Harsco Infrastructure has revealed details of a £710,000 contract to provide a comprehensive access solution for a major refurbishment project being carried out on the famous Forth Road Bridge in Scotland.
Harsco’s bespoke scaffolding solution is allowing work to be carried out to replace the large bearings which support each end of the structure, with no disruption to traffic using the bridge.
Harsco was selected for this contract by Balfour Beatty, on the basis of its competitive tendering and the fact that the two companies have worked together on a large number of previous successful projects.
“Despite its size we wanted to ensure we did not over complicate the project” comments Harsco Sales Director, Tony Knight. “Although we frequently design and produce new products to satisfy individual project requirements, this contract demonstrates our ability to design and construct a bespoke solution for a complex project, primarily using standard products from our range.”
The bridge spans the Firth of Forth and connects Edinburgh with Fife. While its centre section is suspended from cables, the approach sections which link this to either side of the Firth rest on large bearings that sit on top of concrete piers. These bearings allow the approach decks to move in response to traffic loading and temperature changes, and it is these that are being replaced.
“This involves the workforce having access to some of the more remote areas of the bridge structure and so our aim was to create a solution which would provide this, whilst still ensuring complete safety,” adds Tony Knight.
The project is expected to be complete in the summer of 2012.
