It was a busy day for the London Academy of Sustainable Construction (LASC) CISRS Centre in Waltham Forest, London, last week as they played host to two groups of distinguished visitors, shedding light on the high standards of construction industry training and promoting collaboration in scaffolding practices.
The esteemed president of the Japanese Scaffolding Construction Equipment Association (SCEA), Dr. Yasuo Toyosawa, led a delegation of three of his colleagues on a whirlwind tour of the CISRS Centre in Leytonstone.
Their visit aimed to gain insights into the training standards upheld in the United Kingdom. Dr. Toyosawa, a stalwart in the Japanese scaffolding industry with over 30 years of experience in scaffolding safety, was visibly impressed by the stringent quality and standards required to secure CISRS approval.
Following their visit to the CISRS Centre, the Japanese delegation set their sights on the National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) offices, where they planned to engage in discussions about sharing industry best practices.
Dave Mosley, CISRS Managing Director and NASC Training Director, expressed his gratitude, saying, “A very big thank you to Dean Johns, the Centre Manager, and all his staff for showing our VIPs around today. I always enjoy opening the doors of CISRS-accredited centres to new visitors as they never fail to be impressed; it justifies why the scheme is recognised worldwide.”
International Research
In another significant development, Dave Mosley facilitated a visit by a research team from the Centre for the Study of the Production of the Built Environment (ProBE) at the University of Westminster. The visit aimed to assist the team with their ongoing project titled “SCAFFOLD: Improving Training, Working Conditions, and Transformation in the European Scaffolding Sector.”
The SCAFFOLD project, funded by the European Commission and coordinated by the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW), aims to enhance scaffolding practices in Europe. It has already taken researchers to scaffolding companies and training centres in Denmark, The Netherlands, and Germany, with involvement from other European countries, including Belgium, Ireland, and Poland.
Professor Linda Clarke, Dr Fernando Duran-Palma from ProBE, and Kevin Williamson from Unite the Union visited the CISRS-approved centre to witness the high-quality training and practices in the UK scaffolding industry.
Their findings will be incorporated into their final report, which will help shape the future of scaffolding across Europe.
As part of the project, the research team will also examine the role of women within the scaffolding sector. They have been connected with Vicky Welch, currently working offshore for Stork, and Sarah Klieve, Business Director with High Peak Scaffolding, to gain insights into the experiences and challenges faced by women in the industry.
Dave Mosley expressed his support for the research project, stating, “We were aware of this project through our involvement with the European Scaffolding Federation (UEG), and we are happy to support this research and look forward to reading the final report.”
