5 minute read
CLEAR FUTURE
from Scaffmag Issue 12
by ScaffMag
One of the most important documents in the world of scaffolding and construction, has just gone through a major overhaul that looks to offer improved, future-proof guidance to the sector. But what exactly are the changes, and what do these mean for firms and the work they do? Richard Trenchard finds out more
NASC’s TG20:21 picks up where the preceding TG20:13 left off. Comprising four individual elements – an Operational Guide, a Design Guide, User Guide and user-friendly eGuide software – while the renewed material boldly takes some big (not to mention necessary) steps forward, fundamentally the goals remain the same.
Namely to enable the production of commonly used scaffolding structures, without the need for a bespoke design, that is designed to save hours, and expenditure, for other parts of a specific project or wider business. “The latest version includes a number of revisions to make the process of producing compliant scaffolding – in accordance with the European standard BS EN 12811 – even simpler.
It also includes a wider range of scaffolding types to make the software even more useable,” explains Simon Robinson, NASC’s marketing manager. “TG20:21 will include exterior birdcages, tube and fitting mobile towers, loading bays without beams and tied independent scaffolds with three inside boards. “TG20 compliance sheets will now be doublesided with an illustration and principal compliance criteria on the front and detailed compliance criteria listed on the reverse in landscape format,” he continues, expounding on the offering. “Users will be able to access the TG20:21 eGuide – and the associated and updated Operational and Design guides – via a link from the NASC website using a unique serial number and login credentials, rather than via a file download or CD. Printed copies of the three books will also be available following the launch.” The software will come in a package with online access to the Operational and Design Guides, with a cost to NASC members of £75 per eGuide per year, increasing to £300 for non-members. A three-year subscription gets a 10% discount and a five-year subscription gets a 20% reduction, and a short grace period to ease transition from the older TG20:13 to the new version.
The point being that this switch is being made as easy as possible for both new and established users, taking some of the legwork out of the changeover process. “While TG20:13 continues to be used effectively, the updated version has been developed by a team of NASC members and staff, together with software developers CADS, to ensure that TG20:21 builds on the success of TG20:13 to provide a much updated, expanded and more comprehensive set of guidance,” Robinson replies when we ask why now is the right time to roll out the new guidance in the midst of era-defining global upheaval and uncertainty.
“Technology has moved on since TG20:13 was released and some of the systems it relies on have become out of date. The new version makes full use of up-to-date systems to ensure continued smooth operation.”
Robinson is just as clear on the tangible ways in which TG20:21 will help the scaffolding industry, too. These include facilitating the use of a broader range of scaffolding types, the introduction of more variable designs – which is where those loading bays and inside boards come in – and more user-friendly search functionality. That means being able to find the guidance content you are looking for much faster online.
The new software also supports use across multiple devices, putting an end to the outdated notion of one-time installation that was standard in days gone by.
TG20:21 will include exterior birdcages, tube and fitting mobile towers, loading bays without beams and tied independent scaffolds with three inside boards.
“We believe these additions will help further embed TG20 as an essential step in the development of scaffolding projects of all shapes and sizes across the UK, relied upon by both scaffolding contractors and principal contractors alike,” says Robinson, before clarifying that TG20 already set a precedent in the industry upon its initial introduction, with this revised version set to bolster that authority.
“In a relatively short period of time, TG20 has become recognised and adopted by the scaffolding industry and the wider construction industry as a whole, helping to ensure that scaffolding contractors and principal contractors are clear on what scaffolding will be erected and its suitability for the project.”
In truth, the launch can’t come soon enough. While Robinson is clear on the biggest issue currently facing both the construction and scaffolding sectors – “keeping workers and sites safe during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic” – we are at a pivotal point in history for more reasons than a virus alone.
A rapidly changing and evolving world, with increasing pressure on companies to boost efficiency while improving the quality of work, needs up-to-date guidance in order for firms to survive and thrive. Not least in the
“The construction industry will need to adjust where possible to the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union and get to grips with Reverse Charge VAT, which may cause huge cashflow problems for construction industry businesses,” Robinson says of another major factor currently impacting the sector.
While TG20:21 may not directly relate to this, the improvements in clarity of requirements, not to mention facilitating the streamlining of design processes, can directly contribute to companies being able to function effectively in a period wherein the rules, red tape and regulations around business are literally being redrawn.
Like so much else, when there is less confusion about how we do our jobs, and better information guiding our work, we are in a far better position to navigate and negotiate even the most confusing of external situations.
Whether that’s a country looking to redefine its relationship with the world, or a planet half-stuck in lockdown, and the complications and necessary changes that have been forced through as a result of the turmoil. When it comes to TG20:21, then, at least there’s one part of the industry wherein the future is looking clearer, easier to predict and, therefore, brighter.
