The refurbishment of two bridges over the M5 in the “Golden Valleys” area of Gloucestershire gave TR Scaffolding of Bristol and UKSSH the perfect opportunity to demonstrate how Haki Systems deliver the gold standard when it comes to suspended scaffolding.
Faced with the challenge of enabling demolition work to be carried out over a live motorway, TR Scaffolding’s MD Stuart Salmon knew the perfect solution – and also knew the perfect partner – to help them deliver on time and on budget.
Together TR Scaffolding and UKSSH delivered a truly innovative approach, providing a sealed working scaffold into the bridge using only Haki Universal, Hakitec 750 beams and roofing materials which enabled hydro demolition activities to be carried out during the day over a live motorway – thus saving considerable time and money for TR Scaffolding’s client.
A few hundred years ago Stroud’s wool industry created so much wealth that the five valleys that fed the town with water for its mills became known as the Golden Valleys.
Nowadays motorists on the M5 that cuts through the area are more concerned with avoiding traffic disruption than the origin of place names – so when Highways England needed to undertake essential repairs on two bridges over the motorway the primary requirement was to scaffold them and undertake the hydro demolition work with the minimum impact on the motorway.
Stuart explains his choice of Haki and UKSSH: “We find that Haki Universal is the only scaffold system which allows the flexibility of using scaffold boards or proprietary decking. The other ingredient that added to the success of the project was the level of collaboration between TR Scaffolding and UKSSH.
The companies worked together before the possession to undertake trial erections both at TR Scaffolding’s depot and onsite at Golden Valley to ensure that the actual build would go as smoothly as possible and the companies also liaised closely to ensure that deliveries to site would optimise possession times.”
Haki 750 Beams and Haki Systems are unbeatable for suspended scaffold: The large (3.05m x 3.05m) grid both means fewer suspension points and contributes to Haki Systems requiring up to 50% fewer components compared to other systems. This in turn means a 50% weight saving – significantly reducing the loads into the bridge, while the Haki erection method provides full collective measures for fast and safe installation.
While the Cotswolds may be renowned for their rich history and natural beauty, anyone who knows their scaffolding and saw TR Scaffoldings handiwork above the M5 will appreciate that, in its own way, even suspended scaffold can hit the gold standard.