Project Overview
In October 2025, the Utilities Department completed a complex gas diversion for a 15-storey block of flats. Martin Curry led the project, relocating a 6-inch steel gas inlet by 2 meters and lowering its depth to within 300mm of exposed power cables. The team worked to a 10-day schedule, ensuring safety and minimizing disruption for residents.
Objectives
The diversion allowed the principal contractor to reinstate cladding and encase the pipework in vented steel ducting. This adjustment was critical for compliance and safe integration with the building’s infrastructure.
Project Details
The team began with a site survey and planning session to set a safe system of work. They installed a roof support framework, fitted bracketry, and terminated and purged the gas line. At the transfer point, they broke the carrier line, elevated the vertical section, and removed redundant pipework. They installed new diversion pipework, completed tie-ins, and pressure-tested the system before reinstating gas. MMA welding supported shop and site work, and lifting equipment with harnesses ensured roof-edge safety.
Challenges included varying cladding depths, RACC base concrete, and munsen rings bearing full weight on the section to be removed. The team solved these by casting a reinforced concrete plinth, adding packing pieces, enlarging fixing holes with resin anchors, and installing a “Ducks Foot” bracket for extra support. Despite poor weather, the diversion finished on budget and needed only one day of gas isolation, reducing disruption for residents. The client praised the quick, practical solutions and decisive action.
