Rope Access: Omni Viking Lakes Hotel

Exterior Fixture Replacement Using a Rope Access System  

2 Electricians, 2 Ropes, 184 Light Fixtures, 5 Days.

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.

Imagine the construction of a long-awaited hotel just getting to the finish line and you find out that half of the almost 400 exterior light fixtures are defective.  That’s how this story starts.  Hunt completed the construction of the Omni Vikings Hotel in 2020 and almost immediately was notified by the lighting manufacturer that the exterior lights were faulty.

Enter Conan Collopy and Mike Sederstrom.  This dynamic duo has been working together doing rope access work for 4 years.   Rope access refers to a set of techniques where ropes and specialized hardware are used as the primary means of providing access and support to workers. Generally a two-rope system is employed: the working rope supports the worker and the safety rope provides back-up fall protection.

In FIVE DAYS TIME, Conan and Mike were able to replace 184 light fixtures - that’s almost half of the outside of the building.  To complete this with scaffolding, it would take a week just to get the scaffolding set up.  What about a lift?  We were looking at $50,000 in landscaping replacement if we used a lift. By using the rope access system, the project cost cut by two-thirds. 

The best part?  Hunt is the only electrical contractor in the area that can do this kind of work.