job like this and the team all wore protective equipment, and the team inside the apartment were tethered to the building itself:
The external team is raised into position on the huge crane:
Cool as cucumbers and the understatement of the year "steady with that glass"...
The damaged glass is carefully removed:
The new glass is secured into place:
This was a great shoot to do as it was fascinating to see a specialist team like this at work and see the challenges they face working at height. Safety was at the fore throughout, and the team were friendly and professional. The challenges for me were to capture the height, showing the team inside and out simultaneously, which required careful control of the light, whilst being conscious that we were 100m up. I also had to ensure that I captured the process without getting in the way of the essential work.
I shot from the ground, from inside the apartment, from 500m away and from over a mile away to get the shots, so a lot of running round to ensure the full story was told, but it was worth the effort as both Partners PR and Glassolutions were delighted with the images.
This wasn't my first time working at height with glaziers though - for my documentation of a glass installation of a very different kind, have a look at this post.
If you're thinking of bringing a crane half way across Europe to change a window 100m up, why not get in touch!
