NASC, the national trade body for scaffolding and access in the UK has appointed its youngest-ever president since it was established back in 1945.
David Brown, Managing Director of IBN Scaffold Access Ltd has become NASC’s newest and youngest president. He takes over the helm from Lynn Way of Chris Sedgeman Scaffolding Ltd after three years’ service to the confederation.
Aged just 36, the Barnsley-based MD is incredibly passionate about the NASC, its industry-leading guidance and its 450+ members. With his two-year term, he aims to debunk the stigma that some believe that the NASC is an ‘elite old boys club to wynd down the years before retirement,’ or that it’s just for medium to large scaffolding companies with huge profits.
“The NASC has shown me that it doesn’t matter who you are, what member company you work for or what size company you represent, the NASC is open and accessible to all,” Brown said in his inaugural speech at the NASC’s recent AGM in London.
His comments seemed to resonate with those NASC members attending the AGM as he outlined his core objectives as President at the Westminster Park Plaza hotel on Friday.
Brown’s primary focus will be supporting NASC member companies through the labour and skills shortages the industry is currently facing. He aims to provide its members with massive training grants ‘on a scale that has not been offered before.’
“We must recruit new starters into the industry. We rely on new blood coming into Scaffolding to keep this amazing trade going. As well as recruiting new starters it is vital that we address the skills shortages within the Industry and that NASC members continue to train and up-skill their workforce,” Brown said.
The Environment is also something he is very passionate about; he intends to help the NASC fully support and guide the membership on reaching Carbon Net Zero by 2050. The NASC will be providing extensive guidance on this and access to further information before it becomes a core membership criteria in the future.
“Our members don’t just pay for a badge and then buy guidance from elsewhere. NASC members are the leaders in our Industry.”
Bold Words
Besides Brown’s Net Zero goals for members and tackling the industry’s labour shortages, he is extremely passionate about main contractors insisting on only using NASC member companies. And he made a bold announcement at the AGM that some in the wider industry may find controversial.
During his term as President, he is going to fully support the confederation in promoting ‘NASC only’ to all main contractors, clients, local authorities and even the Government.
“Over recent years the criteria from main contractors have changed. ‘NASC Member Companies Only’ used to be the criteria on PQQ documents issued. During my term as President, we need to get back to this”, he said.
“My message to main contractors is simple…
“Do you want to employ scaffolding contractors who help produce the industry guidance and set the standard for the scaffolding industry? Do you want to employ the scaffolding contractors who year after year and reducing their accident statistics and improving the industry? Do you want safe and compliant companies working on your projects? Do you want scaffolding companies who are fully audited and who are using materials fully in accordance with NASC product purchasing guidelines?
“Only by employing a NASC member company do you get this as a minimum.”