Pyeroy will carry out re-painting, routine maintenance and repairs on designated lighthouses identified by the NLB. The work will involve Pyeroy painting teams working for long periods at remote locations. Among the 215 lighthouses under the NLB’s authority is Muckle Flugga, located in the Shetalands at the most northern point of the British Isles, North Ronaldsay and Pentland Skerries in the Orkneys as well as others that look out over Scarpa Flow. In many cases ships and helicopter will be the only way of getting the painting squads, materials, equipment and supplies to these locations.

Pyeroy contracts manager Alan Robson said, ‘This is a highly unusual contract and one that requires complex project planning to overcome considerable logistical challenges. Since lighthouses became unmanned, regular maintenance and external decoration has become vital to enable the structure to perform their function as aids to navigation as both lighthouses and daymarks for passing vessels.‘As well as our men, all painting supplies and supporting equipment, including specialist scaffolding and access systems, will have to be delivered to exposed locations only when sea and weather conditions will allow it.‘As a result our painters face the prospect of having to work for long periods on remote stations. Fortunately we have considerable previous experience of offshore and remote working in these conditions and in a previous contract completed the refurbishment of 30 lighthouses in a three year period.’

MJ Information No: 22509