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sector
Robert Candy, CEO of the Scaffolding Association: “A round up of the last 12 months”
P7 Commercial Builders’ Conference: It has been a roller-coaster for the UK construction industry
P8 Legal Holmes & Hills Solicitors: How well do you know your payment terms?
P9 Commercial CITB: How to access funding for scaffolding training
P10 - P11 Camelot Castle Hotel
P12 - P13 Walworth Town Hall
P14 Webber Street
P16 Technical ITP: Scaffolding sheeting and fire retardancy: why ‘compliance’ isn’t always what it seems
P17 Technical Alto Access Products: Are access towers a viable solution for you?
P18 - P19 Product News
SIMIAN, one of the UK’s leading training and consultancy organisations, is celebrating 17 years in business!
The business was established in 2005 by industry experts looking to make a real difference to the scaffolding sector through best practice training, consultancy, and inspections. With falls from height the leading cause of death within the construction industry, SIMIAN’s founders wanted to ensure safer sites for current and future generations of scaffolders.
From their initial centre in Warrington, SIMIAN has expanded beyond expectation. Now with centres across the UK including London,
Llangefni, Hertfordshire and Weston-SuperMare, expert training is now more accessible to existing and prospective professionals than ever before.
Simon Hughes, Managing Director at SIMIAN, said:
“I couldn’t be prouder of where the business has come from to where we are today. We have worked tirelessly to ensure that the scaffolding and construction industries become a safer place both for the workforce and the wider general public. I can say with confidence that we have made a big difference through our training, consultancy, and inspection services for businesses across the UK.”
Find out more: www.simian-risk.com
The National Building and Construction (NBC) Awards provide an opportunity to support and share in their vision to raise the profile of industrious, hardworking and enterprising building and construction businesses. Made up of 19 categories that allow any UK businesses to enter, entries are judged by a national panel of judges.
This years’ awards were held at the Hilton Wembley and Assessed Members of the Scaffolding Association, Alliance Intelligent Scaffolding, picked up a Silver Award for Sub Contractor of the Year. This category is open to any trade that supplies their services to main contractors within the UK.
Find out more: www.alliancescaffolding.co.uk
The popular, user-friendly Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) CAP 609 General Information Booklet has been revised, reprinted and is ready for release. It provides a very useful overview of the CISRS scheme and is a great reference document for those looking to complete CISRS training, scaffolders, employers and the wider Industry.
The 36-page A5 booklet is designed to provide a detailed overview of the CISRS scheme and
includes the full range and scope of courses including CISRS COTS, Part 1, Part 2, Advanced, CPD, Manager & Supervisor, Inspection and Scaffolding Awareness.
The CAP 609 booklet and the recently updated ’Have You Got The Right Card?’ poster are available free of charge, by contacting CISRS at enquiries@cisrs.org.uk
A PDF version of the booklet will also be available to download at www.cisrs.org.uk
accesspoint.org.uk
Industrial Textiles & Plastics Limited (ITP) who are Associate Members of the Scaffolding Association, celebrated a major award win when the Stamisol Safe One breather membrane scooped Product of the Year in the Façade 2022 Design and Engineering Awards.
As the exclusive UK suppliers of Stamisol Safe One, ITP attended the finals at Hilton Park Lane, London, to accept the award alongside the product’s manufacturers, Serge Ferrari. Safe One’s innovative design has been at the forefront of membrane development,
representing the first breather membrane in the UK to combine a Euroclass A2 fire safety rating with W1 water repellence.
Marc van der Voort, Managing Director at ITP, said:
“This award reflects the huge impact which Safe One has had in the UK construction market, recognising the product’s advanced technology which is setting standards in breather membrane performance.”
Find out more: www.itpltd.com
A Cornish scaffolding company has been fined £24,000 after a worker was injured when he fell through a fibreglass skylight.
The 37-year-old scaffolder was working for Worden Scaffolding, part of GK Worden & Son Limited, on a commercial project at an industrial unit in Liskeard on 22 July 2019.
The company had been tasked with installing edge protection on the unit’s asbestos cement pitched roof, which had fibreglass rooflights running along it.
The scaffolder was walking up the apex of the gable end of the roof when he stepped on and fell through a rooflight, landing on a concrete mezzanine floor about 3m below.
He suffered a complex fracture to the wrist and hand, a broken rib and a bruised kidney.
GK Worden & Son Ltd of St Ann’s Chapel, Gunnislake, Cornwall, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 4(1) of the Work at Height Regs 2005, and was fined £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of £14,000 at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on 1 November 2022.
Find out more: www.press.hse.gov. uk/2022/11/02/scaffolding-company-finedafter-worker-injured-in-fall-through-skylight
A new survey from Acas has found that 1 in 4 employers have seen an increase in staff being off sick compared to a year ago.
Acas commissioned YouGov to ask employers in September if they had seen any changes to the number of employees being off sick compared to 12 months ago.
The estimated number of workers in Great Britain suffering a work-related illness is 1.8 million: with stress, depression, and anxiety making up around half of cases, new figures show.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries. The figures show there were an estimated 914,000 cases of work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2021/22, and an estimated 17 million working days were lost. This is over half of all working days lost due to work-related ill health.
The figures also show that 123 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2021/22 and a further 565,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact on the workplace. Of the 1.8 million suffering
a work-related illness, an estimated 585,000 reported it was caused or made worse by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Around a quarter of these workers were in human health and social work. In addition, 123,000 workers suffering with COVID-19 believed they were exposed to the virus at work.
A group of leading businesses within the construction sector has joined forces to produce a landmark publication aimed at combatting low productivity in the industry. Their goal is to promote trust and collaboration in a highly fragmented industry that can lack transparency. This in turn will help the industry reduce waste, address the skills shortage, and reduce the impact of low margins and investment in UK construction.
The playbook aims to tackle these problems by encouraging clients, their construction teams and suppliers to work in a more collaborative way to help boost productivity, quality and value. In doing so, they can improve the health, safety and wellbeing of the workforce, reduce carbon and positively impact both the performance and image of the industry.
On 18 October 2022, Vincent Christopher Larkin (51), from Bracknell, Berkshire, received a 6-year disqualification order in the High Court of Justice before Insolvency & Companies Court Judge Jones.
During proceedings the court heard that Vincent Larkin was the director of a scaffolding company called V Larkin Limited. Trading as Olympic Scaffolding, the company was incorporated in February 2006.
Find out more:
The poll found that:
• 26% of employers had seen an increase in sickness absence
• almost 1 in 10 (9%) had seen a decrease
• over half (56%) said that the number of staff being off sick had roughly stayed the same
• 9% did not know
Acas advises that employers should have an absence policy in place that is clear about what is expected from both employers and employees if staff need time off work.
Find out more: www.acas.org.uk/1-in-4employers-have-seen-an-increase-instaff-sickness
TRAD Group has presented a cheque for £35,000 to Anthony Nolan, the Group’s chosen charity for 2022. Having originally set a target of ‘£22k for 2022’, the company has been delighted by the generosity of its workforce, customers, suppliers, and others in the industry, taking the total to well over that target.
This year’s charity campaign has been in memory of John Paterson, a much-loved figure within the industry, and a director at TRAD for many years.
John and his wife Jane were supported by Anthony Nolan when John was ill and have been involved with many of TRAD’s fundraising events.
Anthony Nolan is the charity that makes lifesaving connections between people with blood cancer and incredible strangers ready to donate their stem cells. Alongside this they also fund ground-breaking research and provide the best post-transplant care – something that
can make a huge difference to the lives of those living with blood cancers and disorders.
The best donors are aged 16-30, and young men are really needed to come forward as they only make up 18% of the register but provide 55% of the stem cell donation. TRAD’s fundraising will help the Trust to recruit new donors and support families.
Find out more: www.traduk.co.uk/news-post/ trad-presents-cheque-to-anthony-nolan
The scaffolding firm, however, went into liquidation in May 2019 and V Larkin Limited’s insolvency triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service.
Investigators uncovered that Vincent Larkin
caused the scaffolders to trade to the detriment of the tax authorities when V Larkin Limited failed to pay £209,000 worth of business and employee-related tax from the tax year ending 2016/2017.
Further enquiries revealed that between April 2017 and right up to the point the company were heading into liquidation in May 2019, Vincent Larkin caused the scaffolders to make payments totalling close to £489,000 but no payments were identified as having been made to the tax authorities.
Vincent Larkin did not attend court and in his absence was disqualified and ordered to pay costs of £7,355.80.
www.constructionleadershipcouncil. co.uk/news/priva te-sector-constructionplaybook-published
Unfortunately, recent times have not been kind to us, the wider construction sector and UK business more generally.
As one year ends and another begins, we believe and hope that things cannot possibly become any more challenging. Regrettably, we are frequently being proved wrong.
The cost of living and energy crisis, thrown into the mix with a nation still recovering from the effects of a global pandemic and the unintended and unforeseen impact of severing ties with the European Union, has resulted in a perfect storm.
We see every day the impacts these supposedly ‘once in a generation occurrences’ are having in our professional and personal lives. It seems that the feeling of ‘one step forward two steps back’ is now our only constant.
However, despite these external factors that we can do very little about but ride the storm and hope for the best, am truly proud of what we have achieved as a trade association this year, by focussing our efforts on the things which we can make a difference on.
It has been a decade since we established the Scaffolding Association, and today it is the largest representative organisation in the scaffolding and access industry – providing the ability and credibility to be able to drive forward an inclusive agenda for our near 600 members.
This approach to inclusivity has seen the delivery of the first National Scaffolding Week which provided an open platform on which to showcase the diverse range of career options within our industry, inspire a new generation of workers and highlight some of the great achievements of organisations and individuals already operating within the sector.
Further, the association hosted its first Scaffolding Conference – another initiative spearheaded by our small and very able team to provide direct help and support to members and industry on a wide range of topical issues including training, insurance, legal, skills and labour shortages, funding, health and wellbeing and business compliance.
Both National Scaffolding Week and Scaffolding Conference will be back in 2023 so watch out for details early in the new year.
Despite the success of these initiatives, the real work of the association over the past 12-months, has been largely behind the scenes as we have grafted hard to raise the profile of our sector and unpick its many challenges among relevant government departments, ministers, parliamentarians, policy makers and industry stakeholders; all whilst maintaining and working to develop and improve our offering and the value we return as a member organisation. am enormously proud of the work we are currently undertaking and our direction of travel.
Whilst I recognise that we are amidst the most challenging of times - rest assured - the Scaffolding Association is working tirelessly to represent your interests and to deliver the value and relevance you expect from us as the leading trade organisation in this sector.
Robert Candy CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SCAFFOLDING ASSOCIATION www.scaffolding-association.orgThe value of new construction contract awards effectively halved in the space of a single month. Is it the usual seasonal slowdown; an over-reaction to the Government’s recent Autumn Financial Statement; or is it something worse? Neil Edwards, head of Builders’ Conference, looks for some light among the dark.
At any other time of the year, a near 50 percent fall in the value of new construction contract awards would be cause for concern or even panic. When that marked downshift occurs in November, however, it could merely mark the beginning of the festive break. After all, the UK construction industry basically worked right through the past two Christmas holidays while the COVID-19 pandemic raged outside. The sector is rightly due a break.
The cause of the downshift could also be that it follows immediately after the Government’s Autumn Statement that warned of tough times ahead. There are few things that give economists the jitters more quickly than a storm warning from the incumbent Chancellor of the Exchequer. But is there something more worrying happening. Has the war in Ukraine, energy price hikes, wage increases and inflation finally come home to roost? It is too early to tell; but whatever the cause, it has had a major impact upon the league table of contract awards which barely scraped over the £3.0 billion mark for the month; well short of the £4.0 billion that it has hit or exceeded consistently for more than four years
After over 3 years in which it has not dipped below a monthly total of £4.0 billion, the BCLive league table failed to hit the accepted norm in September 2022 to send shockwaves across the sector and to bring the prospect of a sector recession into sharp focus. While it is tempting to point accusing fingers at the then Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and the then Prime Minister Liz Truss, the seeds of this downshift were sewn long before they delivered their calamitous Mini Budget.
In a month in which the BCLive league table peaked at just £3.83 billion, Skanska climbed to the top of the pile courtesy of a single £345 million project. That project is for client National Highways and comprises the upgrading of a 6.6 km stretch of the A46 Newark Bypass.
There remains a glimmer of hope that the figures for September 2022 were merely a blip; an anomaly caused by economic jitters from outside the construction industry. But, in recent months, there has been an upsurge in construction company liquidations. In a sector that is constantly reminded to fix the roof while the sun shines, the immediate future is likely to favour those that have heeded that warning
When the BCLive league table of construction contract awards failed to hit the £4.0 billion baseline in September 2022, it was tempting to believe that the good times were officially over; that having been battered by Brexit, COVID and shortages of materials and skilled people, the sector was finally bowed by inflation and fuel price hikes.
The good news is that any talk of an end to the good times has proved premature as The BCLive league table hit an impressive £6.5 billion in the month of October 2022 – above the total for the same month last year and streets ahead of the lowly £3.8 billion recorded in September. Further positives were that the league table was less dependent upon the two regional and sector bellwethers of London and housebuilding.
But that apparent good news is a double-edged sword, particularly in the case of the house-building sector. That sector has been the crutch upon which the wider construction industry has leaned for more than four years now. If the latest rise in interest rates and a lack of available mortgage funding does hit the house-building sector, the tremors will be felt throughout the industry.
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
Audited and Assessed membership of the Scaffolding Association includes access to the Builders’ Conference platform, with premium information about 11,000 UK construction projects.
When I come to write my last article of the year, I reflect on the preceding 12-months and look for signs of an improving more favourable outlook.
In this article Scaffolding Association legal partners Holmes & Hills LLP discuss payment terms.
When faced with a payment dispute, one of the first questions we ask is “what are your payment terms?” Clients will often quote the length of the payment terms stated in the contract (typically 30 days), however, we often have to deliver the news that the payment terms are significantly longer!
I know what you’re thinking, “surely 30-day payment terms should mean that I will get paid 30 days after my payment application?!” However this is not the case.
Contrary to popular belief, the due date is not the date the contractor has to pay you by but instead, it is the date from which all other payment dates are calculated.
For example, if your contract states that the due date is 30 days after the date you have submitted your payment application, taking this one step further, the ‘final date for payment’ is the date on which the contractor must pay you the ‘notified sum’ (i.e., the amount set out in a payment notice), and the final date for payment is calculated from the due date.
Below is a flow chart breaking this example down:
In legal terms, the notified sum is of huge significance. Essentially, it is the amount that is specified in your payment application (or in a contractor’s payment/pay less notice). As long as your payment application has been submitted on time (according to the contract) and sets out the sum you consider to be due (and the basis of your calculation), this is the sum the contractor must pay you. That is unless the contractor submits a pay less notice!
If a pay less notice is submitted by the contractor on time (in accordance with the contract) and sets out the sum the contractor considers due and why, then the ‘notified sum’ will be the amount set out in the contractor’s pay less notice and not in your payment application. Meaning you are only entitled to be paid the amount set out in the payment notice/pay less notice on the final date for payment.
This does not mean you lose your entitlement full stop, this can be addressed in the following months interim application or during the Final Account process. If you feel that deductions have been made incorrectly or without merit, it is worth contacting us to consider your options.
CITB has a wide range of scaffolding courses for employers wanting to train their workforce. Beginners to advanced courses are on offer with grants available to help finance the right training for your business.
This article will take you briefly through CITB’s scaffolding training locations, the courses they offer across the country and provide detail on the grants they can offer employers to support training costs.
CITB Grants to fund scaffolding training are available for eligible employers. “Eligible” means employers registered with CITB can apply for a grant.
They are available to employers of all sizes, whether or not you pay a levy to CITB. However, please make sure you are up to date with your Levy Returns before making your application. You can obtain funding though the CITB’s Skills and Training Fund. This fund is designed to help deliver high quality learning and development to employees, there are two levels of this fund, and the size of your business will determine which one you are eligible for.
Grants on offer include:
• Apprenticeship Achievement grant: up to £3,500 when your apprentice completes training
• Apprenticeship Attendance grant: up to £2,500 per apprentice per year
• Short course grants: up to £500
• Travel to Train/Accommodation grant: To reimburse accommodation costs for apprentices where overnight stays and travel to/from a hotel are required.
As you can see, this will mean you are actually working on 60-day payment terms! This is a basic example, and you may find yourself faced with more complex terms such as “The Due Date shall be 30 days from the next month end”, this would mean:
Conclusion
When considering payments terms, you must consider when the due date is, when the final date for payment is and whether you have received a payment notice/pay less notice.
Just because you want 30 day payment terms or you told them in your tender, does not mean that it is in the contract between the parties!
Before you know it, you have agreed 90-day payment terms (insert cash flow issues!)
If you wish to discuss payment terms further, contact Lawrence Pearce (Associate) and the Construction Team at Holmes & Hills LLP – call 01206 593933
Scaffolding courses can be completed at the National Construction Colleges (NCC) in Kent, Norfolk, Renfrewshire and Scotland. These centres deliver training in real-life environments and are accredited training providers of the Construction Industry Scaffolding Record Scheme (CISRS) and PASMA - mobile access towers safety and training. In Wales, scaffolding training can be found at the CITB-funded Construction Wales Innovation Centre’s Scaffolding Academy in Swansea. Alternatively, training can be undertaken in north Wales at the Busnes@LlandrilloMenai’s Centre for Infrastructure, Skills and Technology, in Llangefni, Anglesey.
You can also source training from a CITB Approved Training Organisation, they are across the UK and provide courses and qualifications to an industryagreed training standard.
NCC’s courses are provided under these four broad themes:
• Courses towards a CISRS card
• SITS inspection and supervisory courses
• PASMA mobile towers courses
• Basic scaffolding
The CITB website details what you need to gain a green, red, blue or gold CISRS scaffolder card, and the courses you can study for each.
CITB’s Scaffolding Apprenticeship Course is for people who want to gain an academic qualification in scaffolding, while receiving professional experience. It includes on-the-job experience and is available at NCC Norfolk and NCC Scotland.
For more information on the areas covered in this article contact your local CITB Engagement Adviser by visiting: www.citb.co.uk/about-citb/what-we-do/citb-in-your-local-area
FIND OUT MORE: www.citb.co.uk/levy-grants-and-funding
The best way to complete a grant application –and to find out about the full range of scaffolding courses on offer - is to contact your local CITB Engagement Adviser who can talk you through the options and take the strain out of applying.
Two members of the Scaffolding Association, Optima Scaffold Designs LLP and Direct Access Ltd, have been working closely together to create a temporary roof on Camelot Castle Hotel to enable needed repair work to be undertaken.
The costal location continued to cause problems when it came to erecting the scaffolding, Jason Cutting, Director at Direct Access explained:
“You really had to go there to appreciate how wild it can be, we were told that there were 40mph winds on some days but it comes straight up off the coast and it was unreal at times. We had to skip a few build days due to the high wind as lifting boards to the next level could not be done safely.”
The use of the building also had to be factored in, Jason continued:
“The hotel had to remain open to the public throughout, and although this didn’t affect our build too much due to the amount of open space available around the grounds, it was something we had to consider when designing the structure. One of the main requirements from the client was to minimise the impact the works had on its guests. We came up with a design that meant it was shrink wrapped down to a boarded platform and not past any guest windows to ensure it didn’t spoil the view of the sea but still created that full encapsulation that was required.”
The structure is now complete and Southwest Shrinkwrap have fully encapsulated it ready for Direct Access’s sister company, Direct Specialist Services Ltd, to undertake the required repair work.
When reflecting on the project Haydon concluded:
B uilt in 1894, the now Grade II listed Camelot Castle Hotel, is perched on the edge of the North Coast of Cornwall in Tintagel, the spectacular estate has been the backdrop to many films and TV programmes, including Knights of the Round Table starring Ava Gardner and Dracula, starring Sir Laurence Olivier.
It is the buildings’ location and prestige that caused the two main challenges that Optima and Direct Access had to overcome.
Haydon Lyons, Design Engineer at Optima explained:
“It’s located on the Cornish coastline which meant that environmental factors were always going to be one of the main things to consider when designing this structure. We carried out the temporary roof analysis, calculating wind loads of up to 83mph to British Standards along with
snow loading and numerous load case combinations including temporary cases during erection.”
Due to its Grade II listed status, tying in to the building’s fascia was not an option, instead shear tying to the base of the building to resist uplift and butting to the building with additional buttresses were required to ensure the structural soundness of the scaffold. However, these were not the only things that required consideration on this project, Haydon explained:
“Only a certain section of the roof is being worked on which means there are only three grounded sides to the structure. This meant we had to come up with a solution that ensured the area required was completely encapsulated, and we did this with the use of spine beams spanning the rear of the roof.”
You really had to go there to appreciate how wild it can be, we were told that there were 40mph winds on some days but it comes straight up off the coast and it was unreal at times. We had to skip a few build days due to the high wind as lifting boards to the next level could not be done safely.”
“There was really good communication from everyone involved from the beginning of this project which always helps. There was a lot to consider when designing the temporary roof which meant there were numerous conversations between Direct Access, the clients from the hotel and ourselves at Optima, to make sure we came to the right conclusion together.”
Jason concluded:
“Even though it has been a challenging project to work on, it has also been an enjoyable experience. From the beginning we all worked really well together, and the clients are a pleasure to work for. They completely understood how the weather and bad conditions effected our team and the build, and overall, the project went smoothly and was a huge success. Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to the three guys overseeing the project Kyle, Lewis and Henry. They had a very challenging time with the weather and didn’t let the howling winds or persistent rain beat them!”
Fully Audited Members of the Scaffolding Association, CASS Supplies Limited, have provided access and cover to the Grade II listed Walworth Town Hall.
W alworth Town Hall is a municipal building in Southwark, London, that was built for the vestry of the parish of Newington in 1865. In March 2013 the roof of the building was badly damaged by a fire and the building was added to the Heritage at Risk Register, but it was not until 2018 that the council announced that the building would be restored.
Barry based CASS were tasked by their new clients, Conamar Building Services Ltd, to provide a structure which allowed the building to be used throughout, whilst also ensuring that the building was watertight so that no further damage would be sustained. It was important for the client that the scaffold provided a secure barrier to the weather and allowed the building to continue being accessed by the public. There was a lot of work going on inside the building which cannot be seen and included the installation of beams and a scaffold to support these beams, hence the reason for the rolling roof being designed and installed.
Tom Gent, Managing Director at CASS stated:
“This was the first time working for Conamar, and so inevitably there was trust that needed to be developed on both sides, especially as it was such a bespoke scaffold. CASS have always been involved in unique projects and we thrive and fully embrace the challenge of working on these ‘outside the box’ projects.”
CASS worked closely with JM Scaffold Design to come up with a solution to the complicated problem and developed a temporary rolling roof so that different sections of the roof could be worked on, and all the internal works could be carried out whilst also still protecting the building, Tom explained:
“My favourite part of this job was the design of the work as this was such a unique project. In the end we came up with a system where half the scaffold roof was lower so that it could be moved across the building depending on the work being done inside. JM Scaffold Design carried out a detailed site visit with us to ensure that this product would work for this client.
The design also enabled us to train the guys onsite to use the roof rather than provide a team of scaffolders which would have been an expensive addition to the client.”
With the design in place, it was time for South Wales based CASS to head to London, which was not Tom’s favourite part of the project:
“We were very nervous on the first day installing the scaffold as we weren’t sure whether the rolling roof would deliver the results we were aiming for, however it soon became apparent that we had nothing to worry about as it went without fault.”
CASS worked with UK System Scaffold Hire Ltd and TRAD UK to help supply the kit, with in excess of 150tonne of scaffolding equipment being utilized, this was a big project.
The location of the building also caused some issues for the team, Tom continued:
“The site was very restrictive, as you can see from the photos there was very little space around the site for us to work within, which was made even harder by the fact that continued access to the building was required at all times.”
Despite all the challenges they faced the project was a huge success Tom concluded:
“The job has gone well, and the roof has been a great element for the project’s site teams. There is so much work that is going on inside the building which can’t be seen but having the roof in place is protecting the building from further damage.
To be part of this iconic building restoration project is such a great job for CASS and we look forward to when the unveiling of the new building will be seen.”
James Morgan, Managing Director of JM Scaffold Design Ltd, concluded:
“One of our favourite things about the works we carry out for CASS is that the projects are always complex and challenging, and this was certainly no different. From the design stage to the erection of the roof, this project had many problems to overcome.
Luckily, both JM Scaffold Design & CASS have a great deal of experience and expertise in this area of temporary works. Once we had ascertained the best way to move forward, the design process was thoroughly enjoyable, and the finished scaffold speaks for itself. This was an incredible project, and we are grateful to CASS for allowing JM Scaffold Design to be part of it.”
My favourite part of this job was the design of the work as this was such a unique project. In the end we came up with a system where half the scaffold roof was lower so that it could be moved across the building depending on the work being done inside.”
Tom Gent, Managing Director at CASSFIND OUT MORE: CASS: www.cassuk.com Conamar Building Services Ltd: www.conamar.co.uk
JM Scaffold Design: www.jmscaffolddesign.co.uk
BVL Scaffolding Co. Limited, who are Audited Members of the Scaffolding Association, overcame multiple challenges to provide access for cladding replacement on Webber Street, Southwark, London.
K ent based BVL Scaffolding were called in by BREYER GROUP to provide scaffolding for a 3 stage cladding job with a strict deadline, restricted access and loading limitations.
BVL had 32 weeks to complete all 3 phases of the job.
• Phase 1 consisted of: Webber St Elevation 11wk (scaffold and gantry erection) & Great Suffolk St Elevation 7wk (scaffold erection)
• Phase 2 consisted of: Southwark Bridge Rd Elevation 5wk & Belvedere Buildings Elevation 2wk (scaffold erection)
• Phase 3 consisted of: Courtyard Elevation 7wk (scaffold erection)
One of the first challenges BVL faced was restrictions on some of the leg loads, Robert Anderson, Scaffold Manager at BVL, explained:
“Limited leg loads could be placed on the rear elevation podium however we overcame this with engineering solutions provided by DH Scaffold Services.”
Robert commented:
“This cladding job had a very tight erection programme, however I am happy to say that we finished all 3 stages well ahead of schedule.”
This was no easy feat with the access limitations to the site.
Robert continued:
“The rear elevation is totally landlocked with all materials being accessed via the gantry over the adjoining building. We also had to erect a saw-toothed balcony elevation which was a challenge.”
BVL clearly overcame all of the challenges this project threw at them and even impressed their new clients and have since been asked to take on further works for them.
Robert concluded:
“It was a pleasure working with BREYER GROUP on the 1st cladding renewal job, not knowing what to expect from the client but was very pleasantly surprised at how well run and organised this particular project was. We have now completed several cladding renewal projects and look forward to further developing this side of the business.”
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Assessing scaffold sheeting and containment sheeting is one of those grey areas where compliance is easily misunderstood or misinterpreted. In this article Associate Members of the Scaffolding Association, Industrial Textiles & Plastics Ltd (ITP), discusses what to look out for.
BS 7955 is often referenced when discussing compliance for containment nets and sheets on construction works. This standard relates to fire retardancy as well as requirements for tensile strength and strength of eyelets and attachment fasteners. Compliance with BS 7955 is recognised within the industry and represents a reliable benchmark for strength. However, when it comes to fire retardancy, compliance is not a term which can be interpreted with the same confidence.
Certification and compliance are significantly divergent in the context of temporary containment sheeting, scaffold sheeting, temporary roof sheeting, tarpaulins, meshes and twin wall fluted sheets. The difference can largely be attributed to the methodology applied to assess each standard.
To be labelled as compliant, these types of products can be linked to official standards but are subject to a one-off test, with all results based on a single sample which is not even related to a specific product batch. These tests are not always linked to an official fire retardancy standard, and some are not linked to any recognised standard.
To be labelled as certified the same products must clear a much higher bar. Certification requires a set of standardised tests carried out by an independent testing body with the necessary accreditation and authority to perform the assessment. They are fully tested and approved to prevent the spread of fire for both internal and external scaffolding applications. After passing the certification, the sheeting is still subject to a stringent regime of regular Factory Production Control (FPC) audits and flame retardancy tests, with credentials supported by ISO 9001 accreditation and full batch traceability.
FPC audits cover the production of the products, the consistency of raw materials that cannot be changed without new tests, full batch traceability of raw materials, components and finished products, qualifications of relevant machine operators, quality control and maintenance of machines and quality control equipment.
Two organisations in the UK currently run the certification scheme. Exova Warringtonfire provides its Certifire scheme and the BRE Global/Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) also provides certification in support of fire safety and security.
Using certified scaffold sheeting is the only reliable guarantee that it meets the necessary fire safety requirements. Beyond the immediate concerns of fire prevention and improved health and safety on day-to-day site activities, failure to use certified scaffold sheeting can potentially cause the ceasing or withdrawal of insurance in relation to the Joint Code of Practice on the Protection from Fire of Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation (JCC). The terms of JCC require different stipulations for different projects as outlined in the table below.
In this article, Associate Members of the Scaffolding Association, Alto Access Products, discuss aluminium access towers and how to decide if they are right for your business.
sheeting
<£2.5 million
b)
Yes
Many insurance policies include this Code of Practice, making it vital to ensure third party certification when required by the criteria set by JCC.
How do you recognise certified scaffold sheeting?
Suppliers of scaffold sheeting should provide a test certificate from Exova Warringtonfire Certifire or BRE Global/LPCB to prove certification. Materials that have third-party approval must display the appropriate approval mark logo (Certifire or LPCB), certificate number and compliance to BS7955 printed on the label/ID strip and the sheeting at regular intervals. Below is a checklist of the marking displayed by certified products, as well as markings which falsely suggest certification. Printed scaffold sheeting (e.g. with company logos or advertising) must also be certified and it is important to check that this printed sheeting is included on the Certifire or LPCB certificate. Sheeting with printed branding needs to be tested with the printing on the test sample for it to be classed as certified.
Marking on material Is this evidence of certification?
LPS 1215 / LPS 1207 Yes
TS 62 / TS 63 Yes
BRE Global / LPCB logo (below) Yes
Exova Warrington Certificate logo (below) Yes
BRE Global / LPCB or Exova Warringtonfire certificate number Yes
Flame Retardancy “passed” No
Unidentified lab results and/or overseas testing bodies No
No NA
P refabricated aluminium towers are not the same as traditional scaffolding – but the right product has a useful place in the armoury of solutions for innovative scaffolders.
Using the right product can save weight and time – whilst still having practicable load capacities and meeting all the necessary safety/compliance requirements.
Here are some things to think about when considering if any given tower is a potentially viable solution for you.
Firstly – look at the basic system’s capacity
If, as a basic EN 1004 tower, it can only carry 750 or 900 kg including its own weight – it’s not likely to be capable of delivering the capacity that will be required as part of a larger scaffolding solution – even if it claims to have a class 3 load capacity.
On the other hand, if as a tower it can carry say 2500 kg, in its standard form, then you have something to work with.
Secondly – what certification does it have?
Any reputable tower should have fully up to date external certification from a known certification provider to the latest standards – i.e. ALL of the following:
BS EN 1004-1: 2020 – covers basic mobile towers only – to 8m outdoors and 12m indoors.
BS EN1004-2: 2021 – covers the form and content of the assembly guide for the mobile access tower.
BS 1139-6: 2022 – covers advanced tower structures (so, anything other than a basic mobile access tower) in all their forms.
Unfortunately, the world being what it is –you need to be careful around words like “complies with”.
2 3 1
If a product has not been externally tested and certified – there will be a reason – and the reason will be that it probably does not pass all the tests.
If you are thinking of investing in a tower system – ask for a copy of the relevant certificate and test report.
Thirdly – is it compatible with scaffolding?
This boils down to whether it uses 48mm tube or 2 inch tube and whether it’s strong enough to take a fully tightened coupler.
If it is compatible in this way, then you have all the possibilities of hybrid structures and linking it to traditional scaffolding elements/ties/anchors…
4
Fourthly – what is its reputation for strength and durability?
Is it made of thick wall 48mm extruded tube? Are all the joints fully welded? Is it known for having a long life? Has the product been in use for a long time?
If a tower meets all these tests, it is potentially a money maker for a forward-looking scaffolding company carrying out projects that can take advantage of the weight and time saving possibilities of aluminium towers.
For more information you can contact Lakeside Industries Limited: Tel: 01527 500577
Email: sales@altoaccess.com
Web: www.altoaccess.com
accesspoint.org.uk
Since Panthera Group launched EnviroHoard™, the UK’s first net zero carbon verified hoarding system in 2021, contracts for the sustainable site protection hoarding system now exceed 53% of all hoarding sales in the business.
As a result, the in-house production of patentpending EnviroBlok™ has increased by over a third and Panthera Group has not only recruited additional production staff, but has had to procure additional steel moulds to meet demand.
The unique, low carbon block integrates 50% GGBS providing a saving in CO2 of 194 kg / m³ compared to CEMI concrete. It is produced to Panthera’s specification by Hanson Concrete and poured into unique moulds designed by Neal James, Managing Director of Panthera.
After trials and certification, G-DECK has launched their long-awaited lighterweight 1m deck option to both their STANDARD and DUAL systems.
The new deck panel weighs only 10.4kg, a reduction of 3.5kg compares to its normal 1m deck.
This gives the option of having a deck panel which is as light as any alternatives, however, the loading which G-DECK’s are known for is still an impressive 5kN (500kg) per m2!
Importantly, existing G-DECK customers can now choose between normal and lighter deck panels moving forward as they can be used with both of their STANDARD and DUAL systems.
This also will give any businesses that are interested in upgrading to G-DECK more options to make the switch, with the lighter deck providing even less manual handling on installs and dismantles.
ScaffGap Ltd has launched the latest addition to their catalogue, the System-L.
Following extensive research, development and design, System-L was designed specifically to work on Layher scaffold platforms.
ScaffGap’s System-L, which is manufactured in the UK, has been designed and manufactured to provide a very robust solution to bridge the inherent 125mm gap and can be used time and time again.
The curved bottom section sits on the ledger below the Layher decks and the top section provides a flush finish spanning 190mm. The top flat surface has a slightly ridged finish to provide an anti-slip feature.
Pre-drilled holes in the bottom section supporting walls provide a method of securing System-L ScaffGap with zip ties to the ledger below. The versions of ScaffGap are as detailed below;
• Tube and Fitting ScaffGap
• Composite Board ScaffGap
• System-C ScaffGap (For use on Cuplok Platforms where traditional scaffold boards are used)
• System-L ScaffGap (For use on Layher scaffold platforms)
• Unit Transom Platforms
The blocks are one element of the vertical integration strategy pioneered by Neal who wanted to take control of as many areas of production as possible to ensure quality and stock levels. Despite global economic challenges, the company’s order book for its EnviroHoard™ system is surpassing all expectations.
UKSSH:
PUBLIC ACCESS STAIRCASES
PUBLIC ACCESS BRIDGES
WEATHER PROTECTION
TEMPORARY BUILDINGS
TEMPORARY ROOFS
HAKI SYSTEM
SUSPENDED
SITE STAIRCASES TRIPODS
IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT OFFICE@GDECKING.COM OR CALL: 01162 510352. FIND OUT MORE: WWW.GDECKING.COM
info@layher.co.uk
www.layher.co.uk
For more than 75 years, Layher has focused on innovation not imitation.
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