Repainting the bridge - Technology & maintenance - Sydney Harbour Bridge precinct
Project overview
Transport for NSW maintains all steelwork on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Protecting the steelwork from corrosion is the most important factor in conserving the structure.
Project information
Background
Regular repainting of the steelwork is an essential and ongoing part of maintaining the Sydney Harbour Bridge. New lead-free paint applied to steel on the bridge protects it from the atmosphere and limits rust from forming.
Approximately 485,000 square metres of steelwork – which is equivalent to about 60 football fields – needs to be painted, with 30,000 litres of paint required to give the bridge just one coat. Inspection of the steel work is necessary, and a variety of tradespeople help maintain the bridge. These trades include ironworkers, boilermakers, fitters, electricians, carpenters, riggers and painters.
To paint the bridge, temporary and permanent access platforms are used. Containment methodologies are also used to enclose environments where we are working and ensure lead particles from old paint on the bridge are captured and disposed of safely.
There will be some changes to areas surrounding our repainting work, including the use of exclusion zones. These are used for the safety of our staff and the public.
Two painters wearing overalls but no harness or safety equiment are painting the bridge in 1949
A modern enclosed painting platform with an air extraction system
Containment struture underneath the southern spans
Steel that has been blasted to remove the bridge's old paint
Work underway on the southern spans
Contact us
For further information about this project, please contact:
Phone: 1800 581 595
Email: SydneyHarbourBridgeProjects@transport.nsw.gov.au.