Systematic

Anyone involved in the scaffolding and wider construction industry knows that labour shortage is one of the key problems facing the sector and therefore increasing the demand for system scaffolding

In mid-2021, the Planning, Construction and BIM Today online magazine reported that construction employment was at its lowest level since 2013, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Firms are struggling to find skilled labour and to attract new workers into the industry as older, experienced people leave.

For the scaffolding industry, this presents a significant problem – particularly for those companies that rely on tube-and-fitting scaffolding, which requires skilled, qualified scaffolding teams to erect and dismantle. It’s a problem that Wayne Connolly, founder and MD at Connolly Scaffolding, has confronted head-on – by moving to system scaffolding, supplied by TRAD UK.

“Labour is a big challenge for all scaffolding contractors,” says Wayne. “For us, finding skilled and qualified scaffolders is hard – and expensive. So, in order to keep our business running and to give us a chance to grow, we need to look at how we can provide scaffolding without needing a big bank of skilled scaffolders. For us, that’s system scaffolding. In most cases, all you need to do is follow the manufacturer’s published guidelines. And that can be done with a much smaller team with a broader mix of skills. It might not give us a cost advantage, but it does mean our scaffolding goes up quicker, with fewer people on site, and our clients love that.”

TRAD is seeing increased demand for its Plettac Metrix system scaffold, something that is driven by a range of factors, but particularly by labour saving. “The skills shortage is a real problem across all of construction, as we know,” says Colin Dobson, MD at TRAD UK. “Our system means we can offer options to our customers, giving them the opportunity to realise efficiencies in their own businesses. As we’ve seen with businesses like Connolly Scaffolding, switching to system scaffolding has had great results – the company has grown exponentially because its clients love the speed at which it can erect scaffolding without compromising safety, even in the most challenging circumstances.”

In fact, TRAD and Connolly Scaffolding have had a close working relationship since the firm was founded. With a reputation for building great relationships and supporting its customers to grow their own businesses, TRAD has developed a

long-standing working partnership with Wayne and his team, giving them the support and service they need to make their business successful.

PLETTAC METRIX & ALTRIX IN ACTION

Lime Tree Primary Academy, Manchester, needed a full roof refurbishment with a full encapsulation. Situated in the Borough of Trafford, the school has extensive grounds incorporating a working farm and several dedicated Forest School areas. The large school building boasts spacious, light-filled learning spaces and state-of-the-art technology and resources. The challenge for the repair team was to keep the school completely open to pupils during the repair work. The solution: to split the project into three phases over a 10-month period.

Connolly Scaffolding won the contract and chose to use the Plettac Metrix system, together with the Altrix temporary roofing system supplied by TRAD UK. The company produced a bespoke design, because the building is timber-framed and there were a number of site constraints that meant the structure had to be free-standing and independent of the building.

In order to be both time- and cost-efficient, Connolly Scaffolding needed to be able to put the structure up quickly, to allow the main contractor to start work. The temporary roof needed to be erected during a weekend because of its position above live classrooms. So, sections of the roof were assembled at ground level before being lifted up by crane.

“We find that system scaffold brings huge efficiencies to a site,” said Wayne Connolly. “On projects like this where speed, accuracy and health and safety are extremely important, it makes absolute sense to go with the system option. It’s faster, I can use a smaller crew and my client can get on with their work sooner. In a world where we are struggling for labour, this can only be a good thing.”

WHY PLETTAC METRIX & ALTRIX?

Designed to make scaffolding erection safer and quicker, TRAD’s Plettac Metrix system is a proprietary modular rosette scaffolding system that, since its launch seven years ago, has been used on a wide range of residential and commercial construction projects in the UK and beyond.

The system is significantly faster to erect than standard scaffolding – up to 50% faster, in fact – and can be used on all building types. Components are colour-coded for easy identification of size and, with an allowable safe working load of 6.0 kN/m² dependant on the global configuration, the galvanised steel decks which form the platforms of the system are hooked directly onto the tubular support, and come complete with integral handles, wind-locking components and anti-tilting devices to ensure complete safety on site.

SYSTEM SCAFFOLDING IS GENERALLY FASTER AND SAFER TO USE THAN TRADITIONAL TUBE-AND- FITTINGS, WE ARE INCREASINGLY FINDING THAT CUSTOMERS ARE ASKING US FOR SYSTEM, BECAUSE THEY CAN PUT IT UP WITH A SMALLER TEAM

“System scaffolding is generally faster and safer to use than traditional tube-and-fittings,” says Alan Slater, Head of Technical & Product Support at TRAD UK. “We are increasingly finding that customers are asking us for system, because they can put it up with a smaller team. This means they can deploy their skilled labour across a number of projects simultaneously, rather than having to commit a big team of people to a single site. As projects become more squeezed in terms of delivery, and scaffold contractors are asked to demonstrate their efficiencies, system is likely to become the scaffolding of choice in the UK – as it already is around the world.”

In addition to the straightforward nature of the system, which is due to its metric measurements, there are additional benefits – a Permanent Advanced Guardrail system allows scaffolders to work in complete safety from the level below, while complying fully with the NASC’s guidance note SG4. Both of these unique features of the system lead to significant benefits, including reduced equipment levels, labour savings, decreased assembly times and improved safety.

Although Altrix has been designed to work particularly efficiently with the Metrix system, it can be safely used with almost any type of scaffolding. Made from aluminium, it is a fully modular system which can be installed from the supporting structure below, and can be used for even the most demanding applications.