Manual, mechanical, and remote scaling by IRATA-certified technicians — source removal, the foundation of every mitigation programme.
Rockfall scaling is the systematic removal of loose, unstable, or hazardous rock from cliff faces, cuttings, and slopes. It is the first step in any rockfall mitigation programme, because no reinforcement or containment system should be designed around a face that still has significant loose material present. Scaling first also exposes the true condition of the rock face, revealing structural features and discontinuities that may not be visible until the loose material is cleared, directly improving the quality of the engineering design that follows.
GSI New Zealand deploys Rockfall Removal Technicians (RRTs), personnel holding both IRATA rope access certification and specialist rockfall scaling qualifications. This combination means our scaling crews can reach any position on the face and make informed engineering judgements about individual rock blocks. All scaling operations are planned and supervised by our in-house geotechnical engineers — ensuring the work is integrated with the broader mitigation programme from the outset.
SCALING METHODS
GSI NZ CAPABILITY
THE GSI DIFFERENCE
Step 1
IRATA-certified technicians work from rope access positions on the face, using scaling bars, pry bars, and hand tools to identify and dislodge unstable rock. Manual scaling is the most targeted method; it allows individual assessment of blocks rather than blanket treatment.
Step 2
For large loose volumes or where manual access presents unacceptable risk, we use excavator-mounted breakers and purpose-built remote scaling equipment. This clears large quantities of loose material efficiently while keeping personnel clear of the hazard zone.
Step 3
Where mechanical and manual methods cannot dislodge a large unstable mass, controlled blasting by our licensed blasters fragments and releases the hazardous material in a controlled manner. Blasting is deployed when other approaches are not feasible.
CASE STUDY
State Highway 1 at Dome Valley required emergency stabilisation of cliff faces above the highway carriageway following a significant rockfall event. Before anchor and mesh installation could proceed, systematic scaling of the face was required to remove loose material and assess the underlying rock condition.
GSI NZ RRTs carried out manual scaling from rope access positions, working top-down across the face. The scaling programme exposed the true rock structure and informed the engineering design for the 118 rock anchors and 790 m² of TECCO mesh that followed, all installed from the same rope access system.
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Rope access scaling preceding 118 rock anchors and TECCO mesh installation north of Auckland.
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Manual scaling on one of New Zealand's most challenging remote highway corridors.
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Scaling and passive rockfall containment on the Kaikōura coast SH1 corridor.
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Don't wait for a rockfall event to force your hand. Our IRATA-certified scaling crews can reach and clear loose rock from faces that conventional plant can't access.
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