Window Cleaners Four Thousand Feet In The Air

The specialist window cleaning contractors are masters at working at heights and in the most challenging circumstances.  It is estimated someone falling from the Skywalk would take more than 20 seconds to hit the Colorado River below.

Window cleaners become high wire artists to scrub the Grand Canyon viewing platform four thousand feet above the Colorado River: A specialist team of technicians clamber over the edge of the $30 million Grand Canyon Skywalk to spring clean it. The Canyon is more than three miles wide at that point and the Skywalk is 4,000 feet above the Colorado River. The specially-strengthened glass panes have recently been replaced for the first time since it opened in 2007. Workers spent two days at the end of April completing the highly-technical cleaning operation on the Skywalk. Click all pictures to enlarge.

The workers eventually make their way under the glass to enable them to clean the bottom of the incredibly difficult to reach panes. The specialist contractors are masters at working at heights and in the most challenging circumstances. Visitors to the Skywalk can look over towards the far side of the Grand Canyon which is more than three miles away at that point.

The workers used two different ropes to secure themselves to the Skywalk to provide an additional layer of safety while over the canyon. The specialist team of technicians cleaned the iconic Skywalk landmark which extends over Colorado River on the Grand Canyon.

Brave window cleaners dangle thousands of feet above the Grand Canyon - while giving its 'Skywalk' a spring clean. Technicians cleaned more than 40 panes of glass while taking in the awe-inspiring views of the Colorado River 4000ft below. The horseshoe-shaped structure, which cost $30M to build and juts out 70ft, was opened in March 2007 and offers visitors stomach-churning views.

Two men made their way under the iconic structure to clean the glass floor from underneath to give visitors a perfect view of the canyon. The glass on the iconic structure was recently replaced for the first time since the popular tourist venue was opened in 2007.

The $30 million structure juts out 70 feet over the Colorado River offering visitors an amazing view of the canyon floor 4,000 feet below. The technicians cleaned more than 40 panes of the specially strengthened glass as part of the they contract at the SkyWalk.

The Skywalk is cleaned by Abseilon USA, a Phoenix-based company who belong to the Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians. Abseilon's eight technicians - two of whom carried out the cleaning itself - operate a two-line system, which offers workers '200 per cent fall protection'. This system means despite the stomach-churning images and video that the technicians were able to capture, the process itself is extremely safe. Should an error occur in any part of a technician's rope system, they still have at least one additional system to fall back on.

The clean took place between April 27 and April 29 and as well as working on the glass, technicians also rappelled into the Canyon, collecting rubbish and items dropped by visitors. Ken Piposar, founder and CEO of Abseilon USA, said: 'The Skywalk actually just recently replaced the glass, so we came through to perform a spring cleaning. 'We're always a big hit at the Skywalk. 'People love to ask us questions, get their photo taken with us, and find out what we're doing. 'While we do get a lot of "you people are crazy" most visitors to the Skywalk think what we do is amazing. 'A lot of people also offer us their prayers, which we always find to be sweet.'

Also see:

SkyWalk Spring Clean + Fall In New Jersey

Grand Canyon Window Cleaners Sky Walk

Grand Canyon Window Cleaners Sky Walk

Cleaning above the Grand Canyon. Formerly AZ Clearview, Abseilon USA is a SPRAT certified, professional Rope Access company.

Extreme Skywalk cleaning tests Grand Canyon workers:  Spring cleaning has been taken to an extreme level. Workers dangling from ropes 4,000 feet above the Grand Canyon are cleaning under the glass walkway today at the Skywalk. The horseshoe-shaped bridge, which has a steel frame and a glass floor, extends 70 feet from the rim of the canyon, giving visitors a breathtaking view of the landscape.

SPRAT Certified Level III Technician Rick Dillman hangs around.

Kenneth Piposar, vice president of Phoenix-based Abseilon USA,  the high-rise window cleaning company that has taken on the daring task, called the job a “great photo opportunity.” “It is the thrill of a lifetime to look down and see a person suspended by two ropes at that height with the Grand Canyon just below them,” he said in a statement. The Skywalk is located about 250 miles from Phoenix.

About the Grand Canyon Skywalk:

• The Grand Canyon Skywalk is active and open to the public year-round, hosting approximately 2 million visitors since it opened in March 2007.
• The Skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped, glass-bottom structure that allows visitors to walk 70 feet past the edge of the Grand Canyon wall and stand 4,000 feet above the Colorado River.
• The phenomenal views are enhanced by glass walls and floor panels so visitors get unobstructed views of the Grand Canyon. Each of these glass panels is custom built to the highest standards for safety and clarity.
• The Skywalk is an engineering masterpiece that took four years and $30 million to complete.
• Structure Facts
• The Skywalk foundation is strong enough to support about 71 million pounds – the equivalent of 71 fully loaded 747 airplanes.
• It consists of more than 1 million pounds of steel and 83,000 pounds of glass.
• In total, it weighs 1.2 million pounds.
• The glass walls are approximately five to seven feet high, extending four to six feet above the glass floor – safer than code, yet low enough that guests do not feel confined.
• The Skywalk is 10 feet wide.
• It is located 4,000 feet above the Colorado River.
• Engineering Facts
• In 1996, businessman David Jin, from Las Vegas, NV, approached the Hualapai Tribe with the idea of a glass walkway over the Grand Canyon. He won approval from the Tribe in 2003.
• The Grand Canyon Skywalk was designed and engineered by Lochsa Engineering & MRJ Architects and built by Executive Construction Management, all based out of Las Vegas, NV.
• Engineers conducted tests on the geologic stability of the site and researched the foundation by testing the compressive strength of the rock.
• Engineers also conducted extensive testing during the planning and design phase to ensure the Grand Canyon Skywalk could easily withstand the high winds that have been known to blow through the Grand Canyon.