As part of its commitment to delivering a safe, secure, and reliable electricity supply, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has awarded OCS a 5-year contract to support the upkeep of all its steel towers across its central southern England distribution area. This initiative forms part of SSEN’s £10 million investment to ensure that its 33kV and 132kV steel towers are in the best possible condition for its 3.1m customers.
A team of OCS specialist colleagues will be responsible for applying new coats of specialist anti-corrosion paint to the towers, which provides protection from the elements and prolongs the working lifespan of this essential infrastructure. All colleagues delivering these works are trained in tower climbing, rescue and Emergency First Aid and, importantly safety from the high voltage electricity system.
This work involves working at height in varying weather conditions, so wind direction and wind speed are monitored and used to manage overspray risks during the works. As well as remote and rural areas the towers can often be in challenging locations.
Technology will play a key role in streamlining on-site works with a bespoke OCS app providing real-time management information, giving teams on the ground live information on sites completed and notifications when each stage of works is ready for quality checks before being marked as fully completed. Real-time progress reports are used by the management team and are also available to the client.