Services & Ancillary Products Member news

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Responding to a last-minute change of plan, the event’s organisers needed to find a company that could erect a massive Public Access Staircase in record time. The staircase – 31 metres wide and scaling a 4.5 metre high bank – was needed to provide the main access point for 150,000 concertgoers expected at the event, London’s largest festival. In just 48 hours, UKSSH and Tamworth Scaffolding Company designed the massive temporary Public Access Staircase, shipped lorry loads of components from their Tamworth base to Crystal Palace and erected it.

Elton John Concert

The Elton John Concert event organisers needed to install a temporary Public Access Staircase to provide concertgoers with easy access to and from their seats on the Vicarage Road pitch. Requiring an 8.5-metre-wide staircase to carry people above the permanent seats in the lower stand to the grandstand’s usual access points, UKSSH were approached to see whether the Haki Public Access Staircase offered a solution.

UKSSH realised that the adaptability of the Haki system meant their solution was relatively straightforward … until it reached the “hallowed turf” when standard system scaffold components couldn’t easily deliver the four steps required to take people from the lower platform to pitch level.

Refusing to settle for second best, UKSSH worked alongside Haki to develop a 4-step stringer for their Public Access Staircase to further increase its adaptability and to deliver a solution that optimised user comfort and safety.

Red Bull Soapbox Race

While the third project of the weekend – installing a staircase at the Alexandra Palace in London for the Red Bull Soapbox Race 2022 – was a relatively modest build, the project was another collaboration between UKSSH and Tamworth Scaffolding and again demonstrated the benefits of developing strong relationships with fellow NASC members to deliver solutions that comply with the strictest safety standards.

Member News

Services & Ancillary Product News

Avontus is a one-stop solution provider for your scaffolding technology needs. Created by scaffolders for scaffolders, our award-winning software solutions share a common goal – making the lives of scaffolders as easy as possible.

Our flagship product is Avontus Designer, an industry-leading, non-CAD-based scaffold design software built specifically for scaffolders. As such, it offers intuitive features and a friendly learning curve.

Users can start designing scaffolds just by going through our documentation and guides. All you have to do is import a building plan before dragging and dropping your scaffolding into place, which you can view in both 2D/3D.

At any stage of the design, you can also automatically generate an accurate list of materials with the click of a button. In comparison to more traditional and manual ways, Designer slashes the time taken to submit bids by more than 90%, which translates to faster wins for you.

Avontus Designer is supplemented by Avontus Viewer, which provides unparalleled visualisation capabilities for your designs. Powered by state-of-the-art AR and VR technology, Viewer improves the workplace safety by catching design errors and identifying hazards during virtual walkthroughs before work on site begins. It is also a tremendous asset for you in the boardroom. Providing your prospective clients AR visualisation of your scaffolding designs helps you to better convey value and avoid “lowest bid wins” situations. In this case, a picture (or AR image in this case) really does tell more than a thousand words!

Our other flagship product is Avontus Quantify, a featureladen inventory management software that is tailored to the scaffolding industry. With Quantify, you will never again lose track of what you own, which helps you maximize utilization and avoid shortfalls. Since most of the scaffolding industry still relies (poorly) on spreadsheets to track inventory, you might be shocked at the amount of money Quantify has saved our clients (and possibly you). With over 50 years of combined scaffolding experience behind our team, our products are uniquely positioned to address industry-specific pain points, which explains why they are beloved by our clients.

If you’re ready for Avontus to take your scaffolding business to new heights, reach out to us at sales@avontus.com to find out more.

We’ve been busy adding more features to the already popular SMART Estimator package. First and foremost is the addition of the new TG20:21 style loading bays. Now you can model, quantify and estimate the new loading bays with ease, attaching them to you scaffolds at the click of a button. Choosing from the 10 or 6 board layout as well as toggling between Beams and no Beams in seconds.

We’ve implemented some changes to ensure the software continues to perform well on Microsoft Windows 11, and we’re pleased to announce we now support this operating system for our software.

Finally, we have continued to build on the Cloud hosting feature implemented in SMART estimator 2020, allowing increased performance with faster loading times and better handling of locked projects for Cloud based servers.

With the Cloud hosted server you can store your shared projects and templates online with us. Allowing instant access to users from any machine with internet access and enabling data sharing seamless both inside and outside the office. Along with a whole host of minor improvements to existing functionality too numerous to mention here. If you’re a CADS cover or Subscription customer the update is available in the Check for updates button, found in the help section.

If you’re not please get in touch with our Sales team on 01202 603031 or sales@smartscaffolder.com.

Are you suffering from a labour shortage headache? Businesses across the UK are struggling to recruit and retain staff and the scaffolding sector is no different. For the first time since records began, there are now more job vacancies than unemployed people in the UK and many businesses are struggling to fill job vacancies. It’s no secret that your people are your biggest asset, so focusing on hiring the right people and keeping your employees engaged will benefit your business exponentially.

If you’re struggling to attract quality employees or retain the great ones you already have, download this free guide from the HR and Employment Law experts at Citation who are a NASC Services and Ancillary Products Member. They cover everything from how to write a good job advert and where to advertise, to their tips on keeping your workers engaged. Recruitment and retention can be tough. With so much to consider it can be a daunting, and that’s where Citation come in. If you’d like to chat more about how their services can help your business, just give them a call on 0345 844 1111. Please quote ‘National Access and Scaffolding Confederation’ when enquiring to access preferential rates.

Download for free using this QR code.

If you’d like to see a demo of the Bluetooth Digital Reporting System simply call or email to arrange a convenient time.

www.hydrajaws.co.uk

Domino Clamps are a reusable attachment point for shipping containers which allow you to attach scaffold tube to a shipping container without damaging the container.

The new British-made clamps lock into the corner castings of all ISO shipping containers leaving a solid metal plate with four M12 female threads ready to attach your scaffold tube. Both half couplers and kee clamp style fittings can then be bolted directly to the Domino using M12 set screws to provide a reliable anchor with up to 2000kg working load. Tubes can be attached both vertically and horizontally.

The uses for these are wide ranging, allowing you to tie your structure to a nearby shipping container for structural support, help build a 2nd tier structure or handrail around one, or attach CCTV or floodlighting to a container on your site. We also have kits specifically for attaching things like floodlights and CCTV cameras, to help keep your workplace safe and secure. Since Domino Clamps attach specifically to the ISO corner castings of shipping containers, they will also work with some welfare units, containerised site offices and generators.

And Domino Clamps aren’t just for scaffolding; you can attach just about anything to them from heras fencing to advertising banners. Our website is full of information and accessories for various different use applications.

For attaching scaffolding we offer four tube clamp options on our website that, when used in conjunction with Domino Clamps, allow you to attach a scaffold tube vertically, horizontally (along the side of the container) and horizontally (perpendicular) to the container.

For more information including full technical details visit www.dominoclamps.com

In line with TG4:19 Anchorage Systems, the results of pull tests need to be formally recorded and retained with the site documentation relating to the scaffold structure. Traditionally, these results are recorded manually, noting down the load achieved. This is a cumbersome task fraught with many disadvantages including data being damaged, incorrectly recorded or simply lost.

Even if this manual data is kept safely, there is still no legally verifiable proof that the safe-working loads were achieved and that the load was held for a required length of time.

Digitally Recording Load Test Results

Used in conjunction with the M2000 Scaffold Tie Tester and Digital Gauge, the Hydrajaws Bluetooth Digital Reporting System is powered by a user-friendly browser-based interface and connects to the Hydrajaws App on a mobile phone or tablet. The secure cloud-based system enables whoever performed the pull tests to show, in a visual graph, that they have complied with the testing element of TG4:19, not only in the load applied, but that the load was held for the specified length of time and collates the data into a site test report. These records are retained for the lifetime of the scaffold, securely stored, ‘proof sealed’ and easily retrieved should an inspection by HSE take place.

Special Offer

Hydrajaws are offering NASC members 12 months free use of the Bluetooth Digital Reporting System with the purchase of a M2000 Scaffold Tie Tester Kit with Digital Gauge at the special offer price of £899.00 + VAT. Simply quote ‘NASC Member’ when placing your order by calling 01675 430 370 or email sales@hydrajaws.co.uk.

RAM Tracking provides award-winning vehicle tracking and fleet management tools for scaffolding businesses across the UK. Our tools help you to monitor your fleet and operations so you can reduce costs, improve driving behaviour, and increase productivity. RAM Tracking gives you complete visibility and control over your fleet: • Free unit installations and setup. • User-friendly platform. • Access anywhere, anytime on any device via our mobile app. • Award-winning training & support.

Additional Products and services

Helping to save time and money

Smart vehicle tracking can help improve the efficiency of scaffolding businesses. Our automated system means you don’t even have to log in. You get an alert whenever something happens, so there is no need to waste time searching through a detailed report. Scaffolding businesses can save on average £71 per vehicle per week by: • Reduce fuel consumption as well as wear and tear on your vehicles. • Ensure your drivers are taking the most efficient routes. Jobs are reached quicker, and your business saves money on fuel. • Minimise excessive idling to reduce wasted fuel. • Monitor the driving habits of your drivers –speeding and harsh braking have an impact on fuel consumption as well as vehicle maintenance costs. • Creating a more productive scaffolding business starts with better fleet management. We offer a range of additional products to help your business to save money and increase productivity. • We offer traditional and 4G connected dash cams. This can help you reduce the risks and costs involved with wrongful legal / insurance claims. Our 4G connected dash cams can provide footage to the insurance provider reducing premiums. • Keep on top of your fleet with vehicle checks using our driver app. • DVLA licence checks to ensure your drivers are eligible.

For more information visit

www.ramtracking.com

Increase inspection efficiency with Scafftag's reliable holders and inserts that can communicate the safety status of any type of equipment at the point of use. Furthermore, planning, inspecting and reporting can be streamlined, customised and largely automated to save time with SafeTrak software and app. Discover complete solution from Scafftag - A Brady Company! Scafftag inspection tag systems help control pre-shift inspections, maintenance and identification of all and any aspect of site and/or equipment, improving workplace safety and communication. When properly used and applied on equipment and in plain view, Scafftag can always communicate the latest equipment status to anyone who wants to use a specific piece of equipment. Tags are available for almost any tool or equipment, including ladders, scaffolds, drills, vehicles and engines. Inspection records on the tag's insert will show when equipment was considered fit for use. When equipment fails inspection, the inspector can remove the insert to show a clear 'Do not use' message on the tag's holder. In this way, Scafftag helps prevent costly workplace accidents resulting from the use of unfit equipment.

Scafftag holders and inserts are designed to last in extreme outdoor conditions. Holders are made out of ABS or Nylon and will rarely break. The polypropylene inserts can withstand water, oil and dirt while still being easy to write on. Both the holder and insert can resist prolonged UV exposure in order to stay legible in construction sites.

For more information email customer.services@ scafftag.com, call 0845 089 4060 or visit www.scafftag. co.uk.