ICS has extensively been involved with the maintenance of steel lattice transmission tower structures in New Zealand (and more recently within Australia) with protective coatings.
ACHIEVEMENTS REACHED IN TOWER PAINTING
- Throughout the years that Phill Dravitski has been involved with Transpower transmission tower maintenance painting, he has been instrumental in modifying he specifications to include Sweep Blast to the Surface Preparation after highlighting the destructive results from ZCP (Zinc Corrosion Product on Galvanizing).
- Another significant change that Phill was involved with was when in 2006 Transpower commissioned Inspection & Consultancy Services Ltd to source an alternative paint coating system specifically to provide protection to the towers situated in extreme and harsh coastal/marine environments (particularly coastal Lower North Island and Wellington region). The outcome was that Phill (Inspection & Consultancy Services Ltd) presented Zinga to Transpower for the “at risk” towers where the current Vinyl paint system had poor performance and longevity.
- Transpower changed the way the transmission towers are assessed for tower painting, and for Condition Assessment. Phill Dravitski/Inspection & Consultancy Services Ltd was an integral part of the team who re-wrote the Condition Assessment Guidelines and Pictorial Guides (OVCA = Overview Condition Assessment).The team was lead by John Wilson (Transpower – Maintenance Manager), Phill Dravitski (Inspection & Consultancy Services Ltd – Coating and Corrosion), Ian Martin (United Group/Ian Martin – Tower Assessment), and Louise Lomas (Electrix – MMS).
- Driven by serious accidents and personal harm with the abrasive-injected water jetting system that uses up to 5,000psi water pressure, there was a pressing need for alternative methods of surface preparation for tower structures. Phill Dravitski had previous experience with TORBO brand blasters in Australia, and while acknowledging that there are other brands on the market as a consultant to Transpower Phill had to be sure to only recommend something that he had personal faith and working knowledge of the performance and reliability in. As a result Transpower introduced the TORBO brand as the introductory option and the results have been such that there are significant reductions in garnet and water usage, personal fatigue, and time.
ICS has had many tasks and roles within transmission tower painting, predominately for Transpower in New Zealand, which include;-
- Engineer-To-Contract roles
- SPCA & OVCA (Special Purpose Condition Assessment and Overview Condition Assessment for Tower Painting) ICS was one of the panel to design, process, develop and train nationally within New Zealand of the OVCA Condition Assessment process
- Scope and Tender for Tower Painting & Steel Replacement
- Pre-surface preparation
- Surface preparation (blast standard, etc.)
- Soluble chloride testing
- Application (witness WFT, etc.)
- DFT of coatings
- Visual inspection for non-holiday defects
- Landowner Liaison (where required)
- Defect and fault analysis of coatings
- Technical services for tower painting
- Project Management Support
A sample of tower blasting and painting ICS has been involved with
Inspection & Consultancy Services Ltd have also had input into tower painting in Australia.
The most significant role was in late 2011 where Inspection & Consultancy Services Ltd sent 3 people over to New South Wales, Australia to assist CAPE with a tower painting contract for Tranzgrid.
The roles of Inspection & Consultancy Services was to train the tower painters in surface preparation and painting techniques, sort out the water blaster and abrasive blast equipment, and provide consulting expertise to both Cape and Tranzgrid.