Working 50m
above the Thames
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A Jackson Highways team is nearing the end of their first season of painting the QEII Bridge at Dartford.
The work, on behalf of Connect Plus, takes place 50m above the River Thames, inside gantries on the underside of the iconic structure. The work involves cleaning the steel beams and flanges before applying up to five coats of primer and protective coatings to prevent erosion.
Jackson has appointed specialists Denholm to undertake the shot blasting and painting, which goes on throughout the day and night. This year work has been focussed on 3,000m3 of steelwork on the Kent side of the bridge.
QEII Bridge - from a distance
Challenges
A key challenge of the work is the time it takes to get to the work area, a typical journey involves a lift and a series of ladders. The weather can also impact productivity. If it is too windy, work must stop. The paint can also only be applied at certain temperatures.
The painting season runs from April to October, and the project is expected to run across at least five seasons.
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