scaffmag
ISSUE 13, 2021 SCAFFMAG.COM SCAFFOLDERS’ QUARTERLY
THE SCAFFOLDING MAGAZINE
SCAFFOLDING DESIGN Is it time for a degree in Scaffold Engineering?
PLUS
Sydney scaffold collapse – A mother’s tragic story
Layher continues to deliver beyond Brexit
Alltask helps maintain a historic past at Westminster Hall
ABOVE AND BEYOND
SETTING THE STANDARD FOR THE UK SCAFFOLDING INDUSTRY SINCE 1945
NATIONAL ACCESS AND SCAFFOLDING CONFEDERATION WWW.NASC.ORG.UK
RAISING THE STANDARD
GET CISRS TRAINING, GET SMART FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.CISRS.ORG.UK
Contents 58
44
07 REGULARS
6
NEWS ROUNDUP The latest industry news including a global timber
shortage, 10,000 compliance sheets downloaded, a new
FEATURES
34
DESIGN Billy Jones, MD of Millcroft, discusses why a degree in
scaffolding engineering is vital for the sector, plus Grahame
training centre in Wales opens its doors and much more.
Anderson speaks to innovative design consultants, IDH.
16
NEWS: TRAINING
44
19
BUSINESS
SIMIAN firmly believe that if you want to be the best,
diversification is what you need.
HEALTH AND SAFETY Patrizia Cassaniti shares her tragic story of her son’s
death in Sydney, and product provider Reece Safety looks at how the pandemic has changed health and safety across the
Alltask Ltd is set to strengthen after completing the
acquisition of Luton-based EA Scaffolding & Systems Ltd.
trade industry.
52
TRANSPORT Britain is set for a boom in construction-equipment
20
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
company specialising in rigging for stage and television.
scaffolding firms delivering into city centres.
26
CASE STUDY
56
28
OPINION
Grahame Anderson speaks to Focus Rigging, a family
MJ Optima passes Berlin test with flying colours when
called in to work on the Senate Department in Berlin.
purchases but could this lead to a rise in vehicle and worker related collisions? Plus, clean air zone set to impact
PROJECTS This issue focuses on projects at Westminster Hall,
London, The Frythe in Hertfordshire and The Sandy Park Hotel, in Exeter, Devon located next to the home of the Exeter Chiefs.
Des Moore, TRAD Group CEO and former NASC
President, on increasing diversity in the industry, plus Layher UK MD Sean Pike on how they have delivered beyond Brexit.
67
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Welcome While successfully weathering the storm from the effects of Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic, the scaffolding sector and the wider construction industry is now leading the way in the country’s economic recovery. But before we can all celebrate a job well done, another major obstacle lies in the way. Scaffolding material shortages and price increases are now plaguing the industry which, in turn, is putting real financial pressure on UK contracting businesses. But why is it happening? According to the experts, the problem is not only here in the UK but is global in scale and in simple terms has been caused by the vast global demand for construction products, the major interruption of production during the coronavirus pandemic and from pre-Brexit stockpiling. Furthermore, the severe shortage is not only affecting timber and steel but also includes other construction products like roof tiles, cement, insulation and plastics, all of which could constrain construction activity in the long term. And, unfortunately, it’s set to get worse before it gets better according to some leading organisations and businesses who have expressed their grave concerns on page 6. Another area we focus on in this edition of ScaffMag is scaffold design and health and safety. On page 34, Billy Jones, Managing Director of Millcroft, asks whether it is time for a degree in scaffold engineering, and discusses why a degree is vital for attracting talent and professional respect for the sector. Meanwhile, on page 40, we learn that engineering design consultants IDH continue to expand and have grand plans for the future. Turning to our Health and Safety section on page 44 we hear the tragic story of Christopher Cassaniti, an 18-year-old apprentice who was killed by a collapsed scaffold in Sydney in 2019. His mother, Patrizia, tells us what a tragedy looks like and is now serving as a real inspiration to others as she continues to change the way we look upon safety in the workplace. Happy reading and stay safe!
EDITORIAL Editor Daniel Norton T 01472 476024 M 07776 218831 E dan@scaffmag.com @ScaffMagDan Features writers Grahame Anderson Richard Trenchard Design Demot Rushe Dermotrushe.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS Des Moore Sean Pike Billy Jones
ADVERTISING Manager Jessica Norton T 01472 476024 M 07776 218831 E jess@scaffmag.com
PUBLISHED BY ScaffMag Ltd Office G8 The Enterprise Village Prince Albert Gardens Grimsby DN31 3AT
facebook.com/scaffmag twitter.com/ScaffoldingNews
Daniel Norton – Editor dan@scaffmag.com SCAFFMAG.COM | 5
News
GLOBAL TIMBER SHORTAGE SENDS SCAFFOLD BOARD PRICES SKY-HIGH A global timber shortage is wreaking havoc within the UK scaffolding industry pushing scaffolding board prices upwards, with increases set to continue
6 | S CAFFMAG.COM
❖ Warnings of timber shortages, including scaffolding boards are being issued from leading businesses and organisations from across the UK construction and housebuilding industry. Due to worldwide demand, timber organisations and the CLC are expressing stark concerns about low stocks of European softwood, which is
the raw material used to produce UK scaffolding boards. Faltering availability and rapidly rising material prices are presenting serious challenges for the sector. And this comes at a time of high levels of sustained growth in construction after the turbulent times caused by the pandemic.
TG20:21 USERS DOWNLOAD 10,000 COMPLIANCE SHEETS GLOBAL TIMBER DEMAND
Experts say demand for timber from the three biggest global markets of China, America and Russia has contributed to a situation that may take months to stabilise and years to fully recover. The USA is fuelling the worldwide demand by purchasing record volumes of timber and paying record prices to build timber-framed houses, meanwhile, China is also buying the round log from Europe and other regions for additional supply after being hit hard by factors such as flooding and the imposition of strict forest protection measures. This, plus a huge growth in the DIY market across Europe, is creating the eye of a perfect storm by contributing to the demand for timber, sending prices sky-rocketing. To put it simply, global demand is outstripping production.
❖ The NASC has revealed that more
software allows users of the
than 10,000 TG20:21 compliance
TG20:21 eGuide to produce
sheets have been produced since
compliance sheets for a wide range
the new software went live in April.
of scaffolding structures, without
The UK scaffolding trade body shared the TG20:21 download data
the need for bespoke design. The NASC says the data shows
RISING SCAFFOLDING BOARD PRICES
on its website showing that 10,109
that between 200 and 300
According to sources in the UK, scaffolding contractors are now paying on average between £12–£16 per 13ft board. The average price last year was around 50% cheaper. ScaffMag understands more increases in scaffolding board prices from suppliers are expected in June and July. One UK scaffolding board supplier said,“The market is difficult to predict but indications are at the end of Q3 the prices will plateau out. “But we don’t think we will ever see boards priced at £7–£9 again,” they added.
compliance sheets were generated
compliance sheets have been
by users since its launch on Monday
produced daily since its launch.
12 April. Furthermore, the NASC revealed
Commenting on the data Robin James, NASC Managing Director,
that independent scaffolds were the
said: “We are delighted that users
most popular in the period with
have taken to TG20:21 so quickly and
users creating and downloading
are using the new software to
5,501 sheets (54.4% of the total),
produce hundreds of compliance
followed by free-standing tower
sheets every day.
scaffolds (1,230 or 12.2%) and
It’s great to see there’s such a
external birdcage scaffolds
diverse spread of scaffold types
(1,171 or 11.6%) – a new addition to
being generated and that the new
the TG20 software.
features are being utilised by
The updated and expanded
TG20:21 users.”
SCAFFMAG.COM | 7
// News
TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION A new training centre in Wales has successfully trained its first cohort of scaffolders ❖ The Busnes@LlandrilloMenai’s Centre for Infrastructure, Skills and Technology (CIST) at Llangefni, Anglesey held the scaffolding course recently, delivered by Simian Risk Management and with support for learners from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). The £2.1m facility was supported by the Welsh Government Energy Island funding, and now allows learners in north Wales to take a scaffolding course locally rather than having to travel to the north-west or west Midlands of England. Among those completing the course as the first step to his career as a scaffolder was Kyle O’Connor, from Anglesey Scaffolding Company Ltd. He said: “I really enjoyed the course, and the course tutor has been excellent throughout, with friendly staff at the centre. The facilities for scaffolding training at CIST are fantastic, and it is great see it based on Anglesey which provides opportunities for scaffolders to be trained locally rather than having to travel several hundred miles.”
8 | SCAFFMAG.COM
The completion of the first course comes as a welcome boost for Welsh construction, which is set to bounce back strongly from the Covid-19 pandemic with a 4.1% annual growth in work. To meet this boon, Welsh construction will need an additional 9,250 workers by 2025, on top of the forecast staff growth of 0.7% – an extra 1,850 workers per year. CITB Wales’ Engagement Director, Mark Bodger, said: “The early success of this centre provides a real boost for Welsh construction, and shows how we’re working with our partners to help the industry in Wales meet its recruitment needs to hit its ambitious targets and help lead the way in Britain’s post-Covid economic recovery. We look forward to seeing further successes from Busnes@ LlandrilloMenai’s CIST Centre, Llangefni, complemented by the investment CITB is making into training hubs across Wales to help convince more people that construction is the right sector for them to enjoy a rewarding career in.”
CITB has invested £3.6m in four learning hubs across Wales, working in partnership with Kier, Cardiff Council, Procure Plus and Cyfle Building Skills. Over the next three years of the programme, hubs providing coverage in south-east, south-west and north Wales will deliver over 5,200 on-site experience placements, enabling over 2,000 people to become employment and site-ready before being linked directly to local employers with construction job vacancies. The hubs are targeting at least 875 people to enter into sustained employment. People who do not immediately secure employment through their hub will continue to receive support and signposting and will have gained the skills needed to pursue a career in construction and increase their employability. In Wales, major projects driving growth over the next few years include the £750m South Wales Metro and the £336m investment from Welsh Water this year, part of the organisation’s £2.3bn investment being made by 2025.
Scaffolding firms invited to apply for apprentice funding cash boost ❖ Employers of all sizes can now
our apprenticeship scheme we’re
for Jobs. It builds on the extensive action
apply for extra funding to take on
improving opportunities for young
already under way to protect, support
new apprentices following the
people to stay in and find work – this
and create more jobs while bringing our
Chancellor’s budget boost to the
could not be more important in our
skills and education system closer to
scheme back in the spring.
economy’s recovery.”
the employer market and widening the
The first day of June saw an
Scaffolding is a safety-critical trade
opportunities that are available.
opportunity opening up for firms to
and each individual working in the
claim £3,000 for each apprentice
sector must be aware of their
mind, trainer Simian Risk have said:
hired as a new employee from 1 April
responsibility to themselves, those
“A new level 2 scaffolding
until 30 September.
they are working with, the end-user of
apprenticeship standard developed by
the scaffold and also others who they
an employer group, outlining the
role in the government’s reforms to
may come into contact with whilst
required knowledge, skills and
post-16 education and training, ensuring
carrying other their role, eg other
behaviours has also been approved by
more people can gain the skills they
trades, clients, members of the public.
the government. The new standard has
need to get the jobs they want in a wide
This is why apprenticeships can be
been designed to allow the apprentice to
range of exciting sectors – everything
priceless in nurturing and developing
meet the requirements of the
from digital marketing, engineering and
young skilled workers.
Construction Industry Scaffolders
Apprenticeships are playing a central
clean energy.
The cash incentive is designed to
With the scaffolding industry in
Record Scheme (CISRS). Upon successful
help more employers invest in the
completion of the apprenticeship, the
Apprenticeships and Skills, explained:
skilled workforce they need for the
scaffolder will be eligible to apply for a
“Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for
future, as part of the government’s Plan
CISRS scaffolder card.”
Gillian Keegan, Minister for
employers large and small to grow their businesses and will continue to play a key role in our economic recovery. “This cash boost will help even more employers to invest in their future workforce, creating more high-quality apprenticeship opportunities so businesses have the skilled talent pipeline they need to thrive, not just today but also in the future. “Thousands of businesses across the country have already taken advantage of the original incentive scheme, which was first launched in July last year by the Chancellor. “Employers can choose how to spend the cash, for example, covering uniform or travel costs for the apprentice.” Chancellor Rishi Sunak added: “Young people have been hit especially hard by the crisis – which is why our Plan for Jobs launched last year is focused on helping them get the skills they need to get the jobs they want. “By boosting the cash incentives for
SCAFFMAG.COM | 9
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MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS
// News
UKSSH invests a further £150K in logistics and knowledge centre UKSSH is well advanced in the development of a £150,000 Logistics and Knowledge Centre at its Midlands depot in Tamworth ❖ The company, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, bought the premises – the former Head Office of HAKI UK – in late 2020 and has so far spent in the region of £150,000 to fully refurbish the office block and create a classroom facility in the building. It also has plans to develop a fully enclosed training and demonstration area to provide customers with a fully integrated learning facility. UKSSH has experienced continuous growth over the last 10 years and puts its success down to adapting and responding to customer needs: As its full name – UK System Scaffold Hire – suggests, it started life concentrating exclusively on the hire market, but now says that a significant part of its business includes the sales of HAKI equipment. HIRE AND SALES
Gary Griffiths, MD of UKSSH, explains: “To be successful, a business needs to be flexible. Many of our customers use UKSSH for the first time as a means of discovering the true potential of HAKI Systems without the pressure to invest heavily in the product. As customers become increasingly aware of the advantages of HAKI and realise the number of applications that it is ideally suited to, they often make a strategic decision to purchase their own stock and prefer to do so through us because of their existing relationship with – and trust in – UKSSH. This means that our relationship with customers evolves over time, and we frequently undertake projects where a combination of ‘hire and buy’ provides the optimum solution for them.”
12 | S CAFFMAG.COM
TRADITIONAL VALUES
UKSSH is proud to be a company with its roots firmly in system scaffold – and HAKI System Scaffold in particular. Gary Griffiths started his career with HAKI UK some 34 years ago: “1987 seems a long time ago, but back then HAKI instilled a business ethic that has stood the test of time. Working in all areas of the business meant that when I went out ‹on the road’, I could offer practical experience and advice and understood a customer’s needs. Knowing the theory is all well and good, but you must be able to employ it in real situations. Being on the road also taught me another valuable lesson: treat people as you like to be treated yourself. You can win customers with promises, but to keep customers you have to deliver. Customers must have confidence in their suppliers.” BELOW: UKSSH can organise structured training, but are equally happy for customers to ‘drop in’ for an informal chat to discuss projects.
It’s those lessons that are the driver behind UKSSH’s new Logistics and Knowledge Centre: “We work with top-class scaffold designers and invest time and money in helping our customers develop plans which optimise the strategic and financial benefits of HAKI Systems. Our Tamworth premises provide the perfect location to offer a hands-on training facility to enable a customer’s scaffolding team to get to know the product. We often do trial erections at Tamworth or at our Chesterfield site to ensure that customers know exactly what to expect when scaffold is delivered to site.” UKSSH is evangelical in its commitment to system scaffold. It believes it is important to promote the strategic and cost advantages of HAKI Systems and to explain how adaptable it is – and it intends the new offices and depot to help it to spread the word. “We are relaxed about how customers use the facility – we can organise structured training, but we are equally happy for
them to ‹drop in’ for an informal chat to discuss projects.” Gary claims that his team at UKSSH has more years of HAKI expertise and experience under its belt than any other company in the UK, and he places an emphasis on quality rather than quantity: “We are a relatively small team, but all share the ‘can-do’ attitude that you need to succeed.” INNOVATION IS THE KEY
UKSSH sees its future in delivering high-end solutions to projects where the real benefits of system scaffold deliver the biggest advantages both in terms of logistics and profitability, and it has seen its customer base develop primarily among those scaffold companies who share their vision. The company’s expertise in specialist areas, such as temporary public access bridges and staircases, weather-protection solutions, suspended scaffold and heavy
-duty supports, has resulted in a nationwide client base (including Ireland) and its decision to open the Tamworth depot is a strategic response to logistical demands. “Having a depot in the centre of the country means that we can respond even more efficiently for our clients in London, the Midlands and the south and puts us in pole position to service the growing demand generated by the work on HS2.” DEVELOPING THEIR OWN PRODUCTS
However, while UKSSH extol the virtues of HAKI Systems, they are not blind to ways that they can be improved – and are not averse to taking on the challenge themselves. Customer requests for a simple and effective security gate for the ubiquitous HAKI Stair Tower has been met by a product developed and designed in house by the UKSSH team. The Security Gate has proved its worth not just where HAKI Stair Towers are positioned next to
public thoroughfares, but on publicaccess staircases, too. “The benefits of HAKI products speak for themselves, but if we can enhance those benefits even more, we’re not afraid to do so.” Realising HAKI Systems massive time and cost advantages for building loading towers (HAKI offers an incredible 80% time saving compared to using tube and fittings), UKSSH also recognised that the existing loading tower gates were prone to damage, so they used the facilities at the fledgling Knowledge Centre to develop their own gate – the results can be seen by watching the video featured on UKSSH’s new website. It seems that UKSSH’s investment in their new Knowledge Centre isn’t measured in the money spent on the refurbishment, but in their commitment to customer service – that early advice to Gary is still heard loud and clear: “You can win customers with promises, but to keep customers you have to deliver.”
SCAFFMAG.COM | 13
UKSSH: The UK’s leading Haki Systems Specialists
Hire or buy with total confidence
PUBLIC ACCESS BRIDGES PUBLIC ACCESS STAIRCASES WEATHER PROTECTION TEMPORARY BUILDINGS TEMPORARY ROOFS HAKI SYSTEM SUSPENDED SITE STAIRCASES TRIPODS UKSSH are there to support you every step of the way. With over 150 years of collective knowhow and experience, substantial stocks and a commitment to excellence, you can trust UKSSH to get it right every time. To find out more visit www.UKSSH.co.uk
HIRE & SALES THE HAKI SYSTEMS SPECIALISTS
hire partner
Telephone: 0800 304 7670 or E-mail: enquiries@ukssh.co.uk Midlands: Magnus, Tame Valley Industrial Est, Wilnecote, Tamworth B77 5BY North: Meadow House Way, Buttermilk Lane, Chesterfield S44 6AE
// News
HAKI LAUNCHES REFRESHED BRAND IDENTITY ❖ HAKI, one of the world’s leading suppliers of system scaffolding, has unveiled their brand refresh, reflective of their revised brand strategy focused on innovation, continuous improvement and an expanded digital offering. HAKI continues to lead in safe-access solutions by adapting and evolving: “We invest in product development to meet customers’ increasingly advanced requirements for innovative solutions, security and cost-efficiency. For a couple of years now, the focus has shifted from technology and production to customer relationships and tailor-made solutions, where the company’s digital tools play a crucial role,” says Thomas Schüller, CEO of HAKI. As part of the company’s expansion journey and goal of offering the best system for safe work at temporary workplaces, HAKI has made several strategic acquisitions. Span Access Solutions was acquired in December 2019 and Vertemax in March 2021. HAKI has thus acquired specialist knowledge and
complemented the company’s portfolio with products that meet future requirements for work safety in complex environments. “We have an acquisition strategy with a focus on broadening our offering as well as alternatives to existing solutions. It is a constant process that gives us the opportunity to continuously take on even larger customers and projects. At the same time, we have a strong focus on integrating the new acquisitions so that we become one HAKI,” continues Schüller. Teamed with these acquisitions, the rebrand is the next step in the execution of the strategy to become customer-focused market leaders, the company said. “By clarifying our position, setting focus areas and boosting energy internally, we are providing tools for our co-workers that will help us become even better partners to our customers. But this is just the first step; there will be more coming from HAKI in the coming months,” concludes Sara Bertram, Marketing Director of HAKI.
Subsidised CPD training offered ❖ CISRS will once again be funding a
is always keen to find ways of assisting
been in place since the inception of CPD in
number of subsidised CPD courses across
the sector and feels this is a good use of
2017. CISRS has said it will waive the usual
the UK this summer/autumn.
resources, especially at this difficult time,”
costs of the delegate training folders and
CISRS said. The commissioning of these
card application fees normally incurred in
number of training centres enabling the
30+ courses attended by over 400
the delivery of these courses.
delivery of CPD programmes for only £50
delegates around the UK, has seen CISRS
per delegate.
reinvest in excess of £130K to date in
training centres offering the subsidised
2021. Similar funded programmes have
CPD courses.
The training body is working with a
“As a not-for-profit organisation, CISRS
Visit scaffmag.com for the full list of
SCAFFMAG.COM | 15
// News: Training
Diversification is key SIMIAN, the UK’s largest privately owned scaffolding training provider firmly believe that if you want to be the best, diversification is what you need ❖ There is one word many firms and organisations are aware of as we go deeper into the 21st century. It’s ‘diversification’: crucial to success in a fast-moving modern world. When it comes to training in scaffolding, SIMIAN, the UK’s largest privately owned scaffolding training provider, have shown just how dynamic they can be by teaming up with the BIM Academy to offer a service to the masses. By spreading their wings away from a single area of expertise, they’ve succeeded in creating a centre of excellence at Waltham Forest in north-east London. So why the ambitious change? Because the future of construction and the built environment is digital and to meet the demands for efficiency in the sector, all elements of the industry must embrace technology and innovation. In short, we are linked to everyone in some way. It makes perfect business sense, therefore, to spread training courses wherever they can help. MD Simon Hughes explained: “At the end of 2020 SIMIAN were successful in securing the contract to operate the former CITB National Construction College in Leytonstone, east London, and have repurposed the centre as the London Academy of Sustainable Construction (LASC). Managing the whole centre brings new challenges for SIMIAN in expanding our curriculum into other construction disciplines. “Our ethos as a business is to be industry-responsive and to meet the skills needs of employers. The new programmes are carefully chosen through market intelligence and listening to employers
16 | SCAFFMAG.COM
and trade bodies, specifically targeted to where there are skills shortages and a lack of provision, locally in our Waltham Forest community, and the wider Greater London Authority and southeast regions. “The areas we have identified for new programmes include: specialist tier two contractors allied to scaffolding such as roofers, steelfixers and formworkers; digital construction skills; modern methods of construction; and green energy skills. “Scaffolding remains a major part of the portfolio and we are expanding and enhancing our access provision. This includes the integration of digital skills and modern methods into our existing programmes, to reflect the needs of the modern construction industry and to respond to the skills requirements of scaffolding contractors, as a key part of the construction and civil engineering supply chain. “The Construction Playbook1 sets out the UK Government’s vision for
reforming construction. It will meet local government objectives for efficient housing, so the entire supply chain will need to adapt and embrace digitisation. Simian are pleased to be supporting employers by providing digital awareness and skills training to upskill the existing workforce and integrating digital skills into their curriculum for the next generation of construction professionals.” In fact, the playbook sets out 14 key policies for how the government should assess, procure and deliver public works projects and programmes which all central government departments and their arm’s-length bodies are expected to follow on a ‘comply or explain’ basis. It’s all part of the dynamic future laid out for specialist training, and it’s very much the way forward as we begin to settle into a new normal. With the Simian approach to training in mind, Dave Randles added: “We have invested in a new digital construction facility with support of the Greater London Authority at the centre and are
WE HAVE INVESTED IN A NEW DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION FACILITY WITH SUPPORT OF THE GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY AT THE CENTRE AND ARE PLEASED TO BE LAUNCHING OUR FIRST DIGITAL PROGRAMMES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BIM ACADEMY pleased to be launching our first digital programmes in partnership with the BIM Academy. Our BIM Fundamentals course is aimed at providing awareness of digital planning, design and management for construction professionals throughout the supply chain from principal contractors and designers, to the army of specialist sub-contract trades.” In terms of the BIM Academy, founded in 2010 by Northumbria University and Ryder Architecture, it’s regarded as a leading global provider of digital solutions and consulting for strategic information management, operating in 19 countries on four continents. Simian’s first BIM course, ‘BIM Fundamentals’ will take place on 16 June and is bookable via its website. SIMIAN says the course is aimed at construction and infrastructure professionals, designers, manufacturers, contractors, facilities management, engineers and essentially anyone who wishes to increase their understanding of BIM. Simon told us: “Scaffolding remains a major part of the portfolio and we are expanding and enhancing our access provision all the time.” Building information modelling, commonly known as ‘BIM’, is the use of intelligent 3D-modelling software to help architecture, engineering and construction professionals with project planning, design, construction
management and ongoing building operations. It offers fantastic benefits to those involved in all aspects of construction, throughout the whole life cycle of a construction project, from inception right through to completion and beyond. Established in 2005 by a team of scaffolding industry experts with unsurpassed knowledge, expertise and experience, SIMIAN has rapidly grown to become one of the UK’s leading training and consultancy organisations. And remember, SIMIAN enjoy long-term relationships with all clients by providing dependable, pragmatic advice and support. There’s a priceless buzzword now on the block – diversification. To find out more, visit simian-risk.com
SCAFFMAG.COM | 17
SAFETY IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY ON TEMPORARY ACCESS PROJECTS With safety ever-critical in the scaffold and temporary access sectors, on complex projects it is essential to create quality working environments that assure workers’ and, in some cases, the general public’s security.
HAKI innovates its products in such a way that they fulfil all manner of complex requirements across construction, infrastructure, oil and gas projects.
HAK I. SCALING NEW HEIGH TS IN SAFETY.
CALL US ON 01827 282525 VISIT HAKI.COM
// Business
ALLTASK BOLSTERS CAPABILITIES WITH ACQUISITION Scaffolding specialist Alltask Ltd is set to strengthen and extend its capabilities after completing the acquisition of Luton-based EA Scaffolding & Systems Ltd.
P
rivately owned Kentbased Alltask Ltd has exclusively revealed to ScaffMag that it has completed the acquisition and takeover of EA Scaffolding & Systems Ltd. With the acquisition, the company will now have two offices, its existing one in Rochester, Kent and the other office and depot in Luton, allowing Alltask to now serve the entire south of England. The strategic move allows Alltask to not only extend its geographical capabilities but also add many exciting new projects and clients to its growing portfolio. Alltask, which employs over 300 people,
was formed in 1991 by Daniel Fincham and Doug Shearer, who remain owners of the business. The firm specialises in a range of cost-driven integrated solutions covering scaffolding, asbestos management and thermal insulation. Established in 1992, EA Scaffolding & Systems Limited offers a complete range of access, protection, support and technical services to the construction, building maintenance, exhibition and events industries. Scott West, Alltask Managing Director, commented, “We are delighted and proud to welcome the new company and to finalise and publicly announce the acquisition of EA Scaffolding & Systems.
Both EAS and Alltask are recognised and respected industry names that are synonymous with safety and quality. “This acquisition allows us to extend our geographical capabilities further while maintaining our fundamental core values. EAS has many exciting projects which, when added to Alltask’s portfolio of work, will make us a formidable force within the scaffold and access sector. “We welcome every member of the EAS team into the Alltask family, knowing they will embrace our culture and ethos with the sole aim of being one of the safest, most efficient, reliable and innovative companies operating in the UK today.”
GEORGE ROBERTS POSTS RECORD TURNOVER AND STRONG GROWTH Latest results for George Roberts Ltd,
company reported record turnover of
one of the UK’s largest independent
£40.5m compared to £39.8m in 2019,
suppliers of scaffolding and access
despite delays in Q2 caused by the
the company unveiled its
equipment, shows a rise in both sales
Covid-19 pandemic. Pre-tax profits were
global rebrand; the fresh new look was
and profits after an ‘exceptional’ year.
also up from £2.6m to £2.85m.
to signify George Roberts’ progressive
The Liverpool-based scaffolding hire
George Roberts directors wrote in a
stock availability.” In November 2020
direction and its expansion plans.
and sales company is now eyeing further
strategic report that accompanied the
development as it looks to continue to
figures, that the 2020 results had been,
export division increase its turnover by
build on the strength of its well-known
"exceptional, and the brand remains
10% compared to 2019. George Roberts
industry brand.
strong and is influential in the
supplies many regions now across the
continuous growth of the business. Its
globe including Africa, the US, Europe,
core strengths are service, quality and
the Middle East and Australasia.
Financial results just posted for the year to 31 October 2020 shows the
The company has also seen its
SCAFFMAG.COM | 19
// Business Spotlight
MEDIA FOCUS ON SCAFFOLDING IS A FAMILY AFFAIR From small and compact to intricate and large, there’s a certain family company in the UK able to focus on their amazing scaffolding and rigging experience together, so millions can watch some of our biggest events on stage and television. Grahame Anderson has been zooming in to find out more
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ention scaffolding to anyone and it’s more than likely they’ll think of those structures placed around buildings during a construction project. There is, in fact, much more to the craft than meets the eye for the layman especially. Just picture some big sporting events, special outside broadcasts, concerts or outside meetings, and the chances are you’ll spot some kind of support rigging. And of course, all put together by highly skilled scaffolders with safety at the forefront. As a family business, Focus Rigging have been doing just that for more than 13 years slowly diversifying along the way. Managing Director Gary McMahon told me: “At Focus our team are highly experienced within the media and events industry with a combined knowledge of more than 200 years which allows us to have a refreshing and unique perspective on management, production and provisioning of temporary structure solutions to a highly demanding industry where safety, stringent time constraint and budget awareness are a priority. “We will deliver any project on time and within budget, utilising our strategically placed depots in London, Manchester and Bristol enabling us to successfully service the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe with ease.”
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Focus Rigging is an impressive business with some major clients added to an already first-class CV. These include both ITV and the BBC, Sky Sports, The Jockey Club, BT, Amazon, Matchroom, Arsenal and Chelsea football clubs, Wimbledon, The Royal Albert Hall and both The Premier League and Football Association. All of this achieved through seven family members. Owned by Gary and Andrew McMahon, they began life primarily as a TV scaffolding company – and yes, the industry plays a huge role in bringing all manner of outside broadcasts to the masses. Something we perhaps take for granted, as Gary explained: “It’s an important market and something we’re immensely proud to be involved in. In fact, we now cover staging, trussing, bespoke carpentry and various fabrications. The projects we’ve been involved with have taken us all over Europe, working in France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Sweden, Slovakia, Malta, The Czech Republic and Spain. We’ve a head office in Hemel Hempstead and two smaller teams working from yards in Bristol and Manchester. “The wonderful thing is there’s never a dull moment with plenty of variety to keep everyone fully animated. It really is a labour of love for us all. We love every moment of this job.” Focus provides a personal service to all clients, from the initial phone call to the handover of the project. It helps, of course, to always deal with the
Focus Rigging work with some impressive major clients that includes ITV and the BBC, Sky Sports, The Jockey Club, BT, Amazon, Matchroom, Arsenal and Chelsea football clubs, Wimbledon, The Royal Albert Hall and both The Premier League and Football Association.
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// Business Spotlight
same person who oversees every element of the job. It all means customers can rest assured they always have someone close at hand to rely on. Each job is different so it’s difficult to choose a stand-out event in the sense they are all of the highest quality. OR put it another way, Six Nations rugby matches to the FA Cup Final, long-running TV dramas carrying amazing backdrops to major concerts, The Derby, international Test cricket and much more. We think you’ll get the picture. Just take a look at some of these social media comments to get a real flavour of the very essence of Focus Rigging: “Top class job by the team at ‘The Oval’ today... Some amazing views of London as well as the cricket for @skysportscricket & @ctvob to capture.” “After 8 days of blood sweat & tears we have now left Windsor. Immensely honoured to be part of another huge
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Royal event albeit a very sad & emotional occasion for the nation. So very, very proud of the team who went above & beyond in challenging circumstances #teamfocus.” “6m x 6m ‘Presentation Platform’ with bespoke glass balustrade installed today at @aintreeracecourse for the @thejockeyclub. Looking forward to seeing all the presentations take place on this structure next week.” “Day 2 completed at Twickenham Stadium Studio Platform and Beauty Shot rig now all in place and handed over to the @itvsport & @telegenicob teams to work their magic @sixnationsrugby @englandrugby.” So the next time you see those pundits doing their stuff in what looks like a well-designed studio, put a little focus on what it took to set everything up for your enjoyment. Chances are Focus Rigging will have played a part.
COMBI / COMBI METRIC • Proven functionality of the modular perforated disc • Tension-optimized load capacity with simultaneous weight reduction • Up to 8 connection options per node • Also ideal for shoring and events • General building authority approval, also for joint manufacturer-independent use
WWW.MJ-SCAFFOLDING.COM INFO @ MJ-SCAFFOLDING.COM
MJ-Gerüst GmbH based in Plettenberg in the German region of Sauerland, is part of a strong group of companies, which can look back on more than 50 years of company history. The core competence of the family company lies in the production and worldwide distribution of high-quality steel and aluminum scaffolding systems, which offer almost limitless possibilities in the field of modern system scaffolding construction.
UNI-CONNECT
UNI
UNI TOP
FACADE SCAFFOLD
FACADE SCAFFOLD
FACADE SCAFFOLD
COMBI
OPTIMA
ACCESSORIES
MODULAR SCAFFOLD
GUARD RAIL SYSTEM
UNIVERSAL
SCAFFOLDINGS MADE IN PLETTENBERG
// Case Study
MJ OPTIMA PASSES BERLIN TEST WITH FLYING COLOURS Although the 1960s don’t always feel that far behind us, the way we build and the way we future-proof has come a very long way indeed. Staunchly modernist they may be, nevertheless when it’s time to restore, alter, renovate or redevelop structures from the mid-20th century, many people in the construction and scaffolding sectors approach the project with some trepidation 26 | S CAFFMAG.COM
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t’s not that Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung der Stadt Berlin – or the Senate Department for Urban Development of the City of Berlin – was a bad building, but by the time scaffolding contractor Mike Neumann was called into action, the address – and specifically its external materials – was in desperate need of attention. The facade itself, though, had major stability problems. Standard equipment would not be enough. Neumann Scaffolding would turn to MJ Optima for a solution, the most innovative and advanced scaffolding system developed by MJ-Gerüst in the company’s near 70-year history. Tobias Barnewitz, director of sales at the family-owned Plettenberg scaffold manufacturer, is quick to point out exactly why this system was so well suited to the Senate Department project. He says: “The advantage of MJ Optima is the great support of the security issue for scaffolders. This is highly important since scaffolders put emphasis on security more and more. “Moreover, switching to the new system carries relatively low investment costs since already available scaffold units can still be used, which brings high flexibility to scaffolders,” he continues of the system itself, before moving on to specifics of the Berlin site. “Besides the enormous height, the outer facade of the Senate Department for Urban Development of the City of Berlin provides even more challenges for scaffolders. Many unresilient building components made scaffolding a highly demanding task. Also, there was the requirement for a dust-protective scaffold cladding with covers (tarpaulins). “Special attention was paid to the technical securing of the scaffolding with leading guardrails, and only systems approved by the building control authority were permitted. Overall, the requirements for almost 27,000 square feet of facade area were high,” says Mr Barnewitz. “With this highly demanding large-scale project, scaffolders and engineers clearly demonstrated that the new MJ Optima metric system can be used to work safely and economically on unusual construction sites and comply with current building inspectorate specifications.” With so many challenges presented by the Senate project, it’s hardly surprising MJ-Gerüst considers this to be a real acid test for its MJ Optima system. By all accounts it more than delivered on the promises of the company backing the technology, with Mr Neumann also keen to sing the system’s praises.
Mike Neumann’s scaffolding business turned to MJ Optima who created the most innovative and advanced scaffolding system developed by MJ-Gerüst in the company’s near 70-year history.
TO PREVENT THE DANGER OF FALLING DURING THE SCAFFOLD ASSEMBLY, MJ-GERÜST HAS DEVELOPED THE OPTIMA GUARDRAIL SYSTEM IN COOPERATION WITH LEADING SCAFFOLDERS
“It clearly showed that we have invested in a system specially designed for facade scaffolding applications. The challenging static of the pipe connector at the centre of the floor has obviously been solved exceptionally well. We are very satisfied with our investment,” he says. Of course, a project like this has plenty of moving parts and it’s essential to note each of them when conducting any analysis of a project. In order to meet deadlines, the 41-strong team at Neumann Scaffolding in Berlin-Marzahn would bring in structural engineers from outside, among other specialists. In this case help came in from Bauingenieur-Gemeinschaft and Bügler-JaeckHeyse, under the supervision of scaffolding structural engineer Dipl.-Ing. Martin Heyse. Combined, these names represent some of Germany’s most experienced and skilled civil construction and development specialists. Among other things, their involvement shows just how difficult the Senate Department job really was. But it also speaks volumes about what happens when expertise and exceptional technologies come together for a major undertaking. With a fit-forpurpose system in place, site professionals understand the equipment being used is every bit the match for their knowledge and execution. A major impact of this is that both real and perceived safety increases, in turn affecting staff morale, performance and productivity. But that’s really just stating the obvious. For MJ Optima, which goes well beyond fit-for-purpose, the hidden advantages are what set the system apart. By that we mean optimum efficiency and unprecedented flexibility, in turn driving maximum performance and unparalleled results. “To prevent the danger of falling during the scaffold assembly, MJ-Gerüst has developed the Optima guardrail system in cooperation with leading scaffolders. The system only includes some new units which, in combination with proven scaffold components from the UNI, UNI TOP or UNICONNECT systems, provide system-related fall protection and side protection, at the top scaffold level,” Mr Barnewitz replies when asked exactly what makes the MJ Optima so unique. “Due to the system-related design, the top-side guard is mounted as fall protection from the lower secured position and remains in the scaffold without further additional components. The disassembly also takes place from that secured area.”
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// Opinion
Dare to be different: we are all different, so let’s embrace it! There’s no doubt about it: increasing diversity in the construction industry in general and the scaffolding trade in particular, makes a positive difference, explains Des Moore, TRAD Group CEO and NASC President (2017–19)
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n fact, it significantly improves commercial performance, increases innovation and collaboration and boosts both productivity and brand reputation. And in today’s world, where there is a long pipeline of works, a shortage of skilled staff and an expectation that suppliers take their responsibility seriously, it’s more important than ever that we make our industry an attractive option for everyone – whether on-site or office-based. Our industry should be open to everyone who wants to work in it. And to me, it makes no difference who those people are. In fact, I’ve been actively involved in encouraging women, LGBTQIA+, ex-military and ex-prisoners and those who feel marginalised by society, to think about the scaffolding industry as an option for them. ALL WALKS OF LIFE WELCOME
Not long before the pandemic struck, TRAD hosted a seminar called ‘All walks of life welcome’. It was incredibly well attended, showing that companies are taking their diversity responsibilities seriously and not just paying lip service. TRAD is committed to giving everyone a chance within a tolerant and supportive workplace – and we think this should be the norm, not unusual. And there’s still much to do. Our strength lies in our differences, not our similarities. And our different experiences of life mean we can bring a lot of learning to those we work with – as colleagues and to our clients for the benefit of all. But in order to maintain – and preferably to speed up – progress, there are two clear things that all companies in the industry need to commit to: Make the industry more attractive to applicants – We need to make more of the role models we already have for diversity in the industry. The more common it is to see someone who looks like you in construction, the more likely you are to consider it as an option. Let’s work together to promote construction and scaffolding as an industry for anyone. An industry that supports its own to succeed and an industry that’s a safe space for all. Look at our ways of working – We are a traditional industry
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with a traditional approach. But over the past 12 months or more, we’ve seen that construction can still work with people working remotely, working different hours and managing different processes. We should be retaining that flexibility for all our people, helping them to make good choices about work-life balance. Supporting people’s home circumstances means greater productivity at work. It’s our responsibility as business owners and managers to make sure that our workplaces are welcoming, flexible and accommodating. TACKLING GENDER INEQUALITY
For example, we shouldn’t assume that, because we are seen as a traditionally male-dominated industry, women aren’t welcome. Or aren’t talented. Or can’t deliver value. In my experience, it’s the exact opposite. At TRAD, where I have been for over 30 years now, it has always been one of my objectives to balance the business and ensure that anyone who wants to work with us can: currently, 40% of our board is made up of women; 60% of our group support office and 25% of our scaffolding business staff are women, and we have female depot heads and sales representatives in our other TRAD companies. Encouraging more women into construction is something I actively promoted during my period as President of the NASC – and I am delighted that I was succeeded as president by Lynn Way. I wanted to see more women come into the industry in the first place, and I wanted them to see that there is a career path for them. Together with TRAD, the NASC sponsored the ‘Inspire me’ campaign, which hosted a number of roadshows around the country to highlight the barriers that women might face when they come into the industry, and how we can all work together to change things.
ENCOURAGING MORE WOMEN INTO CONSTRUCTION IS SOMETHING I ACTIVELY PROMOTED DURING MY PERIOD AS PRESIDENT OF THE NASC – AND I AM DELIGHTED THAT I WAS SUCCEEDED AS PRESIDENT BY LYNN WAY
WHAT CAN WE DO?
All leaders must buy in – Equality and diversity doesn’t happen by itself. It takes an understanding from the leadership team that promoting a diverse workforce will bring quantifiable business benefits. That understanding must be translated into real and genuine public commitment by the board or senior leadership team to improve the diversity of the workforce. We must challenge assumptions – Unconscious bias exists, and it can have a negative effect on your business across all functions, from recruitment to promotions. You can run training and workshops that help your people to see where that unconscious bias exists and learn how to think more openly, looking for talent, skill and attitude from all candidates and employees.
Measure progress – Measuring your progress helps to prove success. Whether you do this by publishing your own gender pay gap statistics and committing to reducing any gaps you have; or you have a target for diversity on your leadership teams or your board, it helps to be able to show how far you have come. I’m proud of the work we have done at TRAD to bring in talented, skilled, dedicated and creative and diverse people to our teams. It has undoubtedly changed our business for the better and given our apprentices and management trainees great role models to look up to. We must keep challenging the traditional outlook, championing construction as a career option for anyone and everyone if we are to succeed as a sector in the future.
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// Opinion
Layher continues to deliver beyond Brexit It may be the case that Brexit has dropped out of the main headlines for much of the last year, but it is still very much at the forefront across industry. The construction sector is no different in this regard, with more companies adapting and shaping operations to meet the new challenges
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ome six months on from the UK’s departure from the EU, one particular organisation in the scaffolding sector – which has its feet firmly planted on both sides of the Channel – is ideally placed to reflect on how the changes have been accommodated and, moreover, have opened up new opportunities. Layher Ltd., the world’s largest manufacturer of system scaffolding, access and temporary protection systems, can take a genuinely balanced view, as UK Managing Director Sean Pike explains: “Our manufacturing plant near Stuttgart in Germany supplies our operations worldwide and the UK has long been a growing market for our equipment and expertise,” he says. “Importantly, this has always had the provision of local services at its core and, through careful planning and clear-cut customer commitment, we have been able to maintain this by making a smooth transition to life outside the EU.” The organisation has long believed that customers’ decisions to utilise its modular systems are not based solely on proven designs, safety and performance, but also on the ability to access the full range of support services at a local level. Layher’s head office in this country in Letchworth is supplemented by a network of regional depots – at Eggborough near Doncaster, West Bromwich in the West Midlands and Livingston in Scotland. “To continue to pursue this philosophy, we took the decision in late 2019 to ensure each of our depots in the UK was fully stocked in readiness for the January 1st 2021 Brexit date, thereby accounting for
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any potential delays during the Brexit process,” continues Sean Pike. Pike also emphasises the role played by Layher’s support capability. Clearly an element of the company’s service that does not depend on physical material availability or delivery, it did not only operate normally during the Brexit period but, now beyond, is continuing to thrive. Indeed, gaining a full understanding of the procedures involved – and being able to help customers do likewise – has also been vital in helping to create new business opportunities. “We have long held the view that, irrespective of a project’s type or size – from a single house construction to the provision of access for globally recognised structures – the relationship we build with each customer is the same,” adds Pike. “Our service can range from initial support on site to the creation of structural design and build programmes, and we are always looking to build operational partnerships that reflect the specific needs of each individual contractor.” In this context, he highlights the growing use of Layher’s Scaffold Information Modelling (SIM) software whereby project requirements can be assessed and build processes visualised ahead of installation. Importantly, UK customers can continue to rely on ongoing production investment, such as Layher’s recently commissioned third manufacturing plant, continuing to underpin the company’s delivery capability. Pike also points out that Layher remains fully committed to product development, much of which is derived directly from customer feedback. “The fact that we have also been able to maintain this element of our service irrespective of potential Brexit considerations, has been extremely important to our customers,” he says. The continuing confidence and commitment that can now be demonstrated by Layher’s operations in the UK remain fully endorsed at Layher’s head office by Principal Shareholder, Georg Layher. “The UK is a key market for us and the growth that we have been able to achieve, particularly in the last decade, reflects on both the suitability and design innovation of our products as well as the accelerating move away from traditional tube-and-coupler scaffolding,” he says. “The efficiency, versatility and safety benefits associated with our systems and our ongoing belief in using customer feedback to drive innovation will continue to be as relevant and as important in the future – irrespective of the relationship between the UK and Europe. Our belief in continuing success and growth in the
UK at a local level remains as strong as ever.” It is a view that is echoed here by Sean Pike. “Post-Brexit, and as we slowly emerge from the pandemic, our customer base is becoming increasingly active – in many cases, more so than before the events of 2020. The fact that we are able to respond to, and match, this growth pays testimony not only to our Brexit planning and ongoing equipment delivery capability – which has seen us supplying almost 5,500 tonnes of material in just the first six months of this year – it also reflects on our belief in working closely with customers to develop strategies that meet their individual needs. “This is the optimum way to ensure their order requirements are best met – despite fluctuations such as the widely acknowledged materials supply shortage – allowing them to grow and develop their own businesses long into the future,” Sean Pike concludes.
THE UK IS A KEY MARKET FOR US AND THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST DECADE, REFLECTS ON BOTH THE SUITABILITY AND DESIGN INNOVATION OF OUR PRODUCTS
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WE LEAD,
OTHERS FOLLOW FOR 50 YEARS, WE HAVE LED THE WAY WITH SERVICE AND OUR INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS
The same industry-leading products are now available from TRAD UK – making it even easier and quicker to access our scaffolding, safety and access equipment from our nationwide network of super depots.
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TRAD INTERNAL STAIR
TRAD DECK SCAFFOLD TUBE
PLETTAC METRIX
TRAD EDGEGUARD
TRAD MINI CATCH FAN
TRAD LIFT SHAFT GATE ALTRIX ROOF SYSTEM
TRADGUARD
TRAD LOADING HATCH
Discover more about the extensive range of scaffolding, access and safety supplies we have available for both hire and sale traduk.co.uk | 0845 899 0845 TRAD UK is a business name of TRAD Hire & Sales Limited; Registered Office: Albion Road, Dartford, Kent, DA1 5PZ. Registered in England No. 3491083
// Design
IS IT TIME FOR A DEGREE IN SCAFFOLDING ENGINEERING? Billy Jones, Managing Director of Millcroft, discusses why a degree in scaffolding engineering is vital for attracting talent and professional respect for the sector
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// Design
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or thousands of construction sites up and down the country, scaffolding requirements are relatively routine, enabling companies to erect a standard solution they’ve used countless of times before. But at the more complex end of the market, where Millcroft operates, the safety, access, logistical and operational elements of the project can involve much more complicated structural and engineering challenges, requiring creativity and expertise. At Millcroft, we are very fortunate to have a technical director, Peter Holmes, who started within the scaffolding industry as a youngster and has trained and studied while working in a scaffolding environment. Peter has lived and breathed scaffolding engineering for more than 40 years; from being a junior draughtsman on day release through to gaining an HND in structural engineering. Thanks to his wealth of experience and engineering knowledge, he is the talented, safe pair of hands behind complex Millcroft projects as diverse as the prestigious heritage and restoration works at The Royal Navy College’s Painted Hall at Greenwich, and our recent multi-site infrastructure project for Crossrail. But the scaffolding sector does not have the luxury of decades to train and nurture a new generation of specialist engineers. To design the increasingly innovative structures across sectors including construction, demolition, rail, heritage and industry, we need these skills now. And yet, there is still no dedicated, tailored degree-level qualification designed to bring the next generation of scaffolding engineers into the sector. Isn’t it about time there was? ATTRACTING TALENT
Peter’s route to becoming a skilled scaffolding engineer is not unusual. Many of his peers began as draughtsmen or scaffolders on site and combined the knowledge they gained in their early
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WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN ENGINEERING LOOK AROUND FOR A UNIVERSITY COURSE, THEY FIND THEIR CHOICE IS TO OPT FOR CIVIL OR STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, SO THERE IS NO OBVIOUS CONDUIT TO STEER ENGINEERING TALENT INTO SCAFFOLDING
careers with further study in engineering to gain the experience and technical expertise needed to design complex solutions. But the demands on scaffolding companies for flexible, cost-effective solutions, and the technologies available to aid the design process, have changed significantly over the past few years. Scaffolding is a dynamic, creative environment that has the potential to attract high-calibre talent at graduate level and provide a rewarding career for design engineers. When young people interested in engineering look around for a university course, however, they find their choice is to opt for civil or structural engineering, so there is no obvious conduit to steer engineering talent into scaffolding. Moreover, even for those young engineers who do pursue a career in scaffolding via the structural/civil engineering route, the lack of a tailored university course means that they still have a lot of scaffolding-specific knowledge to acquire. After years of study to gain their core skills, this is off-putting for some. For the talented individuals that might come through by working their way up from a junior role in a scaffolding business, the lack of a scaffolding degree is
similarly frustrating. These potential design engineers, who hold so much scaffolding knowledge, only have the option to take a civil or structural engineering degree which is tailored to careers in other disciplines. PROFESSIONAL RESPECT
Amongst the challenges we face now as a sector is the need for clients to understand the complexity of what we do. We also need them to give us the freedom to respond creatively to their briefs and offer us the opportunity to advise them as a professional discipline. These are all integral elements to the dynamic between a client or main contractor and a civil or structural engineering specialist. For scaffolding companies, however, even those with a track record of complex projects like Millcroft, the professional respect afforded other types of engineering services is much harder won. It is much harder to evidence the years of study and the expertise within the engineering design department because there is no scaffolding engineering degree available to back up the specialism. This is not because the level of skill and professionalism offered by scaffolding companies is any less than that provided by civil and structural engineering
Millcroft scaffolding at Athlone House, North London and The Painted Hall, Greenwich below, are two good examples of specialised scaffolding projects designed by industry engineers.
practices; far from it. Scaffolding engineers design projects just as complicated and safety-critical. What it means is that scaffolding companies can often be seen less as a professional service and more as a supplier. Fundamentally, the need for a scaffolding engineering degree is not just about changing the way we train our future design teams; it’s about changing perceptions of our industry; both for the clients we serve and for the talent we want to attract. EDUCATION WITH VISION
With our own CITB-accredited training centre on site, we’re passionate about training at Millcroft. From the leadership team through to the young people who have recently joined us as part of the Kickstart scheme, we’re committed to making training and professional development part of everyone’s career journey. However, we do not have the resources or authority to create a degree in scaffolding engineering ourselves; that needs to come from an education provider with the vision to create a vocationally focused, creative and credible course. What the scaffolding sector can do is lobby for that to happen and give the idea our full support.
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minutes
// Design
A design for The end of June saw engineering design consultants IDH open an office in Chorley close to north Manchester as part of an impressive expansion of their services. Grahame Anderson takes a look at one of the industry’s most innovative scaffolding design firms as they begin a new vibrant adventure
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// Design
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DH offer innovative and professional temporary works design packages, from a background in civil and structural engineering. Their superb skill set means they can assess, define, analyse and design the most complex and demanding temporary structures. And with years of experience behind them, their high reputation continues to expand along with the business. Temporary works can be described as providing an “engineered solution” used to support or protect either an existing structure or the permanent works during construction, or to support an item of plant or equipment, or the vertical sides or side-slopes of an excavation during construction operations on site or to provide access. In short, their hugely talented team of scaffold design engineers can find the best solution involving tube and fittings and all major system scaffolds. They can offer guaranteed turn-around times and have accelerated options always available. They understand the importance of precisionengineered structural steels and produce detailed fabrication and erection design drawings to Eurocodes. In fact, IDH produce easy-to-read drawings as part of their package. It’s an exciting area of expertise, but they also have a healthy flow of permanent work as well – it seems, as a company, they are doing all the right things to keep moving forward in challenging times across the industry. And their future is extremely bright. Ian Fernandes Johnson is the dynamic CEO at IDH. He told us: “We are celebrating our 10th birthday as a company this year. So, while our new office opens this summer, we’ll be including it in an overall celebration later in the year involving our staff around the world. We carry a general workforce of around 36, but this is changing on a weekly basis to meet demand. It’s a good feeling to know that as a firm we are creating jobs along the line and plotting a course to long-term success from a strong base. We are greatly optimistic about the future. “Word of mouth of course is so vital in business and with the help of this and a first-class PR and marketing campaign, we are hopeful of establishing ourselves firmly in the north. We began life in Kent opening an office in Maidstone, but we’ve successfully branched out into Bristol and now looking much further afield with diversity at our very core. “This is all part of a much bigger picture, and though we also have an office in Poland, our
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WE HAVE AN OFFICE IN POLAND BUT OUR AMBITIONS DO STRETCH FURTHER OVERSEAS. IT’S TAKEN A LOT OF INVESTMENT SO FAR, NOT JUST IN MONEY BUT ALSO IN ENERGY, DRIVE AND DETERMINATION TO IMPROVE AS A COMPANY AND BECOME ONE OF THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS ambitions do stretch further overseas. It’s taken a lot of investment so far, not just in money but also in energy, drive and determination to improve as a company and become one of the best in the business.” There’s little doubt diversification is allimportant, but it also needs to match up with digital advances and a rapidly changing working landscape. In the new normal no-one can afford to stand still especially in the busy world of scaffolding and construction. In terms of formwork design IDH provide efficient and clear formwork designs using GASS, Titan, Logik, Doka, Topec, Cuplock, MKII and RMD systems, as well as in traditional timber. As with many other organisations IDH had to
Ian Fernandes Johnson (right) is the dynamic CEO at IDH alongside David Lindsay (Engineering Manager) (left) manage a hugely talented team of scaffold design engineers to find the best solution involving tube and fittings and all major system scaffolds.
find new ways of working during the pandemic, but they’ve certainly come out on top, and are now looking forward to the road ahead. Ian added: “We have gained industry confidence through working closely with sub-contractors, main contractors, developers and homeowners to provide solutions across the scope of temporary works. “As specialist temporary works design consultants, we define, design and deliver efficient, effective solutions for requirements of all sizes and complexity. Our experts are always on hand to offer advice and answer any questions on potential projects big and small.” For more information, visit www.idh-design.co.uk
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// Health & Safety
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A TRAGEDY DOWN UNDER Every parent who has ever lost a son or daughter will know the intense anguish and pain it can bring, especially when their passing is due to the negligence of others. Patrizia Cassaniti is one such mother, who will never be able to hug her son again. The reaction to her loss, however, has served as a real inspiration to others as she continues to change the way we look upon safety in the workplace. This is her story
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pprentice Christopher Cassaniti couldn’t wait to get to his dream job in Sydney on a bright autumn morning in April of 2019. The popular apprentice had celebrated his 18th birthday just four days earlier. The world it seemed had many wonderful things lined up for a youngster many looked upon as a role model for his own generation. Within hours, Christopher was lying face down, struck by the scaffolding he was working beside as he formed up a planter box, at the Macquarie Park site in the city. The tragedy was compounded by the fact that the heavy debris had been acting as a torniquet due to its weight. Even if rescuers could have got to him in time, when the weight had been lifted from his body Christopher would almost certainly have bled out. Medics confirmed death would have occurred within 20 minutes due to asphyxiation. In fact, an artery in his pelvis had been severed, such was the impact of the falling debris. Another 39-year-old co-worker was also seriously injured in a collapse caused by the fact that all the ties had been removed and it was overloaded by 18 tonnes. After Christopher’s accident the regulator SafeWork NSW went on an inspection spree calling it Operation Scaffsafe. They inspected more than 700 sites to check on scaffolds and found that 44% of them had components missing; 34% of the sites said it was because unlicensed workers had removed them. It emerged the pair had worked through their lunch break to
finish some extra work when the collapse happened. They had been working from the bottom level of scaffolding when the structure suddenly gave way. Another two workers were laying bricks at the top of the structure and were able to jump to safety. Sadly, concerns were raised about the safety of the Ganellen construction site in Macquarie Park more than a year before Mr Cassaniti was killed. The company was eventually fined $900,000 for the worksite accident. In fact, numerous emails obtained by a local news programme revealed repeated safety warnings were made by scaffolding company Synergy to Ganellen. The whole horrific episode left Christopher’s mother, Patrizia, and family in complete turmoil, left to manage the constant pain of losing someone so young, generally known as a shining light to everyone he encountered. Incidents like this can destroy the whole fabric of family life within minutes, turning personal worlds upside down and leaving a trail of emotional devastation in their wake as Christopher’s dad, Robert, explained: “Losing my son Christopher is like losing the whole right side of my body. Christopher was my right-hand man. Always there to help around the house, whether it was with the lawns, washing cars or general house duties. “As a toddler, Christopher would follow me around the garden with a tool in his hand, just wanting to help me with whatever I was doing. Christopher had the biggest heart and a smile to match. People would always compliment us on what a good-natured and honest young man he was. After leaving school he got an apprenticeship with Future Form. Christopher loved his job, and his workmates loved him. They would often
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// Health & Safety
quarrel about who Christopher would be assigned to for the day. He loved being part of a team, working, getting dirty and doing his bit as an employee.” This was all contained in the official victim impact statement read out at court. In it Patrizia added: “As his mother, I have received a life sentence and must endure the excruciating pain of losing a child, but it is not just the loss, but the anger that envelops me because this incident should never have happened in the first place, all due to complacency and the rush to get the job done on time and on budget. Unfortunately, this is a recurring problem within the culture of the construction industry and things need to change. “Christopher was loved by all his bosses, supervisors and workmates. He wanted to learn and loved his job. I had a mobile coffee van, so every morning Christopher and I would get up at 5am and we would go together to the Jobsite, where I would serve coffee and breakfast to the workers on-site. I worked on the Macquarie Park site prior to commencement of construction with Greenland and Ganellen, so all the workers already knew who I was. When my clients would come to me to buy their coffee and food, they would always comment on how amazing my beautiful son Christopher was. I was so proud of him.” Driven on by the spirit of her son she quickly founded the Touched by Christopher Foundation, taking on a series of talks given to scaffolding companies and other related organisations. She told me: “I have had to turn my immense anger into something positive, so I have now become a safety advocate and a keynote speaker so I can shift the workers’ complacency and hope that my personal message and Christopher’s tragedy, resonate with workers personally, and they take on more responsibility to always do their work safely. I hope I can give them the courage to say no to unsafe work practices, because no Australian should go to work and not come home safe.
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“I’ve been extremely busy visiting job sites and speaking to workers. The impact has been enormous because the video I show of the incident that killed my son is pretty confronting and it’s like a slap in the face for some to wake up and realise some of the decisions they make on a daily basis can be detrimental. The complacent attitude of ‘She’ll be right, mate!’ and ‘I have done this a thousand times before,’ or ‘It won’t happen to me,’ must be eradicated from the workplace, especially around dangerous ones. “The feedback has been great, and it keeps me going, I have many workers personally message me after my talk thanking me, because I make them realise that they need to make family the reason why they work safe every day. A lot of safety officers and project managers are gobsmacked after my talk as they see how I hold every worker’s attention because it’s personal and resonates with them. It’s something they can’t replicate, because I talk to them as mum; a mum who has lost a child at work in circumstances that were completely avoidable. “A few scaffolding companies have aligned with me to have me on-site to talk to workers especially when they face daily manipulation of scaffold components, changing the integrity of the scaffold.” Her goal is to make it compulsory for an anti-tampering device to be applied to all scaffolds so that workers cannot remove components. “My next mission is to have industrial manslaughter introduced to NSW and hopefully in all states so tougher consequences and penalties can act as a deterrent to unsafe work practices, because without them why would a builder care? “Look at the penalty the builder received from killing my son. It’s a category two offence carrying a $1.2 million fine which he pleaded guilty to. Because he pleaded guilty, he got an instant 25% discount reducing it to a measly $900k, which his insurance paid. All he got was a slap on the wrist. The builder is still out there putting lives at risk, and I am left with the life sentence. How much is your life worth? My son’s was priceless and there is nothing I can do to bring him back, but if I can save a life with what I do in his honour then I am happy.” She is also ambassador of the Talk5 app, the world’s only safety tool that speaks and listens, in 28 different languages. Patrizia added: “It has many other outstanding features, eg permit creation, a user wallet to store licenses and trade cards, and talk and text to report incidents within teams/groups or whole sites flagging hazards, etc. “There is nothing in the world like it and with my construction background I know the risks and inefficiencies in the workplace and have built Talk 5 to address the gaps that no one has tackled.” “Scaffshield is also a product I advocate and hope it becomes part of legislation. It’s an anti-tampering device so components from scaffold can’t be removed. “Imagining Christopher lying face down alive for 20
AS A TODDLER, CHRISTOPHER WOULD FOLLOW ME AROUND THE GARDEN WITH A TOOL IN HIS HAND, JUST WANTING TO HELP ME WITH WHATEVER I WAS DOING. CHRISTOPHER HAD THE BIGGEST HEART AND A SMILE TO MATCH. PEOPLE WOULD ALWAYS COMPLIMENT US ON WHAT A GOOD-NATURED AND HONEST YOUNG MAN HE WAS
minutes plays in my mind every single night as I try to go to sleep. I imagine he is screaming out to me, and I cannot be there. What a horrible death my son endured, suffocating and scared. “Do you want to know what it is like to lose a child? I will just summarise otherwise this could take quite a while. At first, I am in shock, and then I am in denial, and pretty soon reality puts my emotions on trial. I lose so much, but the first thing I lose, is my smile. Every day I hold back tears because I know once I start it’s hard to stop. And when I do cry, I also want to scream, because Christopher mattered so much. I pray for a visit, or vision of him in the form of a dream so that I can see him again. “People always say that he is in a better place, but for me Christopher’s hopes and dreams have been tossed away. To others I seem OK, but really, I am not. The grief I feel is only the start because Christopher now lives only in my heart. I treasure each picture, because that is all I have to cling to – memories I thought I forgot. I know my life will never be the same again. I pretend things are OK, and I hide my pain. Sometimes, I just want someone to mention his name, that way I can imagine that he is beside me again.” In the light of Christopher’s accident, The New South Wales Government placed the industry on ‘notice’ after a safety blitz on more than 700 building sites by SafeWorkNSW. SW Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson said: “It is clear that more needs to be done to get the safety message through to people, which is why the NSW Government will be rolling out a number of new initiatives aiming to protect workers from serious injury or death.” At the end of each talk Patrizia’s heartfelt message is always: “If Christopher’s passing has touched you, your referral and help to spread my message in honour of him is the greatest compliment you could give me. “If my talk has resonated with you and shifted your complacency, I would love for you to send me a testimonial.” It’s a sad fact that sometimes things don’t improve until a tragedy has occurred and lives are taken from us. A charismatic young man may well have given his life to ensure an end to scaffolding and safety complacency across Australia. His family, far from crumbling, have found inner strength in the mission they hope will change the way the industry approaches the wellbeing of employees. The pain will always be felt, but this is one mother and family determined to bring priceless good out of a personal nightmare. It also serves as a clear message to scaffolders right across the globe, there can be no compromise over the safety of anyone working on-site or, for that matter, anywhere else. Patrizia Cassaniti, Founder and Director of the Touched by Christopher Foundation Keynote Speaker and Safety Advocate of Let’s talk about Safety Pty Ltd. Ambassador of the Talk5 app. patrizia@touchedbychristopher.org.au info@letstalkaboutsafety.com.au 0414 656 621
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// Health & Safety
TRADING PLACES As the UK begins its exit from lockdown, the trade industry can look to slowly relax its Covid restrictions. Life-critical health and safety product provider Reece Safety looked at how the pandemic has changed health and safety across the trade industry, and whether the stricter elements brought about by the pandemic are here to stay THE TRADE SECTOR STAYED OPEN THROUGHOUT MOST OF LOCKDOWN
Many trade businesses and work sites were open across the second lockdown while the rest of the country stayed home, meaning many trades workers across construction sites, factories and manufacturing plants worked in additional PPE, with sanitising stations and enforced social distancing measures in place to meet demand as essential workers. In addition to existing health and safety procedures, Covid-19 saw new regulations brought in to parotect industry workers. CONSTRUCTION WAS MOST SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED
Research found that the construction sector has been significantly affected by Covid‐19, as there has been a potential knowledge gap regarding the practical feasibility of applying Covid‐19 measures within construction, made more difficult by factors such as the types of projects and complex working environments. In the UK, the construction industry is worth over £100bn and employs over 2.4 million people, with the immense sector adjusting to new ways of working. Throughout the pandemic, it has been hit hard by both stricter safety precautions and higher rates of infection due to an ageing workforce, with over 40% of workers over 40 years old, and a significant number over 55 years old. This means that the construction sector had a slower rate of productivity and profitability throughout the pandemic due to illness. SELF-EMPLOYED TRADESPEOPLE WERE ALSO AFFECTED
Covid not only affected the workforce for larger businesses but has also had a direct impact on self-employed tradespeople. Gareth, a joiner from Sheffield, explained how new health and safety measures have affected his business: “Covid health and safety measures have made working more complicated, with more measures to consider for each job. However, it is
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important for everyone to remain cautious and stick to the implemented safety measures as I spend much of my time in people’s homes, so it is vital to ensure correct PPE is worn, the household is Covid-free, and I am safe from risk of transmission while working. Post-Covid, I am sure that much of the public will remain cautious for a long time, ensuring that the spread continues to slow, which means tradespeople like myself can continue to feel safer.” MANY BUSINESSES STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN STAFF TRAINING
As rigorous health and safety procedures came into action for the trade sector to enable workers to continue working, many important parts of the job, such as upskilling and training staff, took a back seat. Managing Director of Reece Safety, Andy Graham, explains why he thinks some elements of health and safety introduced throughout the pandemic are likely here to stay: “We noticed that many businesses struggled throughout the pandemic to upkeep training for new staff and deliver refresher training to existing staff as trade sector businesses shifted their focus to ensuring staff safety and welfare. “To accommodate, we introduced ‘live stream’ virtual training sessions and socially distanced learning environments to ensure that businesses could keep up with necessary health and safety training for their staff, with offerings such as confined space supervisory training and lockout tagout training. As things go back to normal, we are sure that flexible ways of training will allow businesses to train their staff in a much easier way.”
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// Health & Safety
IN STRICT CONFIDENCE Leach’s, a leading provider of scaffolding supplies and height-safety equipment, has launched a new height-safety planning framework named STRICTPLAAN
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he STRICTPLAAN safety model has been designed to help ensure critical safety considerations and practices are consistently deployed when working at height. It delivers a useful and memorable framework for scaffolding and construction companies to help reduce accidents and injuries as a result of working at height. WHAT IS THE STRICTPLAAN SAFETY MODEL?
• S – Scenario – Evaluate the scenario •T R – Threats and risks – Understand the threats and risks • I – Instigate – Instigate proper planning •C – Competencies – Evaluate worker competencies •T – Training – Ensure thorough training • P – PPE – Choose quality PPE & height-safety tools •L – Look – Look at your equipment before each use • A – Actionable – Create an actionable emergency and evacuation plan • A – Assure – Assure regulatory compliance • N – Never – Never get complacent A JOURNEY TO IMPROVED HEIGHT SAFETY
Russell Tennent, Managing Director at Leach’s, states, “It’s our mission to help completely eradicate injuries or deaths on-site as a result of working at height. Yes, it’s a bold aim. We’ve set the bar high. But if no stone is left unturned in the desire to improve personnel and site safety, we truly believe we will be in a good position to ensure all tradespersons can carry out their work at height safely.” Russell Tennent continues, “The
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STRICTPLAAN height-safety framework will help move us forward on that journey. We’re hoping that this will provide a memorable framework that businesses and tradespersons can remember to ensure they’ve covered all the right safety areas when planning work at height.” You can learn more about the STRICTPLAAN height safety model by downloading Leach’s Best Practice Guide to Working Safely at Height here.
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SSIP accredited contractors SCAFFMAG.COM | 51
// Transport
Construction set for economic boom – but is your fleet safe? Britain is set for a boom in construction-equipment purchases thanks to ambitious UK Government plans to kickstart the economy – but this could lead to a rise in vehicleand worker-related collisions, warns a leading vehicle safety company
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hancellor Rishi Sunak announced a superdeduction tax break that means that businesses can claim 130% of what they spend on equipment against taxable profits. The £25bn tax break is intended to spark investment by providing 25p off company tax bills for every pound of qualifying spend on plant and machinery. But experts at pioneering Brigade Electronics say the expected explosion of construction projects sparked by the tax break could be matched by a rise in on-site collisions. Construction is a hazardous occupation and research has shown that, on average, seven workers are killed and 93 are seriously injured each year after accidents involving vehicles or mobile plant. Driver visibility is often compromised due to the sheer size and weight of mobile plant equipment which poses a very real danger to site workers. Blind spots on vehicles are a major contributing factor to collisions and are often the main reason ground workers are killed or injured. Poor visibility, due to low light and overnight working, dusty environments and difficult weather conditions, all exacerbate this issue. Meanwhile hearing defenders, often worn by ground workers,
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can also reduce the ability to clearly hear approaching vehicles. Vehicle safety systems are helping to address the issues related to vehicle and worker safety, while passive systems, such as mirrors and cameras, assist drivers by enabling them to see objects in a vehicle’s blind spot and active systems, including operator alerts and reversing alarms, ensure that both drivers and pedestrians receive an immediate, audible warning that a danger is present. Emily Hardy of Brigade Electronics, a global leader in vehicle safety systems, explains the importance of active systems in addition to traditional passive devices. “Work sites present a number of challenges when it comes to visibility. Not only are they dusty and dirty places to be, but when this is combined with nighttime hours or difficult weather conditions, it can become increasingly difficult for ground workers to be spotted
by those operating moving vehicles. Active safety systems are therefore crucial to assisting drivers and enhancing safety for workers operating in these environments. This is why we always recommend that a combination of both passive and active systems, such as cameras and alarms, are fitted to vehicles for the ultimate safety solution.” This includes Brigade’s awardwinning Backeye®360, designed to assist low-speed manoeuvrability by providing the driver with a real-time surround view of the vehicle in a single image. The system combines images from ultra-wide angle cameras, presenting a ‘bird’s-eye view’ of the vehicle and surrounding areas on the monitor, meaning drivers can clearly see people and objects as they manoeuvre their vehicles. Active technology, such as Brigade’s radar obstacle detection system, can detect stationary and moving objects even in the
CLEAN AIR ZONE SET TO IMPACT SCAFFOLDING FIRMS DELIVERING INTO CITY CENTRES
WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT A COMBINATION OF BOTH PASSIVE AND ACTIVE SYSTEMS, SUCH AS CAMERAS AND ALARMS, ARE FITTED TO VEHICLES FOR THE ULTIMATE SAFETY SOLUTION harshest of environments, including in darkness, giving the driver an audible and visible warning when objects are within a certain distance. Heavy-duty radar systems, which are waterproof and smoke resistant, can even operate in high or low temperatures, and can easily be heard in noisy environments, making them ideal for construction sites. One construction company which has benefited from installing safety technology on its vehicles is Day Aggregates. It fitted Brigade’s Backsense heavy-duty radar sensor system on to its fleet of shovel loaders, tele-handlers and trucks. In the last few years of recording incidents, which are split by ‘damage’ and ‘near miss’, the company has reported that this technology has been key to reducing incidents and improving safety. Operator Darren Harfield agrees. He said: “The radar is an extra back-up when looking in numerous mirrors and using reversing aids. If you’re distracted, for example because someone suddenly asks you a question on the radio, you can be trying to take in too much at one time. The radar system prevents this. There’s an in-cab display that presents different colours and beeps when anything comes within a certain distance of the vehicle, so it’s not just visual prompts, but audible alerts too.”
As plans to introduce and roll out Clean Air Zones in cities across the UK, experts are warning operators of HGVs and vans that delivering into some city centres is likely to incur considerable extra costs in the near future. Clean Air Zones (CAZ) are areas in which local councils have brought measures into place to improve the air quality. The creation of CAZ in major UK cities and possibly beyond is part of the government’s broader Air Quality Plan, which aims to improve air quality and address sources of pollution. If the operator’s HGV, LGV or van fails to meet the required environmental standards the driver is charged a fee to enter the zone. The first Clean Air Zone was launched in Bath on 15 March while Birmingham is set to roll out its own on 1 June. Other cities have been earmarked for similar projects
including Oxford, Bristol, Manchester and Nottingham. London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is also set to be vastly expanded to cover a broader area from 25 October. Whilst larger companies operating fleets of trucks and vans are likely to be prepared for the introduction of Clean Air Zones in UK cities, Paul Hollick, the chairman of the Association of Fleet Professionals, says he’s concerned about a lack of awareness elsewhere. Speaking to Autocar he said: “Fleets of five-to-45 vehicles won’t have a dedicated fleet manager, won’t be a member of the AFP and won’t read the fleet press, and then it will just hit them because it isn’t widely known about what’s going on in the normal press. Small- and medium-sized enterprises are ill-educated about this topic, and it will sneak up and bite them.”
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// Projects
PROJECTS Westminster Hall, London ● The Frythe, Hertfordshire ● The Sandy Park Hotel, Devon ●
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// Projects
Hall of fame
As part of the Houses of Parliament ongoing restoration works, Alltask was contracted to carry out an extensive scaffold access package to the inside of Westminster Hall, incorporating the external roof lantern
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estminster Hall is the oldest building on the parliamentary estate carrying more than 900 years of fascinating history. Set to play a prominent part in future events, Westminster Hall has been transformed to befit its 21st-century standing in the world. As part of the Palace of Westminster situated on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, this special place has been the site of crucial episodes in the UK’s history, such as the trial of Charles I, coronation banquets, the lying in state of monarchs and prime ministers and addresses by world leaders. The oak hammer-beam roof in Westminster Hall, commissioned by Richard II in 1393, is the largest in northern Europe, spanning more than 20 metres. A steel-frame structure, installed by Sir Frank Baines between 1913 and 1922 to reinforce the roof, made the access system to undertake the project works possible. The main works in Westminster Hall comprised two parts. The first element involved the meticulous conservation of the internal roof trusses sited 28m above ground level. The second involved the deconstruction and restoration of the external roof lantern. From the outset, Alltask was under no illusions about the significance and historical importance of this project. Westminster Hall’s interior is steeped in history, and just about everything contained within it is irreplaceable. During the planning stage, no stone was
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left unturned to the extent that Alltask created a full-scale, proof-of-concept mock-up at their Rochester head office. This fully functioning scaffolding structure for one of the Westminster Hall roof space’s internal bays was lifted and lowered with the client and relevant stakeholders in attendance. Once appointed, Alltask immediately consulted with their system scaffold partners, HAKI UK, and co-developed a lightweight access solution built at ground level and lifted into position via purposebuilt hoists made in Germany specifically for the contract. Unbelievably, Alltask managed to get this process down to a fine art by constructing and installing a single roof truss bay in one single weekend. Once lifted, the scaffolding rig remained suspended on the hoists but as a secondary precautionary measure, was also held in position by a series of purpose-made chains connected to a series of node points within the roof structure itself. Hanging a scaffold by hoists and chains 28m in the air turned into a real labour of love for Rochester-based Alltask, and they certainly rose to the challenge given what, in real terms, was such a complicated design brief. Liam Duffy, Contracts Director for Alltask Scaffolding, explained, “The scaffolding was in preparation for large-scale conservation and refurbishment work and, quite rightly, great care had to be taken given the historical importance of such an iconic building.” Liam also says, “Being involved in this project has been a privilege from start to finish for my entire team.”
The roof structure within Westminster Hall is comprised of 14 individual bays, 12 of these bays were suspended via Alltask purpose-built HAKI access rigs. However, the smaller bays at either end of the hall had to be constructed from ground level, which presented another challenge as one of the criteria was to ensure that the scaffolds were as ‘invisible’ as possible. Achieving this with the suspended rigs wasn’t such a challenge, as, when lifted into their highest position, they were barely visible from the hall floor. But, how do you hide a scaffold at ground level? Not a problem for Alltask, who created a printed screen fixed to the scaffold that mirrored the hall’s existing walls and features. Alltask operatives involved in this major project were trained and competent in rigging, slinging, scaffolding, HAKI system-trained and MEWP-trained. KEY PROJECT FACTS: • £750k worth of bespoke HAKI components. • Bespoke hoists made in Germany. • Bespoke secondary support chains. • Security vetted and cleared operatives. • Bay 0 and 14 scaffolds clad in fabric to match building surrounds. • Fire-rated materials. • Out-of-hours working for installation and removal. • All operatives trained specifically for the task. Westminster Hall dates back to 1099 and is part of the Westminster UNESCO World Heritage Site.
// Projects
Access all areas The Frythe is a grand country house sitting at the heart of Wilshere Park in rural Hertfordshire, now being repaired, restored and refurbished to offer luxurious apartments. With GRT Scaffolding Services Limited supporting the development, ScaffMag was keen to visit the project 60 | SCAFFMAG.COM
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he Frythe was originally a country house set in its own grounds, just south of the village of Welwyn, about 30 miles north of London. The Gothic revival mansion was built in 1846 for the MP for Great Yarmouth and has a fascinating history. In fact, during the second world war it became a secret British Special Operations Executive factory known as Station IX producing commando equipment. Later, it became a commercial research facility, operated in turn by ICI, Unilever and GlaxoSmithKline. The house and its surrounding estate have been under redevelopment since 2018. AS Audited Members of the Scaffolding Association, GRT were appointed by main contractor Linden Homes, part of Vistry Partnerships, to support repair, renovation and redevelopment works. The company is proud of its excellent working relationship with the client, having previously worked together successfully on many projects. The brief at The Frythe was to provide multi-level access solutions to the exterior walls, roof and nine large chimney stacks. Sister company GRT Builders will then be amongst the trades moving on site to undertake the masonry package, with the primary focus on making-good existing brickwork, repairing and strengthening brittle 175-year-old chimneys and ensuring the roof is watertight. Partially occupied by tenants with other parts currently under redevelopment, the bods at GRT Scaffolding provided a considerate working plan, maintaining good access at all times while also keeping residents safe. Measures have been taken to respect and protect cherished gardens, and residents’ access to their terraces and balconies has been maintained with the clever use of beam work, and neighbouring houses have also been taken into careful consideration. Working hours have been reduced so scaffolders are not on site while residents eat breakfast or their evening meal. These concessions were
communicated to all parties so progress was made in an atmosphere of harmony. No heavy plant equipment – not a single forklift or crane – has been used by the highly professional team of eight, who have worked for nine weeks to build the structure. Four working lifts have been constructed, taking operatives, equipment, materials, new stonework and replacement windows to all levels – with further elevated scaffolds built around each chimney stack. Bespoke beamwork was necessary to support scaffolding across flat roofs that failed load-safety tests. The number of boards used has been considerable, but GRT Scaffolding hold enough in stock to provide for such a project – a perfect illustration of their sizeable capabilities. At the end of the 10-week repair and renovation programme the plan was to return in order to decommission. Karl Willard, Managing Director at GRT Scaffolding Services Limited, highlighted a key area in the company’s success with this project: “Building and maintaining a professional working relationship with the main contractor has definitely helped smooth progress during the scaffolding erection. Our Advanced Scaffold Foreman, Oliver Burton, has liaised with the client’s site manager on a daily basis to ensure all developments are well-communicated and any potential inconvenience to the residents is kept to an absolute minimum.
“Contracts Manager Ricky Clifford helped me with a lot of planning work before we started on site so that we could agree a scaffold design, book-in the workforce, arrange deliveries, minimise disruption and meet the client’s schedule. We’ve met every target to date and the trades are able to make their starts within their allotted timeframe. We’ll be on call to offer support if needed and we’ll decommission as soon as the client is happy that works are complete.” Scaffolding design has been supplied by the expert team at Prime Scaffold and Structural Designs Limited (PSD). Their contribution has been critical in providing solutions sensitive to the building’s age, particularly with regards to the type of ties used, the ties’ locations and considerations for residents. Planning for the project took eight weeks, with several meetings and site visits between GRT and PSD in that period. Karl is enthusiastic in his appreciation for PSD’s input adding: “PSD provide a fantastic service. Their initial plan was brilliantly conceived. They met us four times to refine the structure before we started work and they’ve always been ready and willing to revisit the site and advise on any design revisions demanded by changes on site. Their knowledge means my team have been able to continue while amendments are added and reissued.” GRT Scaffolding Services Limited was formed in 2001, is based in Bedfordshire, and is part of the GRT Group Ltd, a 30-year-old multi-services construction company with specialisms in scaffolding and brickwork. Comfortable with projects of any size, the 100-strong GRT Scaffolding team work largely on new-build housing within a 65-mile radius of Bedford. However, their proximity to both the A1 and M1 means they frequently work in London on large residential sites, high-rise schemes and commercial developments. To find out more about GRT Scaffolding Services Limited call 01234 766464.
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Dan Sullivan, Director at Pro Scaffolding South West, came to Approved Business Finance as his business was going through a period of growth and wanted to restructure a current finance agreement, as well as secure further equipment. Scaffolding businesses often hire equipment, which can prove expensive. Approved refinanced Danʼs current hire agreement to a purchase agreement, which means he will now own the equipment outright. This was at a monthly repayment which was half of the original amount thus enabling the business to facilitate a number of bigger projects.
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It was a pleasure to do business with Approved. We have recently been inundated with new contracts and to keep up with demand we have for the first time used an asset finance company to help us purchase the kit we require. We currently now have over 120 scaffolds in the air and some huge meetings ahead that will secure even more projects!
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// Projects
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he £35m project is being managed by DNA Construction Management Ltd, who selected local company Apex Scaffolding Exeter Ltd for their access requirements. Apex are no strangers to working at Sandy Park, and have carried out works to all phases of the stadium’s evolution since the rugby club moved there in 2010, including the impressive main stand and conference facilities. Even before the arrival of Covid, the job was to throw some complications into the mix, with a tight site and even tighter programme, Apex, DNA and the external cladders had to come up with a few ways of making the project run smoothly. Due to the internal layout of the building, the only possible location for the main Hoist Hire Services-supplied hoist, a triple-deck, 9m-long twin mast at 30m high, was inside a splayed corner return. This meant that even though the materials could be loaded face on, they had to be unloaded through a 90-degree angle. Optima Scaffold Designs were able to engineer a runoff route which fulfilled all the loading capacity, whilst remaining fully free from bracing and obstructions.
In order to allow a full external access scaffolding and have the highspecification cladding finish required by the hotel, three different tying methods were used, which allowed the tie points to be fitted entirely within the joints. Prior to the main scaffolding being erected, screw eyes were pre-installed and tested from an MEWP to allow the first type of cladding panel to be installed up to level three in advance of scaffolding operations. The fourth floor is level with the stadium and will be the entrance level for guests and diners, with 4m-high glazing panels to allow sweeping views of the glorious East Devon countryside and coast, therefore an alternative tying method was required. 6kn sacrificial wire ties are designed to sit within the SFS System tracking and will be hidden from view in the finished building. The final floors, five to eight, were a more standard SFS and concrete floor, meaning pre-installed threaded bar cast into the slabs were used to reach up to terrace level. In a building full of stunning features, the best could be the newly installed 27m pedestrian footbridge, providing a direct link from the new hotel to the stadium itself. Manufactured in the West Country, the bridge structure was
In January 2020, while the Exeter Chiefs rugby club were on course to their most successful season, winning both domestic and European titles, there was a small, socially distanced ceremony on the field next to the Sandy Park Stadium, where the turf was cut on the state-of-the-art, 250-bedroom, eight-storey hotel and rooftop cocktail bar that will offer views down the River Exe Estuary
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// Projects
installed overnight using a 750-tonne crane which required a CAA licence due to the proximity to Exeter Airport. Whilst the road was closed, Apex installed a bridged scaffold to allow working access to the soffit and sides of the bridge as well as edge-protection for the roofing works. Using Asterix beams to support the 2no suspended lifts, and UCs as base boards, the works were completed ahead of time, allowing the road closure to be lifted early. The works to the hotel are progressing at great pace and Apex have already started to dismantle the 111,000ft of tube, 22,000 fittings and 6,500 boards
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that have been hiding the project from those driving past on the M5, slowly exposing the building, which Exeter Chiefs Chairman and CEO, Tony Rowe OBE, says will take the club to a new level, not only increasing business to the conferencing facilities, but also providing a welcome addition to supporters from all across Europe heading to the stadium on match days. With the NASC already using the Sandy Park facilities for their regional meetings, the addition of a hotel and the proposed extension to the conference and banqueting facilities mean that an AGM and annual ball can’t be far away.
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