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Our website is a hugely popular digital scaffolding resource. Launched back in 2009, ScaffMag has grown in popularity to become the industry’s leading source for the latest independent trade news, current affairs, scaffolding jobs and profiling the very best from our sector.
ScaffMag gives businesses and brands an unrivalled opportunity to advertise their products or services 24 hours a day 7 days a week to a highly targeted audience.Our readership includes main and sub-contractors, manufacturers, consultants, scaffolders and many others. We offer print and digital advertising opportunities across desktop, mobile and tablet channels.
During 2023 we welcomed over 250,000 individual users to the site, generating over 760,000 pageviews. We remain amongst our industry the most followed and liked company on social media with more than 132,000 followers on Facebook alone.
– Daniel Norton, Editor of ScaffMag
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As a natural progression for both our loyal readership and our scaffold sector advertising customers, we have launched the ScaffMag magazine – a fresh, slick, modern, vibrant and engaging product to enjoy and to back up our ScaffMag.com community and social media following, which advertisers in the magazine can tap their brand into.Created with both the scaffolder and contractor in mind, The ScaffMag Magazine gives businesses and brands an unrivalled opportunity to advertise their products or services 24:7:365 to a large, rapidly expanding and highly-targeted audience. It’s a unique proposition in digital and print.
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Two men have been seriously injured after steelwork collapsed onto scaffolding erected on a town hall at a construction site in West London.
Dozens of police, fire and ambulance vehicles attended Hammersmith town hall in King Street after the incident at around 5.30pm on Wednesday.
According to reports, both men had suffered ‘life-threatening injuries and were rushed to a major trauma centre “as a priority”.
The Metropolitan police have said the men were taken to a central London hospital, and the Health and Safety Executive had been informed.
A source told Scaffmag: “The steelwork collapsed and took the scaffolding down with it, when the steelwork failed it knocked over the cherry picker the steelworkers were working on.”
It is believed that one of the steel erectors was thrown 30m from the cherry picker and the other was still attached by his harness.
The London ambulance service said: “An investigation has been launched after two men were injured after scaffolding attached to Hammersmith town hall collapsed late on Wednesday afternoon.
“Officers from the Metropolitan police attended along with firefighters.”
Tube-Lock® can revolutionize the way you are designing and erecting scaffolds. By combining simplicity and strength, Tube-Lock holds many benefits over traditional tube and fitting scaffolding.
Tube-Lock® tubes are regular 48,3mm scaffolding tubes, fitted with two cast iron Tube-Lock pieces. Because of the Tube-Lock ends, tubes can be connected with each other by a twisting motion, visibly locking them in place. No tools nor additional parts are required to make or secure the connection.
This provides many advantages.
Because the two tubes can be joined by a twisting motion, it is a fast and easy way to connect tubes together. This leads to faster erection and dismantling times for the entire scaffold.
Furthermore, no additional parts nor tools are needed. No longer needing sleeve couplers and joint pins means that there are no spare parts that need to be transported. Additionally, you don’t have to invest in sleeve couplers and joint pins as you no longer need them.
This also eliminates the risk of sleeve couplers breaking, getting lost or getting stolen. And you don’t have to service the sleeve couplers anymore. Tube-Lock connections are completely maintenance-free.
Another logistical advantage is that Tube-Lock comes in standard lengths from 1 meter or 4ft up to 4 meters or 13ft. Because of this flexibility, it prevents the necessity of cutting the tubes to length.
The maximum length of 4 meters means the maximum weight of a Tube-Lock tube is 16 kg. This leads to less strain on scaffolders, which is essential because of the strict Occupational Health and Safety regulations.
Additionally, there is no need to stagger joints, Tube-Lock is as strong as a continuous tube. The connection may even be submitted to pull force. Using Tube-Lock tubes leads to a smooth tube connection over the full length of the tube. This makes it possible to use couplers anywhere on the tube. Even on the Tube-Lock connection.
Van Thiel United Ltd. can make Tube-Lock tubes out of your (used) scaffolding tube!
In their innovative production facility, they can turn your (used) scaffolding tube to Tube-Lock tubes! This means you can update your own material without enormous investments. Even the repair of existing Tube-Lock stock is possible. And they now offer a special discount on the conversion of your scaffolding tube!
Layher UK is bringing its regional open morning series to Scotland later this month, with an event planned at its Livingston depot.
The free event will take place on Wednesday 24 June 2026 from 10am to 1pm at Layher Ltd, 3 Letham Road, Houstoun Industrial Estate, Livingston.
The company said the morning is open to existing customers, potential customers and wider industry professionals, including scaffolding contractors, main contractors, housebuilders, temporary works engineers and health and safety teams.
Visitors will be able to view a range of demo structures in the depot’s updated demonstration area and speak with Layher staff about product supply, technical support and project planning.
XR demonstration
The event will begin with coffee and bacon rolls from 10am, followed by a SIM2Field XR demonstration at 10.30am.
The app uses augmented reality to bring scaffold drawings into the site environment, giving teams a clearer view of complex designs before work begins on site.
Layher said the demonstration will show how digital tools can support scaffold planning and communication between design teams, site teams and clients.
From 11am to 1pm, visitors will be able to walk through the demo area and see Layher’s core product range.
The company said staff will be available throughout the morning to discuss how its products and support services can be used across different project types.
Free to attend
Layher Livingston will also run a time-limited promotional offer for attendees, with details due to be announced on the day.
Attendance is free, with refreshments included, but spaces are limited.
CCTV footage showing the moment a scaffolder fell through a warehouse roof skylight has been released by the Health and Safety Executive.
The video captures James Cranswick, 26, stepping onto a skylight while working on the roof of a warehouse in Keighley, West Yorkshire.
Seconds later, he falls more than 6 metres through the roof, landing on a pallet truck before hitting the concrete floor below.
Mr Cranswick suffered head lacerations, a broken arm and a broken leg.
HSE described the footage as “harrowing” and said Mr Cranswick was “lucky to be alive”.
Fall happened during edge protection work
Mr Cranswick was working for Clover Access Systems Limited at the time of the incident.
He was part of a team installing temporary scaffolding edge protection at the warehouse unit when the fall happened.
An HSE investigation found that Clover Access Systems Limited and STM360 Limited had failed to properly plan, manage and monitor the work being carried out by scaffolders on the roof.
The regulator said there were no measures in place to prevent workers falling from the edge of the unit or through fragile parts of the roof.
The skylights were described as almost invisible to Mr Cranswick, who was unaware of the fragile elements on the roof.
HSE warns over fragile roof work
HSE said the risks linked to fragile surfaces are well known across construction.
Its roof work guidance sets out a clear hierarchy for those in control of work at height. The first step is to avoid the need to access fragile roofs wherever possible.
Where access cannot be avoided, suitable protection must be used to prevent falls through fragile materials.
Two companies fined
Clover Access Systems Limited pleaded guilty to breaching the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.
The company was fined £26,000 and ordered to pay £2,866 in costs at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on 4 June 2026. HSE said the company is now in liquidation.
STM360 Limited pleaded guilty to breaching the same regulations. It was fined £53,300 and ordered to pay £3,167 in costs.
HSE inspector Shauna Halstead said: “Mr Cranswick is lucky to be alive after this incident.
“His fall was wholly avoidable; the risks associated with work on, or around fragile surfaces are well-known, and HSE guidance is available to assist companies in complying with the law.
“Everyone working in construction should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take enforcement action where roof work is not properly managed, as workers should not be needlessly put in harm’s way.”
NASC contractor members recorded zero operative fatalities in 2025, according to the organisation’s latest Safety Report.
The 2026 NASC Safety Report, published today to coincide with NASC Safety Day, is based on RIDDOR accident data submitted by all NASC contractor members.
The report shows 82 reportable accidents across a combined workforce of 20,168 operatives employed by 332 contractor members.
NASC said this equated to one RIDDOR accident for every 470,000 operative hours worked.
Accident rates remain below 10-year average
The trade body’s Accident Incident Rate stood at 4.07, while its Accident Frequency Rate was 0.21. Both figures remain below the 10-year averages of 5.2 and 0.26 respectively.
The figures come as NASC membership continues to grow. Contractor membership rose to 332 in 2025, while the number of operatives working for NASC contractor members passed 20,000 for the first time.
The report also sets the figures against wider construction safety data. It cites Health and Safety Executive figures showing 35 fatal injuries in construction in 2024/25, the highest number of any industry sector.
Falls from height remained a major concern across construction. According to data referenced in the report from the No Falls Foundation and HSE, falls from height accounted for 35 lives lost in Great Britain in 2025, representing 28% of all workplace fatalities.
Slips and trips now lead accident causes
Within NASC contractor member data, the most common causes of injury were slips and trips on the same level, manual handling, and falls from height.
Slips and trips were the leading cause, with 25 reported incidents in 2025, up from 21 in 2024. Manual handling injuries fell slightly, from 22 to 20. Falls from height involving persons reduced from 19 to 17.
The report said 88.5% of reportable accidents occurred on site, with 11.5% taking place in yards.
Of the 82 RIDDOR accidents involving operatives, 28 were specified injuries and 54 were over-seven-day injuries. Fractures were the most common injury type, occurring in 46% of all RIDDOR accidents.
The report also found that 14 of the 17 falls from height were from under 4m, while 3 were from 4m or above. The highest reported fall was 22m. One further fall from a scaffold was arrested by a safety harness.
Mark Collinson, Head of Technical at NASC, said recording zero operative fatalities among contractor members was an “encouraging outcome”, particularly as the contractor member workforce had grown to record levels.
“These results reflect NASC members’ commitment to recognised best-practice guidance, investment in competence and high standards on site,” he said.
“But safety is never something we can take for granted. Every RIDDOR affects a person, a family and a workforce. The report gives us useful insight, but what matters most is how we act on it: identifying trends, improving guidance, sharing learning and supporting members to keep improving.”
NASC Group CEO Clive Dickin said the report reflected decades of work by members, committees, clients, training partners and the wider industry.
“There is no room for complacency,” he said. “Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities in our country, and the sector must keep raising standards.”
Smaller firms record higher accident ratio
The report said smaller and medium-sized contractors continued to account for a higher proportion of RIDDOR reports relative to workforce size.
It said companies with between 1 and 200 operatives contributed around 50% more RIDDOR accident reports than would be expected based on their share of the workforce. Larger companies, particularly those with more than 200 operatives, reported proportionally fewer incidents.
The report suggested this may reflect differences in management structure, with larger companies more likely to have dedicated safety teams, greater resources and higher levels of supervision.
Alan Harris, chair of NASC’s Health and Safety Committee, said training support remained a priority, particularly as smaller companies continued to join the organisation.
He said NASC would maintain focus on manual handling, slips and trips, and falls from height, while placing renewed attention on falling materials during 2026.
The Safety Report has been published alongside NASC Safety Day, which brings together member companies, safety professionals and industry experts for talks, demonstrations and discussion.
NASC said feedback from the event will help inform the next phase of its safety guidance.
The future location of ScaffChamp is unclear after key figures behind the international scaffolding competition moved on from Layher Baltic.
This year’s event in Vilnius closed after another successful competition, with 19 teams taking part across 2 rounds in front of sponsors, suppliers and supporters from across the scaffolding industry.
ScaffChamp has become closely linked with Lithuania and the team at Layher Baltic, who have helped turn it into one of Europe’s most visible international scaffolding competitions.
Oleg Abramov, another central driving figure connected with ScaffChamp, is also due to leave Layher Baltic in the near future.
Speaking to Scaffmag during this year’s event, both Voroncov and Abramov said they did not yet know what was planned for ScaffChamp 2027.
Andrius Mikenas, Layher Baltic’s new general manager, said he was confident the event would continue, but confirmed that the final decision rests with Layher Germany.
“The event will continue for sure,” he told Scaffmag. “The question is where.”
Mikenas said Layher Germany controls the ScaffChamp brand and would decide where the next competition is held.
He said it was “hard to say” what would happen in 2027, but added that feedback from Layher representatives at this year’s event had left him confident the competition would continue.
Poland and Germany discussed
Scaffmag understands that Poland and Germany have both been discussed as possible future host countries.
A source familiar with discussions around the event said ScaffChamp was expected to take place next year, but suggested it may not return to Vilnius. The source said Poland or Germany were likely options.
Mikenas also confirmed that Poland had previously been considered as a possible host before the decision was made to hold the 2026 event in Lithuania.
He said moving ScaffChamp to another country would require knowledge and support to be transferred, with local partner companies needing time to prepare.
That could keep Lithuania in the conversation.
Several support companies involved in the Vilnius event already understand the format and have experience helping deliver it. Asked whether he would like ScaffChamp to return to Lithuania, Mikenas said he would be happy to host it again.
He also suggested Abramov could continue to support the event after leaving Layher Baltic, potentially through a subcontracted role.
ScaffChamp has built a strong following because it gives working scaffolders a rare public platform.
Teams are judged on safety, speed, accuracy and teamwork as they complete a timed scaffold build in front of an industry audience.
This year’s competition included teams from Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Ireland, Türkiye, Mongolia, Greece, the Czech Republic, Italy, Peru, Romania, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Canada.
For competitors, the event is a chance to represent their country, employer and trade on an international stage.
For Layher, the decision now is whether to keep ScaffChamp in Lithuania, where the support network is already in place, or take the competition to another country under the ScaffChamp brand.
No formal announcement has yet been made on the 2027 event.
Stepup Octo ApS has announced a new partnership with Danish scaffolding specialist SST ApS to widen access to its OCTO scaffolding system across Denmark.
Under the agreement, SST will supply Stepup OCTO equipment for both resale and hire. The deal gives Danish contractors a local route to the system, backed by SST’s market knowledge and customer base.
SST was founded in 2009 and has built its business around scaffolding sector supply and support. By adding OCTO to its range, the company said it aims to give customers wider access to a flexible system with local service behind it.
Stepup said the agreement forms part of its wider European growth plans. The two businesses will work together on sales, leasing and customer account development in Denmark.
The companies said demand for higher-performance scaffolding systems in Denmark is rising as contractors place more focus on efficiency, safety and reliable supply.
Stepup and SST are also investing in production planning, stock availability and operational capacity. The aim is to improve delivery performance and reduce the risk of supply delays.
The release said expanded investment will increase warehouse and service capacity during 2026, giving Danish customers more consistent product availability.
Stepup also plans to introduce its own RINGLOCK product range to the Danish market. The move would give customers access to a wider product range from the same supply base.
Mike McAnnally, CEO of Stepup, said the agreement would help strengthen the OCTO platform in Denmark.
“By working with SST, we can support customers more closely, respond faster to market needs and create the right conditions for continued growth,” he said.
Nicholas Morgan, Managing Director UK & Europe, said the collaboration would help Stepup serve Danish customers with reliable supply and a clear long-term commitment.
“It also supports our wider strategy to expand Stepup’s presence across key European markets,” he said.
The move is another sign of manufacturers and suppliers placing more weight on local stock, hire availability and country-level support as European contractors look for more certainty in system scaffold supply.
Authorities in the German state of Hesse have launched a week-long scaffold safety inspection campaign after previous checks found that only 21% of construction sites fully met required safety measures.
The targeted inspections are taking place across Hesse from 8 to 12 June and involve the regional administrations in Gießen, Darmstadt and Kassel.
The move forms part of a wider campaign by Germany’s Joint Occupational Safety and Health Strategy, known as GDA, which is focused on reducing fall accidents in construction.
Falls remain one of the biggest risks facing construction workers in Germany. According to Hesse officials, falls accounted for 31% of fatal workplace accidents in the country between 2009 and 2023.
Inspectors are expected to focus on both technical and organisational failings linked to scaffolding. Previous checks found a high level of non-compliance, including missing assembly instructions and scaffolds being altered incorrectly on site.
Dr Katherina Rüping, deputy head of the construction occupational safety department at the Kassel regional administration, said accidents continue to occur where scaffolds are built incorrectly or are not properly secured.
The campaign follows several years of information, advice and monitoring work aimed at improving fall prevention on German construction sites.
For scaffold contractors, the findings point to a familiar problem: safety failures often sit between the scaffold handover, site management and later unauthorised changes made during use.
The German action will be watched by safety bodies across Europe, where falls from height remain a major cause of death and serious injury in construction. Eurostat data shows construction accounted for 24% of all fatal workplace accidents in the EU in 2023.
The Hesse campaign is expected to put site managers, employers and scaffold users under closer scrutiny, with inspectors aiming to address unsafe conditions while they are on site.
RNDV has been crowned ScaffChamp 2026 champion after winning the international scaffolding competition for the second year running.
The team retained the title in Vilnius, Lithuania, after completing this year’s scaffold build against a field of 19 international teams.
Judges assessed speed, safety, accuracy and workmanship, with teams also facing time penalties for any faults found during inspection.
The result brought the 2026 event to a close after 2 days of competition, industry networking and live demonstrations at the ScaffChamp arena.
This year’s contest opened on Friday with team presentations, the official draw and the reveal of the structure that competitors would have to build on competition day.
The draw placed the teams into 2 rounds.
Round 1 began with RNDV, followed by Stabil, N-Projects, Scaff-Tech, A-Team, Skyline Scaffolding, Team Türkiye, NBIK, Muehlhan and MTL Group.
Round 2 brought Teknopont, Talim, AlpAccess, AK Scaffolding, Air Tek Group, Bilfinger, Gerüstbau Samiez, Volken Group and Groupe Vermeren into the arena.
Competition day saw each team race to complete the required scaffold structure before dismantling it safely and cleanly.
Times were then reviewed alongside any faults or penalties identified by the referees.
RNDV finished with a final time of 02:05:08, securing victory ahead of Bilfinger in second place and Volken Group in third.
The result gives RNDV back-to-back ScaffChamp titles and confirms the team’s place as one of the standout competitors in the event’s recent history.
The 2026 structure quickly became one of the main talking points around the arena.
Several teams were unable to complete the build within the allotted time, with the technical demands catching out even experienced competitors.
One competitor told Scaffmag the structure was “one of the most technical ScaffChamp builds we’ve seen, with very little margin for error once you got behind on the sequence”.
Event organisers had not expected the build to catch out as many teams as it did, with the final standings shaped by completion, accuracy and penalty control as much as outright speed.
One of the most closely watched teams was A-Team, a young squad made up entirely of apprentices from Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The team received eight minute penalty from the judges, but provided strong result in a contest where accuracy mattered as much as pace.
But they were unable to complete the build within the time limit.
Their performance still drew attention around the arena, with the apprentices keeping their standards under pressure against experienced international teams.
The weather also played its part across the 2 days.
Wet conditions affected parts of the event, including the opening day, but the rain did not stop the draw, briefings and partner activities from going ahead.
By Saturday afternoon, the sun came out for Round 2, giving the arena a very different feel as the second group of teams began their build. However, the brighter conditions did not make the structure any easier.
Speaking after the result, one spectator watching from the arena said: “The build looked incredibly technical this year and you could see teams having to think through every move. Even when things weren’t going to plan, the atmosphere was brilliant. The crowd stayed engaged all day and there was a real sense of respect for what the teams were trying to achieve.”
ScaffChamp brings together scaffolders from across Europe and beyond, giving teams the chance to compete under pressure in front of industry figures, suppliers and supporters.
For competitors, the event is also a rare chance to show the skill, judgement and discipline involved in scaffolding to a wider audience.
The 2026 competition again drew teams from across the international scaffolding community, with competitors travelling to Lithuania to test themselves against some of the best in the trade.
Scaffmag covered the event from Vilnius, with updates, images and reaction from the arena throughout the 2 days.
More reaction from the winning team and organisers will follow.
After Friday’s team draw and structure briefing, competitors are now putting planning into practice as they take on the scaffold build challenge that will decide this year’s champion.
The competition day follows a wet opening programme on Friday, when teams were introduced, the running order was confirmed and the build design was revealed to competitors.
This year’s competition is split across 2 rounds.
Round 1 begins with RNDV from Lithuania, followed by Stabil Épít? from Hungary, N-Projects from Poland, Scaff-Tech from Poland, A-Team from Scotland and Northern Ireland, Skyline Scaffolding from Ireland, Team Türkiye, NBIK from Mongolia, Muehlhan from Greece and MTL Group from the Czech Republic.
Round 2 will feature Teknopont from Italy, Talim from Peru, AlpAccess from Romania, AK Scaffolding from the United Kingdom, Air Tek Group from Spain, Bilfinger from Germany, Gerüstbau Samiez from Germany, Volken Group from Switzerland and Groupe Vermeren from Canada.
For the UK industry, attention will be on AK Scaffolding, which enters the arena in Round 2.
The teams are being judged on more than speed. Accuracy, safety, teamwork and clean execution all matter, with referees inspecting the structures and applying time penalties where errors are found.
The scaffold design, revealed during Friday’s briefing, includes several sections and working levels including a roof, giving teams a technical task that will test planning and communication as well as pace.
ScaffChamp has become one of the few international events where working scaffolders compete directly in front of an industry audience.
The format puts practical skill at the centre of the event, with teams required to build quickly while still meeting the standards expected on site.
Scaffmag is in Vilnius covering the competition throughout the day through its live blog, website and magazine.
ScaffChamp 2026 opens today in Vilnius, with the team draw and the reveal of tomorrow’s build task set to be the main focus of day 1.
Scaffmag is on the ground in Lithuania and will be running a live blog throughout the event, bringing updates, photos and reaction from inside the venue.
The opening day is largely about setting the stage for tomorrow’s competition, when teams from across the world will be tested on speed, safety, planning and scaffold craft.
Over the next few days, we’ll be your eyes and ears on the ground, providing real-time updates, exclusive interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights into the competitions, innovations, and industry discussions that make ScaffChamp 2026 a must-follow event.
HAKI Safety has signed an agreement to acquire selected operations of Combisafe, the fall protection brand best known for temporary edge protection and catchfan systems used on construction and infrastructure projects.
The deal is expected to complete at the start of the third quarter of 2026.
The acquisition will see HAKI take on selected Combisafe assets, including the brand, product portfolio, patent and design rights, customer relationships and certain operating assets. Operations and staff will transfer to HAKI Safety.
The purchase price is USD 2m, around £1.5m, for the net assets. The sellers will also contribute around USD 2m, again about £1.5m, to cover possible change-related costs.
Combisafe is currently owned by PIP Global Safety. It has annual turnover of about SEK 80m, around £6.4m, and employs more than 30 people across 6 countries. Its products are sold in about 20 countries.
HAKI said the deal will broaden its work zone safety offer and increase its presence in Europe. Combisafe’s product range includes edge protection and catchfans used to protect workers and the public on high-rise, public building, renovation and infrastructure schemes.
Sverker Lindberg, President and CEO of HAKI Safety, said the acquisition would give the group access to more markets and make it “a real player in the European fall protection market”.
He said: “It is with great confidence that I look forward to welcoming Combisafe to the HAKI Safety family. We have previously acquired fall protection companies and therefore find it very gratifying to acquire the Swedish pioneering company, with its unique product portfolio and brand.”
But HAKI has also acknowledged the work needed to improve the business. Combisafe has been unprofitable for the past few years.
Lindberg said: “It is evident that the company has challenges with its profitability. But we know the products and see the synergies. Once the acquisition is completed, we will immediately begin extracting both sales and product synergies. Our ambition is a fast integration process and to regain profitability in this fine business within a short time.”
Curt Holtz, CEO of PIP Global Safety, said Combisafe had a “rich history” but edge protection was no longer central to PIP’s strategy.
He said: “This brand is a good fit for the HAKI Safety team, and we believe they will be the right owner going forward.”
Combisafe was founded in Sweden in 1987 and has changed ownership several times since 2008. HAKI Safety has already bought other fall protection businesses linked to the same market, including Vertemax in 2021 and Novakorp Systems in 2022.
Those companies now sit within HAKI’s Work Zone Safety business area under the HAKI brand.