Abseiling The London Eye On Live TV

Working at height specialists from Arco Professional Safety Services abseiled down the lastminute.com London Eye with BBC Breakfast presenter John Maguire to give the iconic attraction a fresh coat of paint on the first day of spring.

Positioned high above the capital, the Arco team worked at heights of 68m from the hub of the London Eye to help safely carry out the abseil and painting on live TV. The team had to utilise a range of work at height kit to ensure safe access and egress, including fall arrest lanyards, work positioning systems and personal suspension (abseil) equipment.

The full paint refresh, which takes place every three years, requires around 5,000 litres to cover the entirety of the 135m high observation wheel - roughly the equivalent of painting 1,660 cars. Taking a team of eight painters working five nights a week for six months, this iconic London landmark requires a staggering 9,360 hours of painting maintenance to look its best.

The Arco team consisted of Steve Dawson, work at height training manager, and Level 3 IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) training instructors Pete Hancock and Chris Fricker.

Steve Dawson said:

“The London Eye has been a great partner of ours for the past 20-25 years and it was a pleasure to work with the team on this event to showcase a British landmark and ensure it was carried out safely and securely."

“This event showcases the truly bespoke offering that we are able to deliver at Arco and demonstrates the strength and breadth of expertise within our team.”

Arco Professional Safety Services covers a complete range of safety solutions, including working at height, confined spaces and respiratory services visit here for more information.