Bridging the gap with Diamond Scaffolding
News and views about the access and scaffolding industry Issue 15 Winter 2020
P8 COVID-19: Risks are being passed along the supply chain
P10 WINTER: Working at height safely in wet and cold conditions
P29 LIABILITY: The ramifications of on-site scaffold design alterations
Contents
P3 - P5 News
Stories from the access and scaffolding industry
P6 Comment
Robert Candy, CEO of the Scaffolding Association: “The best of British”
P7 Opinion
Ian Pickard, Health & Safety Consultant: “Let’s talk about mental health in construction”
P8 - P9 Contracts
Rudy Klein, Barrister: “COVID risks are being passed along the supply chain”
P10 Health & Safety
Keeping personnel working safely in wet and cold conditions
P12 - P13 Families
Pro Scaffolding South West, Bristol
Editorial
Enquiries: Alison Hurman, tel: 0300 124 0470
Email: alison@scaffolding-association.org
Advertising
Enquiries: Stacey Underhill, tel: 0300 124 0470
Email: stacey@scaffolding-association.org
P14 Commercial
Neil Edwards, CEO of Builders’ Conference: “Is the construction sector carrying on regardless?”
P16 - P18
CityPoint, London P20
Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
SCP Forgeco has raised more than £25,000 to purchase personal protective clothing (PPE) for The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. The company is based in Coseley, near Wolverhampton, and launched a Just Giving page in April to appeal for donations for the NHS. The page raised £25,755, which has been used to purchase 1,600 work coveralls and 2,000 hand sanitisers and dispensers.
Subscriptions
AccessPoint is distributed to members of the Scaffolding Association and other selected access and scaffolding businesses. If you wish to receive a copy of AccessPoint or would like to amend or cancel your subscription, please call 0300 124 0470 or email info@scaffolding-association.org
Cover image and below: CityPoint, London. © Epic Insight Limited
0151 524 2434
UK System Scaffold Hire Ltd (UKSSH) www.ukssh.co.uk 01246 820900
The page was started when Ranjit Dale, the Managing Director, visited a family member in hospital and saw the demand for PPE. The business donated £10,000 to kickstart the fundraiser, and then many of their customers in the construction industry, plus members of the public donated generously to help reach their target.
The Scaffolding Association has launched this year’s annual REVIEW 2020 brochure, recalling the unique challenges and considerable achievements of the past 12 months.
2020 has been a year unlike any other. The Scaffolding Association’s review discusses the problems that industry has faced and details how the association has stepped up and supported the sector throughout. Chief Executive Robert Candy and his team have championed member companies,
Swan Scaffolding Limited have dedicated themselves to easing the skills shortage. The Swansea-based, family-run business is up-skilling all employees and has committed to taking on apprentices.
listened to business owners, offered assistance and enhanced benefits during this most challenging year. Impressively, the association has continued to grow as more and more scaffolding companies recognise that the approachable, independent and inclusive body is the right partner for them. The printed brochure has now been dispatched for free to all member companies. If you’d like to read about the association’s efforts and results, email stacey@scaffolding-association.org
Rikki Dale, 26, started as Finance Director of the company in March just before the COVID-19 pandemic. He said: “I liaised with the Trust to ensure they got the products they most needed. We are very pleased to have been able to support our local Trust.”
Rachel Robinson, Community and Events Fundraiser for the Trust, said: “We are very grateful for SCP Group’s generosity and for helping us to keep our patients and staff safe.”
FIND OUT MORE: www.forgeco.co.uk
Swan’s director, Gareth Rees-Jones, expressed concern over the shortage of skilled labour, stating: “A common problem for us and other businesses is that we struggle to grow and prosper because there aren’t enough skilled operatives available. It’s an issue at every level, from small to big companies.”
In October, second-year apprentice Nicholas Sillman completed his CISRS Part 1 training course and he is now working towards his CISRS Part 2. In addition, two more apprentices – Josh Tucker and Brandon Miles – completed their first week with Swan in testing weather conditions.
Swan’s aim is for their training matrix to show all employees as qualified Scaffolders or Advanced Scaffolders, and an increased number of Supervisors by April 2021.
Gareth continued: “We hope our staff want to stay and be a part of our growth journey. We try to be a good company to work for and make sure each employee feels appreciated, keeping morale high. I look at it as future-proofing the company’s recruitment. I get great satisfaction watching apprentices learn a trade – it’s rewarding to know that it happens because we committed to them, created an opportunity and organised their training.”
FIND OUT MORE: www.swan-scaffolding.co.uk
Leeds Access Company Limited, Assessed members of the Scaffolding Association, are proud to celebrate 10 years in business. Director Guy Cole said: “We’ve come a long way since running the office from a back bedroom and sharing a small yard with a local roofer! We would like to thank the whole team for their efforts to enable us to get where we are.”
Congratulations to everyone involved – here’s to the next 10 years. (Nice to see AccessPoint in the picture!)
FIND OUT MORE: www.leedsaccesscompany.com
Chelsea Scaffolding Access Limited and its Directors Ricki Lee Webb and Nigel Grayston have been disqualified from holding or obtaining an Operator’s Licence or being involved in any entity that holds or obtains such a Licence in Great Britain.
The company was called to Public Inquiry on notice that it may be the subject of financial difficulties. A number of direct debits went unpaid on first try because of cash flow problems – these included the payments for a vehicle and public liability insurance.
Sarah Bell, Traffic Commissioner for London & South East England, said that: “Mr Webb and Mr Grayston’s conduct strike at the heart of the trust and transparency that underpins the licensing regime.”
Provisional figures for 2019/20 show a total of 2,031 Prohibition Notices issued by HSE inspectors in construction. Worryingly, this accounted for around 56% of all prohibition notices issued by HSE during the year. The good news is that there has been a decrease in the number of notices issued compared to the previous year (2,969 in 2018/19). HSE and local authorities are responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation. For the most serious offences, inspectors may serve improvement notices and prohibition notices and they may prosecute (or in Scotland, report to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) with a view to prosecution).
There were 143 prosecution cases* where a verdict was reached in 2019/20, resulting in 137 (96%) with a conviction for at least one offence and £8.3 million in total fines averaging over £60,000 per conviction.
In 2018/19 there were 157 cases resulting in 146 convictions (93%); this led to £18.5 million total fines and average fines of around £126,000. *Cases refer to a prosecution against a single defendant – this may be an individual person or a company. There may be more than one breach of health and safety legislation in each case.
The Leaders Council of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is currently recognising the leadership figures who have helped keep the country running during the pandemic. To that end, Neil Rix from N.T. Rix Scaffolding Ltd has been made an honorary member of the Leaders Council.
N.T. Rix have pulled together to keep the company busy during the pandemic and have supported the community by recruiting six local apprentices.
Neil, pictured left, said: “I’d like to thank my team for their hard work. It is an honour to receive recognition for our contribution during this time.” Commenting on this nationwide push to recognise such leaders, Lord Blunkett, chairman of The Leaders Council said, “Keeping an organisation in operation during this period is no small feat and it is our belief that the thousands of leadership figures across the country deserve a greater level of recognition. It is inspiring to see so many of them sign our Charter of Principles. We are very fortunate to have so many dedicated leaders in this country and this is our small way of recognising them and the contribution they make.”
FIND OUT MORE: www.ntrix.co.uk
Ray Cooke has agreed to serve as the No Falls Foundation’s first Health & Safety Advisor. Ray joins after 35 years with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), latterly as HM Principal Inspector and Head of the Construction Sector Regulatory Support Team in the Building Safety and Construction Division. Appointed a Principal Inspector at HSE in 1999, his roles included: advocating the UK’s policy position in Brussels regarding ATEX, the European Directive for protecting people in potentially explosive atmospheres; running HSE’s Operational Construction Team in the West Midlands; and developing training courses for a postgraduate diploma for HSE inspectors. Ray headed the HSE’s Regulatory Support Team, helping and supporting inspectors and industry at large with guidance designed to ensure compliance with the law, including responsibility for HSE’s Working Well Together (WWT) campaign.
At the No Falls Foundation he will initially focus on securing support for the implementation of the recommendations of the 2019 inquiry report of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Working at Height, in particular the need for enhanced RIDDOR reporting and the appointment of an independent body for the confidential reporting of near misses. Ray commented: “I have spent my entire career helping keep people safe at work. I hope to apply my experience and expertise to help reduce injuries and fatalities in the work at height sector.”
Peter Bennett, chair of the trustees said: “We are naturally delighted to have Ray as the Foundation’s first Health & Safety Advisor. His enthusiasm, knowledge and commitment to height safety will undoubtedly prove invaluable to the future work of the charity”.
FIND OUT MORE: www.nofallsfoundation.org
Five scaffolding apprentices have become the first cohort in the UK to successfully complete their Scaffolding Trailblazer End Point Assessment (EPA) at NETA Training in Teesside.
Michael Allan, an experienced CISRS instructor of JMA Contract Services, put the group through their paces over the 2-day assessment, during which the delegates had to successfully erect a small structure individually, erect a truss out scaffold as part of a group, and pass a scaffolding theory test.
The delegates were required to read the drawings, work out materials lists and follow Risk Assessments and Methods Statements related to the exercises. The EPA had originally been scheduled for the spring, but was unable to take place due to the pandemic, but also as an External Quality Assurance (EQA) body had not been appointed until recent months.
Mr Allan said: “Although this was the first ever Scaffolding EPA, we have been carrying out Skills tests associated with the CISRS core scheme for many years, as such I was pretty confident the format would work.
“The lads were understandably a little nervous, particularly when they heard that the CISRS Scheme Manager was coming to the Centre to see how things went, but they did well with both the individual and group structures and all of them came through successfully.”
Sean Johnston, Commercial Training Manager for NETA said: “We are really pleased to have got the first group of Scaffolding Apprentices through their End Point Assessment, albeit a few months later than we had originally planned.
“We would like to thank Michael and JMA for a thoroughly professional job, am sure the group are very pleased and possibly a little relieved to have successfully completed the programme. We hope they go on to have a long, safe and successful career in scaffolding for years to come.”
The original scaffolding apprenticeship framework was withdrawn in England in September, and so all future apprentices will be following the Trailblazer programme. There are three other End Point Assessment Organisations in place, which should ensure that providers across the country can achieve timely completions for their apprentices.
“quickly realised scaffolding was a great way of earning a good living whilst keeping fit at the same time.”
Tom Garnett Scaffolding Ltd have established a solid working relationship with English Heritage and have just handed over another job for this prestigious client at Marble Hill House, Twickenham. The team have erected a buttress scaffold and kentledge around the perimeter without mechanical ties, which enabled stone cleaning, restoration, painting and roof works by Universal Stone Limited to progress.
Scaffolding Association members, Alan Wilks Scaffolding Limited, have appointed Jon Fletcher as their first non-family director.
The Worcestershire-based company started trading in 1976 with local companies and general builders, and has steadily grown to support 35 employees by providing its scaffolding services to clients ranging from major house builders and local authorities to local residents.
Thirty-five-year-old Jon Fletcher has been in the industry ever since leaving university when he
After the first lockdown, Alan Wilks Scaffolding were determined to get their employees back in work as quickly as possible, securing work with local authorities and on essential community buildings such as care and respite facilities, including the Worcester Municipal Charities building in Worcester for D&S Contractors. This allowed the company to welcome all employees back to work by June. This is when Managing Director James Wilks decided it was time to give Jon the opportunity to step up. Jon said: “I feel extremely privileged to be joining the Alan Wilks Scaffolding management as the first non-family member. As a director with responsibilities for the business I look forward to working closely with new and existing customers, helping to steer us through these extraordinary times, both for society and the building industry.”
FIND OUT MORE: www.alanwilksscaffolding.co.uk
Tom Garnett Scaffolding Ltd have another reason to feel proud – they have successfully achieved Audited Membership accreditation with the Scaffolding Association. This great achievement for the company will undoubtedly open the doors to even more work opportunities. Their commitment to meeting the audit requirements shows that the company takes health and safety standards seriously and wants to work with the best scaffolders, partners and clients.
FIND OUT MORE: www.tgscaffolding.co.uk
As I write this we are coming to the end of our second national lockdown, a set of restrictions that seem to have had very little impact on the working days of those of us working in construction. The Government remained resolute that once again we should remain open and operational – a position that came as no surprise, given that construction accounts for around 6% of the UK’s economic output and employs millions of people. Although funding schemes have provided support to businesses, the financial implications of halting work in our sector for any prolonged period made this unviable. It can’t be overlooked that this push to keep working has aggrieved many who have felt that their safety at the peak of the pandemic was compromised, with the only apparent mitigating factor being that their workplace, being largely outdoors, is well-ventilated.
Christmas approaches and 2020 will soon draw to a close – a year that most of us will be glad to see the back of. However, given the super-fast breakthroughs in vaccination research, testing and approvals, there is light at the end of the tunnel. It can’t be overstated how inspiring the scientists’ work is, given that a vaccination can take up to 10 years to reach approval, not the 10 months that we are seeing. The fact that several members of the research teams are British means that we have reason to be proud as a nation – history may record our country’s best brains as key contributors in reducing deaths around the globe. So although the festive period may not look ‘normal’, there is hope that in 2021 we’ll be able to embrace friends and family again.
12 months ago I wrote about the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, and by 1st January 2021 the transition period will have ended and we will have left the EU. The effects of COVID-19 have, for the most part, overshadowed this issue and it appears we will be leaving without a deal in place. With the right to free movement ending, and many of the migrant workforce returning home, the skills gap is set to widen further. It is also likely that project costs will increase as labour demand outstrips supply, and duties and restrictions are placed on the import and export of materials.
With these potential hurdles on the horizon, it’s good to see that steps are being made by British businesses to address concerns and seize opportunities. This has been well-documented in fashion, agriculture, energy and engineering, but we now see evidence of a drive by British construction to become less dependent on imports and foreign labour. In the product section of this brochure you’ll find four new products that can benefit our sector. In the news section you’ll see that companies are recruiting local apprentices and up-skilling existing staff, with the aim of building and retaining highly qualified teams that offer short-term stability and long-term growth.
The Chancellor has more than hinted that 2021 is set to be another difficult fiscal year for the country, but I remain optimistic for our industry. We are undeniably resilient, innovative and hard-working, and many of us have already taken steps to secure our businesses for the future. For some that has meant applying for financial support and for others it has involved developing and implementing business continuity strategies. As the largest trade body in the scaffolding and access sector, our primary aim – to support – will be even more important then ever. We will continue to represent our members’ best interests, ensuring that their voices are heard and that they have access to all the support they need to remain operational.
On behalf of everyone at the Scaffolding Association would like to wish you all a safe Christmas and a healthy new year.
Robert Candy CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SCAFFOLDING ASSOCIATION www.scaffolding-association.orgIn this Opinion piece, Ian Pickard discusses a topic that the construction sector needs to talk about more openly – ill mental health.
I’ve been in the construction industry for over 30 years and in health and safety for 23 years. My ‘journey’ in mental health started five years ago when, at a client’s board meeting, I was running through the company’s quarterly accident rates. The Managing Director raised the issue of four operatives who had taken their own lives in the last year: he stated that he hadn’t carried out any type of accident investigation following these losses of life. The company had lost – in one year – a foreman, a bricklayer and two hod carriers, but no one knew why, and two of the guys hadn’t even left a note for their families.
Following this discussion, looked into the incidents. I chatted to the colleagues with whom the operatives had been working – none of them could shed any light. Treading gently, I talked to friends and families – most didn’t have any idea why the men had taken their own lives. A premature loss is hard to accept, but an unexplained loss is even harder to reconcile. Without me realising, my journey had started. I looked into the construction industry’s statistics and was surprised to discover that at that point, five years ago, up to TWO construction workers were taking their own lives every day.
Sadly, these numbers haven’t reduced since, and the industry is still losing 730 men every year from ill mental health – that’s more than those dying from falls from height. To highlight the contrasting lack of progress in mental health, it’s worth remembering that in 2005 the HSC brought out the Working at Height Regulations 2005 to combat falls from height in the industry. Where are the equivalent actions aiming to reduce suicide?
The importance of talking about mental health and breaking the stigma
The construction industry is dominated by men and, let’s admit it, men are rubbish at talking about their health in general – they’ll supress or ignore medical problems, only visiting a doctor if they absolutely can’t work.
Everyone has mental and physical health but nobody has perfect mental and physical health. We can see if someone has broken their leg or arm but can we see if someone is suffering from ill mental health? If an operative working at height falls to their death every other site worker will be talking about it, yet if a man takes their own life not many men will be comfortable talking about it – they feel awkward, ill-equipped, perhaps scared.
People live with stress every day of their working lives – some can, and do, work under a huge amount of stress, perhaps even thriving. Everyone has an ‘invisible stress container’ and they are all different sizes – ranging from tiny to huge – and unsurprisingly, people with smaller capacities can’t cope with much stress. For them, it doesn’t take a lot for an issue to become a major problem. When anyone’s ‘invisible stress container’ starts to overflow they will suffer with ill mental health – and this applies to men as much as women.
Most men don’t realise how to release the ‘tap’ at the bottom of their stress container and reduce their stress level. Watching football, a session in the gym, a bike ride, a run, or simply walking the dog can be enough to release a small amount of stress, enabling somebody to cope with the problems of daily life. A chat with a friend could be even more beneficial.
The all-too-common view from men in the construction industry is that it’s weak to talk about their ill mental health – they still believe that, as they are the provider for their family, they can’t show any weakness, talk about worries or express their feelings. They are wrong.
75% of all suicides in the UK are men. This is largely because men are rubbish at talking about their health in general and especially rubbish at talking about their mental health. We need to be open about our mental health, we need to understand our stress limit, we need to find a way to release the stress ‘tap’. Let’s start by talking.
Ian Pickard, Grad IOSH, FIIRSM, RSP, OSHCR, MInstLM MANAGING DIRECTOR/HEALTH & SAFETY CONSULTANT, IDP SAFETY SERVICES LTD MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID INSTRUCTOR, MHFA ENGLAND CO-FOUNDER, SWAG (SUSSEX WELLNESS ACTION GROUP)Everyone has mental and physical health but nobody has perfect mental and physical health.
Contractors won’t be too surprised to read the headline above, but it’s an unfortunate truth. Barrister Rudi Klein shares some pointers that might help you navigate your contracts.
The resurgence of COVID-19 and the ever-growing number of areas subject to lockdowns has, again, raised the spectre of disruption to construction works. Such disruption may take many varied forms. Sites may be wholly or partially closed because of workers testing positive, government-ordered lockdowns which include construction, or interruption to deliveries to sites (meaning that progress to certain of the works has been/will be delayed).
It may come as no surprise to many in the industry that COVID-related risks are being shunted along the supply chain. This is in spite of exhortations from the UK government and all the devolved governments that we should all be working together and sharing risk in these unprecedented times. Clearly this message hasn’t got through to some clients and contractors.
Here is a rather unpleasant clause – let’s call this Clause One: “…the Sub-Contractor shall have no right or remedy pursuant to any provision of this Sub-Contract, whether by adjustment to the Sub-Contract Sum or by adjustment to the Completion Date(s) or otherwise or in damages at common law or in tort [delict in Scotland] or pursuant to any other theory of law to the extent that any matter listed in Schedule 1 (Notifiable Diseases) and/or Schedule 2 (Causative Agents) of the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 has any affect, whether direct or indirect, on the Works or on the progress of the Works”.
In England the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 have been updated to include SARS – Coronavirus 2. Similar regulations exist in the devolved jurisdictions such as Part 2 of the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008.
So, what is the first clause actually saying?
– in general you are to assume all the COVID-related risks impacting upon your sub-contract works (even though you are unlikely to be in a position to avoid them, manage them or insure against them);
– this is so irrespective of whether the impact on the main contract works is “direct or indirect” (“indirect” could, for example, refer to the precautionary shutting down of a site because workers have been taken ill with COVID-19 on another – unrelated – site some five miles down the road);
– through no fault of your own you could be liable to pick up some or all of the main contractor’s liquidated damages if it has not been given an extension of time by the client (or if it has not been given the extension applied for).
If you have survived a careful reading of Clause One, here is another example –let’s call this Clause Two:
You are informed at bid stage that if you are unwilling to take on “the risk of COVID” – whatever this may involve – your tender will not be considered.
Your sub-contract then tells you that:
“For the full period of the subcontract works – subcontractor takes on the risk of maintaining productivity assuming 2m social distancing in place.”
Clause Two continues as follows:
“In relation to pandemics (current and future) in the event of any future lockdowns, implemented by Government instruction, which lead to the site shutting down,
a. Week 1 to 8 subcontractor is responsible for all costs but an extension of time will be granted for each day the site is closed;
b. Week 9+ reasonable costs are recoverable under the Sub-Contract where the subcontractor has used best endeavours to mitigate delays and an extension of time will be granted for each day the site is closed”.
Your price is expected to include “the risk of COVID”. The immediate question is: what does this mean? Since it is so open-ended, pricing for COVID risk would require the services of a clairvoyant. You then take on the risk of maintaining productivity even though social distancing is in force.
So, without fault on your part, you can’t social distance (and have to cease work until you can) you will be in breach of contract when your productivity suffers. For such clause to work there would have to be some benchmark to measure the requisite productivity.
The costs over an 8-week period of lockdown could be phenomenal –cancelled deliveries, storage costs, salaries and overheads. In this context you would want the right to terminate your contract.
From week 9 onwards reasonable costs can be recovered provided you have used “best endeavours” to reduce delays. This requires you to do everything you reasonably can which could include, ironically, incurring extra costs in order to reduce delays – plenty of scope for argument here. It would have been better if the clause had specified the steps required to be taken.
Apart from the myriad disputes these clauses are likely to engender, they import risks which, for the most part, you will not be able to manage. For the sake of efficiency and fairness risks should always be allocated to those best able to manage them.
Therefore seek to either negotiate them out of your contract or, at least, seek to define with more precision the risks you are being asked to take on. If you are likely to be saddled with ongoing costs in the event of disruption to your works, make sure that you have a right of termination in these circumstances. Perhaps you could make clear at the outset that your price does not take into consideration COVID-related risks.
2020 has been a year to remember (for one big obvious reason), but also for the weather: April and May were some of the sunniest on record, providing warmth during tough days, and one October day was the wettest since records began. Now, as winter starts to grip, temperatures are dropping…
Construction sites are open – it almost seems like business as usual. But with the changeable, unpredictable changes of weather, workers must start to prepare for the cold winter months. Even the hardiest worker feels the chill on top of a high-rise building with the wind and rain blowing.
Factors that employers and employees need to identify within a risk assessment are adverse weather and the environmental parameters that could accordingly change – such as air temperature, humidity and wind speed. These factors will impact on health and performance, especially at height, working with metal tubes.
Workers need to assess their limitations and address how they feel – some may have a higher metabolic rate and use more energy and heat, or possibly they drink cold drinks, even on a cold day, which makes the body use more energy to aid digestion.
Employers need to safeguard personnel and maintain suitable controls to mitigate the impact from cold weather.
Workers should ensure that the extra layers of winter clothing do not impede the personal protective equipment issued, and any additional layers added will not cover eyes and ears. Employers should factor controls and take reasonable precautions such as: Ensuring the personal protective equipment issued and weather monitoring instruments are appropriate.
JS
Seasoned workers are experienced and to a certain extent conditioned to the impacts of cold weather, yet compliance and time factors could mean the control measures in place are not adhered to, or young and inexperienced workers who have yet to experience the winter weather could be in for a shock if not fully prepared. It’s time to start thinking about the clothing required and preparing workers over the coming months for what lies ahead, with regular safety communications through toolbox talks and risk assessments.
Clothing should be considered – if an outer layer is not waterproof and breathable, base layers can soak up sweat or absorb rain, causing the body to lose more heat as it is exposed to cold conditions over long periods of time.
Exposure to cold weather can lead to accidents caused by, but not limited to, the loss of mobility in limbs, freezing injuries and chilblains. Once a person’s core temperature falls below 35ºC, hyperthermia has then occurred, with symptoms including feeling cold, shivering, mood changes, confusion, muscular weakness and drowsiness.
Providing mobile facilities for warming up and encouraging the drinking of warm fluids such as soup or hot drinks. Introducing frequent rest breaks. Consider delaying the work due to poor weather conditions.
Educating workers about recognising the early symptoms of cold stress.
Employers and workers must ensure a regular monitoring and reviewing schedule is in place to confirm the controls are working and guarantee there are no significant adverse eventualities. If you require any further information on toolbox talks or risk controls, contact SMAS Worksafe on 01752 697370 or by emailing info@smasltd.com
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For the second instalment of our new AccessPoint feature, we talk to Dan and Heather Sullivan, the inspiring couple who lead Pro Scaffolding South West, based in Avonmouth, Bristol.
Dan Sullivan started work in the scaffolding industry straight from school and worked for various companies until he was laid off by his employer for having ‘too much time off’ in 2010.
Dan’s reasons for the absences were genuine –his wife’s father had recently died, then his twin babies had been born prematurely shortly after at just 24 weeks.
Dan’s wife Heather said: “That pinnacle moment in Dan’s life got him thinking pro-actively,” and it was then that Dan decided to start his own business and Pro Scaffolding South West was founded. The company started out based at a small farm barn with a few men working alongside Dan. That was 10 years ago – since then, growth has been steady and considerable.
The business is a family-run affair, with Dan at the helm, alongside his wife Heather, and his father Terry. Heather said: “Working as a family can bring both positives and negatives. We do tend to bring our work home, which can add stress to the family environment, but working as a family also brings great stability to our company. Our long-standing employees, who have watched the company grow from small to big, are highly-valued as important members of the TEAMPRO family. Our younger sons like to get involved too, when it’s safe, and have even been seen cleaning the fittings in the Avonmouth depot, so the next generation will not be far behind!”
Pro Scaffolding take on all types of work, from domestic house extensions and renovations to full industrial scaffolding and large commercial housing projects. Services include confined space works, temporary roof systems and full design works. They have recently added a full shrinkwrapping service to their repertoire.
Pro Scaffolding continues to grow rapidly, and despite this year’s pandemic, they have managed to open an additional depot in Newton Abbot, further strengthening their strong links throughout the south west.
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The company continues to win big tenders with leading construction businesses and has seen the number of employees grow from four to just under 50. They have also set up an in-house roofing and maintenance team, which is growing at pace as it becomes more and more established.
Pro Scaffolding have gained respect for their proactive approach to health and safety – something which is hugely important to them, demonstrated by their status as Audited Members of the Scaffolding Association. In addition, the company has achieved further accreditations including Achilles Advanced, CHAS, SMAS, SafeContractor and as Constructionline Gold Members. Dan said: “In our time trading we have seen that Health and Safety is constantly evolving, and new ideas or products are always coming to the forefront. We take a lot of these ideas on board and implement new regulations constantly.”
Pro Scaffolding have achieved all this despite going through difficult times. As well as working as a family, they have suffered as a family – there was a cancer scare and then a traumatic family loss when Dan’s younger brother took his own life in 2018. This was a huge shock and hit Dan really hard. Unsurprisingly, this tragic event has had a lasting impact on Dan’s, Heather’s and Terry’s mental health. He had been a huge part of the family, and was more like a big brother than an uncle to their children. He had also worked at Pro Scaffolding as a scaffold labourer. “The sudden loss of my little brother to suicide devastated our family, with feelings of shock, anger and deep sadness. It really affected my mental health, but the support of my family and the focus I needed to push the business forward got me though the darkest days.”
Pro Scaffolding have become supporters of Mates In Mind, the charity which raises awareness, addresses the stigma of poor mental health and promotes positive mental well-being across workplaces, encouraging workmates to look out for each other.
Dan and Heather also face daily challenges at home, caring for their severely disabled twins. They were born so prematurely that, at birth, they were given only a 17% chance of survival. They live with cerebral palsy – a condition which affects all four limbs and creates other health issues. Heather works around school hours, meaning she can spend time with the children before and after school.
Pro Scaffolding have big plans for the future, as Heather explains: “In 2021 we plan to open more depots in Reading and Birmingham, with another 30 employees joining the organisation.” That’s for the future, but Dan has thoughts about how the industry operates now: “I wish we could see more young people coming into the industry, choosing scaffolding as a career, so that we can pass down our knowledge to the next generation.” He continues: “I’m proud of our achievements and the growth of the company and I’ll strive to keep building for the future of our children.”
Heather concludes: “I’m so proud of all that Dan has achieved – his journey could easily have seen him take a quite different path in life, but he is now a successful business and family man. Our children see how hard Dan works to provide for them and this sets a great example of what hard work can achieve.”
FIND OUT MORE www.proscaffolding.co.uk
I wish we could see more young people coming into the industry, so that we can pass down our knowledge to the next generation.Dan Sullivan, Pro Scaffolding South West
Builders’ Conference CEO Neil Edwards analyses the results from validated research carried out by BCLive for contract awards during the second wave of Coronavirus and subsequent UK lockdown.
When the first wave of the Coronavirus swept across the UK back in March this year, the UK construction sector suffered a barely perceptible lapse as it figured how it might work through a global pandemic. Having been identified early as “key workers”, the industry set in place extensive rules governing social distancing and quickly went back to work. In an industry built upon regulations, construction adapted swiftly to the new normal, embracing evolving guidance and developing new ways of working safely. This continued throughout the summer. Then, as the shutters came down for a second time, businesses carried on – the UK construction industry seemingly refuses to accept the severity of the current situation.
In the month ending 30 September, Builders’ Conference aggregated information via its unique BCLive league table recorded more than £5.7 billion in new contract awards. Such a figure would be greeted with delight at any time, but amidst growing concern over a possible return to lockdown, £5.7 billion was verging upon the miraculous.
The figure was unquestionably boosted by a single £1.0 billion contract awarded to NU Living for a mammoth project in Purfleet, Essex. That project, for Thurrock Borough Council, was for the construction of 2,850 new homes together with a film and TV centre, upgrading of the train station and a new primary and secondary school.
Geographically, September was very much southern-focused with London delivering £1.63 billion in new work and Essex following close behind with more than £1.0 billion. Kent accounted for a further £337 million. The North West enjoyed an upbeat month with 40 new projects worth a combined £654 million. Meanwhile, West and East Midlands maintained their continued growth, contributing £384 million and £254 million respectively. Sadly, Scotland struggled to shake off the after-effects of lockdown, languishing with just £112 million in new work across 24 individual projects.
In a month in which the house-building sector once again dominated, Wates Ltd and Laing
O’Rourke claimed second and third positions for mixed-use development contracts with significant housing elements. Court Collaboration took the number four position with a single £280 million project at the Bull Ring Trading Estate in Digbeth, Birmingham. The county of Kent might be braced prior to transforming from the Garden of England into the truck park of Europe, but a £200 million new build business park off Kingslanding Way in Tunbridge Wells offers some positivity.
Never before has Builders’ Conference independent, verified real-time, construction information and research been more important as businesses navigate through COVID-19. Ensure your business has access to evidenced based construction project information from across the UK by becoming a member.
October normally marks the beginning of the slide towards a festive slow-down. But as further evidence of the “new normal”, the sector abandoned tradition and instead recorded £6.35 billion in new contract awards on the BCLive league table.
As in September, that monthly figure was unquestionably buoyed by a single £1.0 billion contract, won by a Sigma Capital and EGT Real Estate joint venture for the creation of up to 3,000 private rental homes across Greater London.
Ballymore Properties rocketed to the number two slot on the BCLive league table, courtesy of a £500 million contract award to develop 1,500 new homes, 14,000 m2 of education space and 6,000 m2 of commercial space on London’s Isle of Dogs.
Graham Construction provided a much-needed shot in the arm for the Scottish sector, picking up four new contract awards worth a combined £346 million, the most notable of which was a £230 million hospital new build at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Amey won a £250 million contract for the refurbishment and repair of the Severn Bridge, Avonmouth Bridge and the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge. Spread over 15 years, that contract includes inspections, safety patrols and cyclic maintenance.
In a month that was once again dominated by the house-building sector, which contributed more than half the monthly league table total (£3.7 billion), there were welcome green shoots in health (£569 million) roads (£496 million) and education (£457 million) categories.
London once again led the regional countdown with 114 new contract awards valued at a combined £2.3 billion. But Scotland (£635 million), West Midlands (£534 million) and the South West region (£515 million) also enjoyed a positive month.
The pronounced imbalance between privately and publicly-funded projects remains; and the construction sector’s reliance upon house-building shows no signs of abating.
Quite how long construction’s resilience can hold out against the seemingly endless bad news onslaught is anyone’s guess. Despite this, the industry has delivered more sterling figures amidst continued COVID-19 and Brexit uncertainty. Against that background, UK construction’s performance should be applauded.
FIND OUT MORE www.buildersconference.co.uk
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The owner-managers of CityPoint are redeveloping four levels of this prime real estate, linking existing offices with atriums to create much larger spaces that spread across the width of floors five to eight. Diamond Scaffolding’s link bridges enable this construction.
Most visitors to CityPoint, at 1 Ropemaker Street, in the heart of London’s business district, will fail to notice the well designed, cleverly clad, expertly constructed structures 120ft above them, and may even be unaware of any building works – and that, on this project, is the ultimate sign of success. Businesses currently working in offices that are adjacent to the works include legal teams that require extremely low sound levels and minimised disruption.
Sometimes, in the world of scaffolding, excellence is not immediately obvious. Certainly, this is the case with Diamond Scaffolding’s three temporary link bridges that sit high above the heads of office workers and restaurant diners at CityPoint, London.
Diamond Scaffolding were awarded the scaffolding contract to support the redevelopment in December 2019, after a successful tender process that required highly detailed submissions and bespoke site specific risk assessments and method statements. Work started at the end of January 2020, and was gaining momentum when the nationwide lockdown and implementation of new working rules forced the management team to re-think safety procedures and re-plan working patterns. This coincided with a revised schedule from the client, increasing the challenges that the company faced.
By this point, work on the first atrium was underway, taking place at night, long after the building’s office workers had departed. The first phase was to strengthen the support structure of the building in the basement. This floor houses the building’s heating and sprinkler systems and Diamond Scaffolding protected these with 8ft, double-boarded crash decks that were coated in fireproof foam. Three other contractors also worked in this area at this time, so co-ordination and cooperation were vital.
The next phase – the first part of the temporary link bridge construction – was the erection of internal, high-security partitions that were only accessible to the specialist glass contractors appointed to remove the mullions and glass panels.
Diamond’s Advanced Scaffolders then started to build what they named ‘crow’s nests’ in the vacant spaces. These double-lever cantilevers supported abseiling harnesses, enabled the installation of Davit Arms, and slowly but surely crash decks reached out across the void to their link points in the opposite window spaces. Each crash deck is supported by two 225 steel ridge beams, capable of supporting a combined three tonnes.
Transporting tubes, boards, the team and all their equipment to the higher levels was not straightforward. The building’s owner-managers had stated that the communal walkways and lifts used by the resident businesses and their customers
were out of bounds and must remain pristine. There was to be no storage area for equipment. So everything was lifted via one service elevator, in pre-determined time slots, to meet specific working needs, with only one lorry on site at a time to unload at the lift’s basement door. Over two miles of scaffold tube – the components for 36 ‘crow’s nests’ and three 14-metre temporary link bridges, has been lifted this way.
With the crash decks in place, demolition of the existing steels could now take place and intermediate reinforcements were installed. After this, the concrete contractors poured to create the atrium floor surface. On the outer edges of the atrium floor, Diamond’s team created a clever, twostage boarded work platform that enables easier installation of the atrium windows.
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Continued from page 17…
This detail is just one of many innovative considerations recommended by designer Stuart Duffy from GWC Scaffolding Solutions that have helped Diamond Scaffolding create such an impressive scaffold solution.
John Quinn, Contracts Director at Diamond Scaffolding, cannot hide his pride and passion for this job: “The whole team has worked tirelessly, with great care and precision, to achieve something very special at CityPoint. And I don’t just refer to our admittedly excellent scaffolders, led by Danny Taylor – I include Mark Richardson, the client’s supportive Site Manager, the design team at GWC Scaffolding Solutions, and the other contractors. I really believe that Diamond Scaffolding has proven itself as a high level operator, and this has been confirmed already by two further contract wins on the strength of our performance here. Every one of my team has embraced the challenge and gained priceless experience that makes us even more capable and confident in the projects we can handle.”
Tony Dolby, Diamond Scaffolding’s Managing Director, has fulfilled his role with distinction. Facing complicated, time-sensitive and restrictive working conditions, he mastered the logistics of the CityPoint project to perfection. “In the middle of March, the challenge facing the country to keep working looked challenging. But we were well underway on this project and I was determined to progress. We decided to invest in equipment, push on, and we’ve reaped the rewards – our reputation has been
enhanced by this work and we’ve secured new contracts. We’ve taken delivery of two new lorries and the ongoing work at CityPoint has enabled us to invest back into the business, so we feel extremely positive for our future.”
Talking to Jonathan Fassihi, Senior Project Manager for the client, confirms how well the scaffold part of the project has been received: “Diamond Scaffolding were given night-time working guidelines and they have adhered to them – we haven’t received a single noise complaint from local Barbican residents. No clean-up orders have been issued, and not one of the building’s £2,000 glass panels has suffered so much as a scratch. They have displayed consistent dedication and professionalism over the 40-week programme.”
As the project continues, and until the last fitting has been removed, health and safety remains the key consideration. Checks are carried out regularly by a team of four – Diamond Scaffolding’s John Quinn, Dave Crosby, and Glenn Chambers, the
client’s Safety Officer. This care and commitment, coupled with the knowledge, adaptability and sheer hard graft needed to construct such impressive temporary link bridges, means Diamond Scaffolding are well-placed for the future.
FIND OUT MORE: www.diamond-scaffolding.com
Based
Tyne & Wear-based Marine Scaffolding Limited provided access at Alnwick Castle, famous as a location in the Harry Potter films – including the scenes where Harry and his fellow students learned to fly broomsticks, and where they learned the rules of wizarding sport Quidditch.
Alnwick Castle has been the home of the Percy family for over 700 years, and required repointing work plus replacement of damaged stones. Having previously been involved with the renovation and upkeep of other heritage sites such as Raby Castle, Bamburgh Castle and Hulne
Prior, Marine Scaffolding had the knowledge and experience to work on such a prestigious building, and were selected by Historic Property Restoration, who were instructed by the castle directly, to undertake the work.
One of the main challenges of the project was that the castle and grounds remained open to the public throughout. To ensure safety and to prevent a reduction in footfall, barriered areas with safe zones were created. There was no vehicular access to the site, so all materials were safely handballed by Historic Property Restoration prior to Marine’s arrival, alleviating the scaffolders’ workload.
The building itself posed challenges, as Tony Mullen, Director at Marine Scaffolding Limited, explains: “As the building is listed we were unable to drill anchors into the building to fasten the scaffolding and instead fastened using the mortar joints. The ground on which the castle sits was sinking due to wet weather so we had base boards specifically designed to spread the load over a greater surface area to normal.” In addition, scaffold design had to consider that parts of the castle are still used by the Duke and Duchess as living quarters – to maintain privacy the boarded lifts were erected to not look into their rooms.
“The job was challenging and complex, but as a company we feel it was well worth the effort and it is a job we were proud to work on.”
FIND OUT MORE: www.marinescaffolding.co.uk
The client, Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd, tasked LT Scaffold Services to create a 52-meterlong, 7 lift, cantilevered hanging scaffold. The structure, on the north elevation of the 28-metrehigh residential building, was required to allow progress with an external feature staircase. One of the main objectives was to create free passage throughout each working lift, which meant omitting the ledger bracings to the entire scaffold. Achieving this was a major factor in getting the project across the line, but also made the methodology a lot more complicated.
Extensive planning and design meetings were required between LT Scaffold and TAD Scaffold Designs Ltd. Rob Pearce, Design Engineer at TAD, led the solution of using structural transoms. With the inside leg loads of the roof mounted scaffold at 38Kn, internal scaffold was required to back prop the top two floors with the external hanging scaffold also securely fixed to the floors.
Rob said: “There is very little room for error when installing a suspended scaffold, particularly one of this size. The design needed to detail all the critical elements clearly and concisely, ensuring all parties could undertake their roles without misinterpretation. The care that LT Scaffolding have displayed in executing this scaffold, in accordance with the design, has been remarkable. They are the benchmark for design appreciation.”
Despite the high-risk nature of the project, LT Scaffold provided a safe solution to working at height, using retractable inertia blocks attached to scaffolders’ harnesses so that in the case of an emergency, they could be lowered onto a MEWP below the area on which they were working.
Lewis Smith, Managing Director of LT Scaffold, says: “Costing, planning and mobilisation for a job
like this takes a lot of experience and consideration regarding methodology, but most importantly, health and safety.
“Our young team of capable scaffolders gives us the confidence to take on the ‘not-your-everyday’ projects. The understanding between management and scaffolders is exceptional – they have fully adopted our standards and take huge pride in their work. This is probably one of our proudest moments and a reflection of what we are capable of.
“It’s one thing to plan, design and mobilise for a job like this in less than a week, but to erect this in 14 days is incredible. Well done to Callum Wingren and his gang – Liam Wingren, Lloyd Smith, Liam Ryan, Christopher Moore and Callum Pearce.”
FIND OUT MORE: www.ltscaffold.co.uk
GWC Scaffolding Solutions and Jon Scaffolding Services Limited combined to provide access to the 17th-century main house at the St Clere Estate, giving DPR Leadwork the platforms and protection needed to conduct a full re-roof as well as repairs to chimney stacks and parapets.
The St Clere Estate has a rich history, dating back to the 12th Century when it was called West Aldham and belonged to Sir Thomas de Aldham, who fought in Richard I’s third crusade. In the 14th Century it was renamed St Clere’s and has since had association with famous historical figures including Henry VIII and William Shakespeare. More recently it has provided the backdrop for film productions such as James Bond’s ‘The World is Not Enough’ and the TV series ‘Gangs of London’.
The building has undergone changes over the years, but as it now stands, the house is three storeys, plus basement and attic with a 5-bay front façade, central porch and parapet, with a high pitched hipped slated roof that is surmounted by a row of tall, linked brick chimneys. GWC Scaffolding Solutions’ engineers, Dan Van Ackeren and Thomas Riding, proposed installing a duo-pitch apex style roof to cover the building’s wide span, so Mark Waterman, a specialist in these types of works and Managing Director at Jon Scaffolding, selected the versatile and speedy UBIX roofing system. This can be erected very safely and ergonomically and because of its lightweight construction it was felt that it was a better solution than the traditional CI sheeted roofs. Temporary roofs are notoriously difficult to design economically, especially when located in an exposed and unsheltered area such as Kemsing. Being a Grade I listed building, one of the biggest challenges was being able to restrain the structure without using physical ties. Using the latest wind and frame analysis software Dan and Tom were able to design a free-standing structure using buttresses with 1 tonne kentledge IWC’s and utilizing tie beams that double up as temporary platforms that are used to erect the roof safely.
To aid stability they were able to butt the existing building, but understandably strict protection measures were required. They proposed using a base plate with thick strong carpet type material attached to offer the protection – English Heritage liked this concept and instantly approved.
Adding to the team’s design considerations was a 10 meter long underground septic tank, positioned directly beneath the front entrance. This, along with surrounding smaller buildings, forced the design of a series of beams to transfer all vertical loads into other locations.
“IBC containers and 50,000 litres of water were used to provide enough kentledge to support the structure through the 20-week project which
needed to survive several heavy storms in a very windy countryside location,” explains Mark.
“We were truly grateful that Nigel Passey, Director of DBR Leadwork, entrusted us with this project – it was one of the biggest projects Jon Scaffolding had undertaken at the time and we were keen to prove our capabilities on projects of this scale, especially given the building’s Grade I listed status and the project’s complex design.
Tom and his team at GWC are a different level of scaffold designers. Every project is designed to suit both the scaffolder and the client’s works –can’t recommend them enough, they make everything work and I wouldn’t go anywhere else.”
Tom Riding, Design Engineer at GWC Scaffolding Solutions, said: “Scaffolding design and the procedures involved have been evolving throughout the past 10 years, and GWC Scaffolding Solutions pride themselves on understanding the client’s needs, whether it be a simple scaffold design, scaffolding inspections or a fully functioning interactive 3D walk through BIM model.” He concluded: “This was a wonderful project to be involved with and we consider ourselves very privileged to be a part of it.”
GWC Scaffolding Solutions was established in 2011, formed by Graeme Coote – a third generation scaffolder. Approaching the 10-year mark, GWC has grown and is now immensely proud to employ some of the best scaffolding engineers in the industry. They have a very well-balanced core of staff from many different backgrounds, all with varying levels of expertise and skills.
FIND OUT MORE: www.gwcsolutions.co.uk
Jon Scaffolding Ltd was incorporated in 2013, initially with just Jon working by himself. The company has since grown from strength to strength and now operates with 20 full time employees and a fleet of 10 vehicles.
FIND OUT MORE: www.jonscaff.com
Ainscaff Scaffolding, a Scaffolding Association member, has been responsible for designing and erecting this important temporary structure. The roof replacement project has been underway since the beginning of 2020, but was delayed for several weeks while the country was in lockdown.
Darren McKernon at Shanweb has been documenting the works with images, and this latest batch illustrate the sheer scale of the scaffold undertaking. The conservation works are being undertaken by Clancy Construction under the supervision of the cathedral architect, John Beauchamp of B2 Architects.
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AccessPoint has followed the progress of Ainscaff as they constructed access scaffolding and a massive mobile roof to assist the renovation of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. Here is the latest progress in pictures…
Ainscaff has been in the scaffolding business for a decade, amassing a wealth of knowledge and experience in the processes and construction of high-quality scaffolding, servicing clients throughout Ireland.
FIND OUT MORE: www.ainscaff.ie
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland and has been at the heart of Dublin and Ireland’s history and culture for over 800 years.
FIND OUT MORE: www.stpatrickscathedral.ie
Shanweb specialise in professional video and photography services throughout the UK and Ireland, with vast experience in the construction sector.
FIND OUT MORE: www.shanweb.com
Continued from page 25…
Since the Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, The Very Revd Dr William Morton, laid the first new slate on the nave roof, a team of specialists have continued to replace the slates that had been in place since the 19th Century.
The new slates, about 12,000 in total, are manufactured at the same quarry as those original slates. Once the re-slating has been completed, the Monarflex cover protecting the roof will be removed, giving people the first view of the new roof. Alongside this re-slating, other essential work continues supported by Ainscaff’s scaffold works – primarily the removal of the North Transept Clerestory windows, and the installation of new timber walkways through the attic spaces.
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The Work at Height Regulations 2005 contain explicit requirements relating to scaffolding design, and state that “Strength and stability calculations must be carried out unless a note of the calculations, covering the structural arrangements contemplated is available, or it is assembled in conformity with a generally recognised standard”. For scaffolding contractors this allows two options, either have the scaffold designed by calculation, or construct the scaffold in a known configuration to a recognised standard (such as TG20).
With the introduction of TG20:13 the requirement for design input is greatly minimised, but there are still many non-standard builds which require additional consideration.
The vast majority of scaffolding contractors undertake non-standard erection based from the design of specialist consultants including structural engineers, but does this completely alleviate the contractor from any risk associated with the design?
Whilst in principle, designs are typically managed at the Main Contractor level and then passed to the scaffolding contractor, there are a number of situations which can arise where the design liability risk can become more complex;
1. The scaffolding contractor works alongside the designer to have an input into the drawings
2. The scaffolding contractor appoints their own internal design team
3. The scaffolding contractor appoints their own external design team
4. Modifications and deviations from the drawings are made at site due to unforeseeable events or unseen conditions which could not be known
It should be no surprise that for 1, 2 or 3, the scaffolding contractor should have their own professional indemnity insurance in place (the insurance in place should not contain an absolute injury exclusion, and should extend to include collateral warranty cover where needed), but what about point 4?
It is commonplace for designs to be modified on site, changes in conditions, or unseen complications can arise quickly. However, for scaffolding contractors, simply amending the design to fit the site requirements can be where risks arise.
Tweaking a design on site is the equivalent of re-designing the temporary structure itself, and the scaffolding contractor can now potentially be found liable for the design risk.
To mitigate this exposure, any and all modifications should always be re-submitted and signed off by the design team prior to the modifications being made.
Whilst this does mitigate your exposure, there can still be comeback if there is an error in what you sent back to the designer, or, if due to time or operational pressure the change had to be made without referral. In cases of higher severity losses, such as loss of life or serious injury, it very much is a case of throwing mud to see where it sticks, and this will include the scaffolding contractor, regardless of design input levels. It is therefore imperative to have in place insurance which can “fight your corner” and cover the costs of defending the claim, and to prove you are not negligent.
This insurance can come in the form of a professional indemnity policy, or in the form of a professional liability extension to your public liability policy – to see which method is most suitable for your business, don’t hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to explain how best to protect your business. Call 01277 844 396 or email info@scaffinsure.co.uk
Benn Houghton, from Direct Insurance Group, discusses the ramifications of making on-site scaffolding design alterations, and the steps companies can take to protect themselves.
If your company has a new product that is of interest to the access and scaffolding sector contact the team at AccessPoint and we could feature it in the next issue.
Glasgow based Klipp-it have designed a new single-component toeboard clip that is set to increase productivity and safety on site. The new Klipp-it Toeboard can be securely attached to scaffolding in seconds and is simply lowered down onto the toeboard. The Klipp-it Toeboard will also secure end boards using the same clip.
The lightweight design, ease of installation, durability and lack of maintenance is a substantial improvement on traditional metal clamps. Unlike metal clamps, the Klipp-it Toeboard requires no tools for either fixing or removal – not only does this make installation quicker, but it also increases safety against drop hazards.
The lightweight clip is made from glass filled polypropylene, which means there is a significant reduction in weight compared to traditional metal clamps, making the Klipp-it Toeboard easier to handle and allowing for more fittings to be carried at the same time.
The Klipp-it Toeboard also improves safety against COVID-19 – not only is it installed by a single operative, allowing for social distancing, but the single component is also easily sanitised. In addition, the Klipp-it Toeboard is rust and corrosion resistant, recyclable at end of life and can be used hundreds of times.
The Klipp-it Toeboard is the third product in the Klipp-it range – it joins the original Klipp-it, a simple clip device that attaches to scaffolding for uses such as securing netting, brickguards, sheeting and for cable management, as well as the Klipp-it Coupler that secures temporary fencing together.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.klipp-it.com OR EMAIL john.pitt@klipp-it.com
There’s no more need for cable ties or duct tape – SCAFFBAND® is a high visibility, waterproof band that fits quickly and firmly around horizontal or vertical tubes, ensuring that passers-by are well aware of temporary scaffolding and can avoid collisions.
The rugged, waterproof construction is designed for re-use, comes in standard sizes and is easily stored between jobs in bespoke bags. SCAFFBAND® can be customised to suit each customer’s requirements by printing a company logo or bespoke safety message.
Surrey-based Panthera Group has launched its latest hoarding innovation; the sustainable and environmentally friendly EnviroHoard™ and the system has already been specified by the construction sector to secure sites. Developed to offer a closed loop, 100% recyclable hoarding system EnviroHoard™ is manufactured from post industrial production and consumer waste uPVC. The system can be used multiple times and has a minimum 10-year life expectancy. Once at the end of its useful life it is recycled into pellets to make more panels and other products. Timber hoarding, conversely, tends to be single use and discarded or downcycled after just a single use.
Neal James, Managing Director of Panthera Group, recognises the use of wood and timber in buildings, but is committed to reducing single use for ancillary activities; “I believe it is really important that we ask ourselves the question of how sustainable is it to cut down trees for site hoarding. It’s unnecessary to use timber
for this application given the pressing global deforestation issue and especially when there is a sustainable alternative.”
For just 100m of timber hoarding it is estimated that one 60-year old hardwood and three 50-year old softwood trees are needed. The ethics around disposal are similarly worrying. Most commonly it is downcycled into chips that are either burnt in power stations or made into chipboard. The processing alone creates a hefty carbon footprint. Some is still sent to landfill where it is thought that every tonne of wood that rots produces a quantity of methane as harmful as 600kg of CO².
Aside from the environmental implications there are a host of other benefits to specifying EnviroHoard™. The modular design, for example, simplifies hoarding moves whilst the system requires no decorating, or ongoing costly maintenance. It can be installed on-ground, in-ground or fixed to scaffold and provides a perfect flat surface for the applications of graphics. Optional site doors are available to match the panels or can be constructed in steel.
Flexible purchase options include contracthire or purchase and the latter also includes an option of storage and maintenance in between uses, as well as a guaranteed buy back
scheme. In addition to supporting BREEAM and CEEQUAL the specification of EnviroHoard™ enhances Considerate Constructor scoring and ‘Construction 25’; the UK Government’s strategy for Sustainable Construction. Clients including John Sisk, Barratt London, Kier Construction, Keepmoat Homes, Skanska as well as a host of smaller contractors, have adopted EnviroHoard™ to help them meet their ambitious environmental targets. For every metre of hoarding specified, Panthera Group plants trees via the Trees for Cities scheme and offsets all carbon through partner Circular Ecology in gold accredited schemes.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.envirohoard.com
Based in Suffolk, HAZBAND Ltd is offering an alternative to often one use items, ideal for temporary exterior infrastructures. HAZBAND Ltd also provide SCAFFBAND®pockets, with a tough vinyl cover to secure safety tags, ladder bands, Heras fencing bands, outrigger bands and social distancing bollard bands.
Whether you are looking to fit a package of safety bands for a project or if you are looking for a bespoke design, the HAZBAND team are happy to help you.
The new Rhino IMPACT decking system is a solid, strong, sturdy working platform that looks and feels like a tradition scaffold birdcage but has the same advantages of a high speed, tool-free decking system. It is highly affordable, enabling those that invest to quickly see a return on their investment.
Rhino IMPACT uses the same frame and components as the Rhino ORIGINAL system (which is still available) but instead of the steel mesh panel it uses a new deck panel constructed from regular scaffold boards which are cut down to 1265mm and bolted together with steel plates. A three board panel is a 13ft scaffold board cut exactly into three lengths.
Key benefits include: tool-free installation; no need for trained scaffolders; fully loadable to the same level as a scaffold birdcage; 100% free-standing; highly versatile with minimal components and very few overlap panels; swap and upgrade components between Rhino IMPACT and ORIGINAL without significant extra cost.
Rhino IMPACT has a patent pending, and is one of a number of major product releases from RhinoDeck Ltd planned for 2021.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.hazband.co.uk or email your questions or queries to info@hazband.co.uk
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.sayfasystems.co.uk/rhinodeck
