The NASC has won the Crisis Management – Covid Member Support (Large Associations) award at this year’s Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards.
The category was open to trade associations that moved quickly and effectively to safeguard and support their members and the wider sector the association represents throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.
The NASC’s entry focused on the various ways in which the Confederation attempted to keep scaffolding industry businesses up-to-date and informed, including the creation and distribution of daily Covid-19 e-bulletins, the establishment of a dedicated Coronavirus News section of its website, and the production and dissemination of free to download Guidance for Scaffolding Operations During the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic and an associated Toolbox Talk.
Robin James, NASC Managing Director, said: “We are absolutely over the moon to have been presented with this award. It’s a great tribute to a collective effort, and demonstrates the excellent support which the NASC has provided to its members during the pandemic.“During the first few months of the pandemic there was a lot of often complex information being announced and implemented by Government on an almost daily basis. “The NASC team worked tirelessly to communicate this information to members and the scaffolding industry at large in a clear and effective way, enabling businesses to make important commercial decisions with confidence. The team also worked proactively to support the scaffolding industry, producing its Guidance for Scaffolding Operations During the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic and Toolbox Talk of the same name, and regularly reviewing and updating these resources as Government guidance changed.“As the trade body for access and scaffolding in the UK, keeping members and indeed non-members informed of ever-changing rules and Government support schemes during the Covid-19 pandemic was of paramount importance to us. I am delighted with how the team stepped up for its members and the scaffolding industry during this unprecedented and extremely challenging period.”
Weather experts are warning the whole of the UK will be affected by extremely strong and damaging winds today.
Following yesterdays rare red weather warning for the coastline of Devon, Cornwall and the south coast of Wales, the Met Office this morning issued a second red warning for the East of England including London.
The new warning will be in place from 10am to 3pm this afternoon.
Many in the industry are being urged to stay at home by bosses as the approaching storm Eunice could be among the UK’s worst in 30 years.
The Met Office fears “significant gusts” could lead to flying debris endangering lives, power lines being brought down, and roofs being blown off homes.
A red warning means “dangerous weather is expected” with it “very likely that there will be a risk to life, with substantial disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure”.
People are being advised to avoid non-essential travel today.
Work at height safety training and temporary safety systems brand, G&M Group has created a brand new stairwell void cover and hatch system –MAP Modular Access Platform Safety System – in response to a series of costly industry accidents.
The all-new G&M MAP – Modular Access Platform – Safety System has been specifically designed for use in stair voids in residential and commercial construction projects; to avoid further injury and loss of life caused by a series of serious accidents in recent years.
In 2018, three bricklayers fell 2.5m onto a concrete floor, as a temporary stairwell cover gave way, leading to life-changing injuries for all three and a £213,332 fine for a leading housebuilder.
The HSE reported that the site did not have a robust enough system in place to ensure the temporary stairwell cover was clearly identified as a temporary working platform.
This is just one of several high personal and financial cost incidents in the UK construction scene alone, resulting in life-changing work at height injuries and potentially even death.
And after a near miss on one of the housing sites involving their own operatives over a stairwell void, safety-driven work at height providing family firm, G&M, said enough was enough.
They have now used their product development skills – famous for bringing the market-leading G&M Safe Deck working platform and other top temporary safety systems to the market – to develop the all-new G&M MAP Safety System.
Designed to be a safe, strong and stable platform over stair voids, the new G&M MAP System offers:
A unique flush fitting design, removing the tripping hazard caused with other stairwell covers that sit on top of the opening.
Savings on the waste and cost of installing sacrificial joists and flooring over stairwell openings.
A robust system that can be loaded to 2.0kN/m2.
Telescopic Joists: Typically three telescopic beams are screwed in place to support the decking panels. This ensures that the platform is securely fitted and level with the floor.
Use in a wide range of stairwell sizes from between 2-4m long and between any width. It is also suitable for use in L shaped stairwells. And openings next to party walls are no problem as the system is recessed into the stairwell void.
Ability to be fixed in place to prevent accidental dislodgement or removal.
Easy installation – by one man in as little as 10 mins – within manual handling regulations.
An incorporated access hatch within the system – allowing all trades to access floors and allowing materials to be passed up with safety and ease.
The G&M MAP Safety System can be installed at the earliest stages of construction – directly after the joists and other load bearing members have been installed – and can then be used in conjunction with ladders or other temporary access stairs systems.
Additionally, access hatches in the platform can be configured as required to allow full or partial access for operative and materials, working alongside another key safety system product; G&M Safety Decking Hatch. And additional platform panels can also be easily removed to accommodate access for larger or irregularly shaped equipment or materials.
And the new, lightweight, modular G&M MAP Safety System offers incredible versatility, making it suitable for use and re-use on wide range of construction projects.
G&M Group Managing Director, Mark Pickles said: “The MAP Safety System has been born out of an urgent need to stop accidents and injuries occurring on construction site temporary stairwells. People are going to be losing their lives and are already suffering horrible, life-affecting injuries from unnecessary falls from height on building sites.“Even with all our decades of safety training and highly skilled operatives, we came close to having an accident on a site recently – so something had to be done.“The answer was to use our safety and construction know-how combined with our expertise in manufacturing temporary safety systems for work at height – creating a perfectly designed product to eliminate the risk of falling through a stairwell void.“G&M MAP System is the only multi-configurable system that can be installed flush into the stairwell void eliminating the use of sacrificial joist and beams. The standard telescopic beams can be installed into any sized void from 2.2-3.4m – by just one operative. And the G&M boards are then placed onto the beam flush to the floor eliminating any trip hazard and enabling any decking system to be installed on top. It’s a brilliantly safe design that is cost-effective and easy to install.”
Other hatch system products are available on the market for this fall from height issue, but G&M’s system is stronger, safer and more advanced, needs no back prop for strength or board spacers for unevenness (as G&M system is more robust and sits flush to the floor) and has the highest load class. And crucially, rival systems sit between 50 and 70mm above the floor height, causing trip hazards – the main cause of accidents and injuries in scaffolding and work at height.
Get those scaffolds checked: The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning as the UK braces itself for 100mph winds.UPDATE: Met Office issues second RED weather warning as high winds hit the UK.
The most severe weather warning has been issued for the coastline of Devon and Cornwall as well as the south coast of Wales amid fears that the approaching storm Eunice could be among the UK’s worst in 30 years.
The high alert which is in force for tomorrow (18 Feb) comes after the Met Office upgraded its “danger to life” amber alert covering almost the whole of England.
Forecasters fear strong winds could hit 100mph in some parts of the country and may endanger lives, tear roofs from houses and bring down power lines and scaffolding.
The Met Office said a red warning means “dangerous weather is expected” with it “very likely that there will be a risk to life, with substantial disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure”.
People are also advised to avoid travelling where possible.
Phoenix Brickwork’s scaffolding division continues to grow after winning a £1.2M scaffolding contract in Birmingham.BMH Scaffolding, part of the Phoenix Brickwork group of companies, has recently started work on a new, £1.2m contract win to supply extensive scaffolding services for a major new residential project in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Within a week of the appointment, teams from BMH Scaffolding began installation on this huge residential and retail block, to ensure that the full structure would be ready for the next phase.
The scaffolding element is scheduled to take 52 weeks of the overall 138-week construction plan and is challenging in both timings and scale.
The project involves in excess of 1000 tonnes of independent scaffolding with loading bays and stair towers, installed up to 18 storeys high.
BMH Scaffolding’s site manager, Kevin Mee, said “With a project of this size, it’s important to make a fast and efficient start. Our expert team of almost two dozen scaffolders is already delivering impressive progress in all areas, to make sure that multiple elevations are ready, in time for the next stages of construction.”
Phoenix Brickworks’ Chairman, Christian Watson, celebrates this impressive new win for his group; “This is yet another terrific win for BMH Scaffolding, part of the Phoenix Brickwork group of companies, demonstrating the breadth and depth of our offering to main contractors, and our ability to handle ever-larger projects.“Our growth across the country continues from North to South, despite the challenges of Covid restrictions, and is testament to the quality, expertise and industry knowledge of our workforce.”
With a turnover now exceeding £25m, Phoenix Brickwork is fast becoming a key player in the national sub-contracting landscape.
ScaffFloat has expanded overseas after launching its first scaffolding pontoon in Australia through one of its local partners, AEG Group.
Perth based Access Engineering Group is the first scaffold firm in Australia to become an Approved Partner of the patented system that allows pontoons, barges and workboats to be built from standard scaffold components.
The firm last week launched an 8m x 4m ScaffFloat pontoon with a submerged access shelf cantilevered off the end to give bespoke access to their client who is carrying out maintenance works Barrack Street Jetty and needs access above and below the water.
Access Engineering Group offer services throughout Australia and the Pacific Rim Region, both on and offshore and has over 24 years of trading in the industry.
They approached ScaffFloat and applied to be an Approved Provider as they undertake projects in domestic and commercial construction, as well as utilities and infrastructure and could see that ScaffFloat would be of use to their clients.
Damian Beausang, MD of AEG group said ”We have had a number of other enquiries for ScaffFloat in Australia and we expect this to be the first of many jobs where we provide safe floating access. In this case the client, Elite Concrete Protection and Repairs have said they are delighted with the bespoke access for their planned works, in particular how safe it is for the works close to the water. And at the end of the day that’s what it’s all about – happy customers saving time and money”
The ScaffFloat system is designed to integrate with the world’s most popular scaffold systems, including 450 and 750 lattice beams made by Apollo, Generation/Altrad, Layher and Haki. It is the versatility and compatibility that is feeding it’s growth overseas with floats in or on their way to Cyprus, Malta, Singapore, Australia & Ireland and growing enquiries from a number of other markets.
Toby Budd, MD of ScaffFloat added: ”We are delighted to have Damian and Access Engineering Group onboard and this first commercial job is a great start. It’s a real milestone that proves the ScaffFloat system is no longer limited to UK shores. We are now looking at starting manufacture in country so we can supply higher numbers of floats for other projects down under in the pipeline.’’
The smallest pontoons start at 3m x 3m and can scale to almost any size and shape with a 16m x 6.4m self-propelled pontoon with 12m spuds recently used for a 15t dive spread for UXO works on the Thames.
Uses for ScaffFloat™ span several sectors including survey, drilling, geotechnical, renewables, oil & gas, civils, events, military, disaster relief as well as safe floating access.
21% of construction employees have experienced bullying in the last year with almost 3 in 10 saying the bullying was just labelled as ‘banter’. Industry workers have reported high levels of stress, anxiety and depression as a result.
Poor mental health in the construction industry has reached an all-time high, with over half of UK construction workers reporting mental health issues in the last year. According to the findings from a nationwide survey, 1 in 5 construction workers have been impacted by bullying alone in the last year.
The Mental Health in the Construction Industry survey, found that only 7% of workers raised feelings of poor mental health with their HR team. Shockingly, when issues were raised, only 6% said they had sufficient mental health support.
The data was collected by London plant hire specialists Herts Tools, who surveyed employees from 88 construction companies in the UK, to highlight the impacts of poor mental health in the industry.
With the construction and trades industries traditionally leaning towards ‘manning up’ or ‘cracking on’ as solutions to mental health issues, the findings suggest this attitude is still very much present.
50% of workers between the ages 21-24 were found to be the worst affected by bullying labelled as ‘banter’.
Workers surveyed also noted that the industry could improve its approach to confidentiality, with 56% of bullied employees wanting more privacy on issues raised. Even those who hadn’t personally been subject to bullying felt more could be done to improve confidentiality around sensitive, personal issues (36%).
Stefano Lobban, Director at Herts Tools, said: “The UK construction industry is still experiencing a mental health crisis: workers continue to demonstrate a ‘suck it up and deal with it’ approach to poor mental health. “The findings from our survey highlight that workplaces could be doing more. They could encourage workers suffering to come forward and share their experiences of poor mental health issues and/or bullying by having more confidentiality measures in place. Companies could look at investing in workplace surveys, private spaces and more wellbeing measures, to give workers the opportunity to share any personal issues in a safe and supportive environment.“We just hope that companies take these new figures as a warning and address their own workplace culture so that these difficult and sensitive issues can be discussed.”Kasia Richter, Founder at Wellbeing Strategist, said: “Harmless joking is when it is enjoyed by both parties. Banter can be a way of creating bonds by sharing experiences and exchanging thoughts and feelings in a way that is mutually accepted. Bullying starts when boundaries of respect are crossed and certain behaviour is harmful, causing negative feelings such as emotional pain, sorrow, guilt or shame.”
Where can construction workers seek professional support?
Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity
The charity has been delivering charitable welfare and support to the construction community since 1956. The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is funded by the industry, for the industry.https://www.constructionindustryhelpline.com/
Mates in Mind
Mates in Mind is a leading UK charity raising awareness and addressing the stigma of poor mental health. We promote and lead on the development of positive mental wellbeing within the workplace. Mates in Mind works across industries, focusing on construction, as well as related sectors, including transport, logistics, manufacturing, and others.https://www.matesinmind.org/This article was first published in the ScaffMag Magazine Issue 15
Engineering and maintenance firm Bilfinger UK has secured a major contract in the North Sea that will create 300 new roles in scaffolding and rope access.
The contract will see Bilfinger UK deliver fabric maintenance services at TotalEnergies’ Elgin and Franklin platforms located in the UK Central North Sea.
The deal supports a 270-day campaign on the installations and will start in March 2022, creating 300 fixed-term positions. Bilfinger will provide fabric maintenance, rope access and over 50 new scaffolding personnel.
Mike Henderson, business development and commercial director at Bilfinger UK, said: “We’ve supported TotalEnergies to operate and maintain its North Sea assets for more than a decade.“This new contract win is testament to the strong relationship we’ve built with the operator’s team over this period, and to the skills and expertise within Bilfinger for successfully delivering critical offshore projects. We’re proud to be part of the team helping to extend the life of these offshore assets.”
The contract win follows Bilfinger commencing a five-year inspection contract for TotalEnergies’ Danish North Sea assets in July 2021.
Aberdeen-based Bilfinger Salamis UK now trades under the new Bilfinger UK brand following its merger with Warrington-based Bilfinger UK on 1st January 2022.
The merger, combining the onshore and offshore capabilities of the two businesses, forms one of the UK’s largest integrated services contractors, with 4,500 employees during peak periods and 14 onshore locations across the UK’s key industrial hubs.
Workers including scaffolders at a construction firm are to receive several thousand pounds after they were dismissed without any consultation in July 2019.
A total of 73 former employees of Focus (MDC) in Whitehaven, Cumbria have received the protective award from an employment tribunal (ET).
A spokesperson from Unite the Union said on Thursday, February 3, that they welcomed the 90-day protective award for the failure by the company to consult on the redundancies as it went into liquidation.
The firm had provided construction workers, such as scaffolders and joiners, for the Sellafield site.
As the award will be paid by the government and capped at eight weeks pay, the former employees can expect several thousand pounds, which will be taxed, depending on personal circumstances.
Unite regional officer Ryan Armstrong said: “This is a classic case of the benefits of being a member of a trade union in tough times. Standing collectively, we can reach awards and settlements that would be immensely difficult for individuals to achieve by themselves. “Our members at Focus (MDC) were treated in a shabby way by the management and we are pleased that this has been rightly recognised by an employment tribunal.”
The TRAD Group has presented The Royal British Legion, MIND and MS Society with cheques for £25,000 each, following a year of fundraising in 2021.
TRAD Group, one of the UK’s leading scaffolding groups, presented its three 50th anniversary charities with cheques for £25,000 this week. The charities, which were chosen by staff, were the focus of the Group’s 50th anniversary year charity fundraising, and TRAD reached its target of £75,000 before Christmas, thanks to the generosity of staff, customers and the wider construction community.
“It was an absolute pleasure to be involved with these fantastic charities during our 50th anniversary year,” says Des Moore, CEO of TRAD Group.
“The whole group got involved, and we learned a lot about ourselves and what we were prepared to do to raise money for good causes – our incredible staff ran, cycled, walked, climbed and much more to get us to our ambitious target of £75,000.”
The cheques, which were presented at an event on February 8th, divided the money equally between the three charities. MIND, which works on a regional basis, is splitting its £25,000 between the regions related to TRAD’s depots and Head Office in Kent, Andover, Stockport, Leeds, Glasgow, Birmingham and London. The MS Society, chosen because of links with some TRAD staff members, will support its important research into Multiple Sclerosis, along with the support it offers to those with MS and their families.
“We are very grateful to TRAD for the considerable efforts their staff have made to raise such a fantastic amount of money for the Poppy Appeal,” said Greenhithe Royal British Legion Branch Treasurer, David Mote. “The Poppy Appeal is the Royal British Legion’s biggest annual fundraising campaign in November, during the period of Remembrance, but we try to raise money all year round. This generous donation will support those still serving and those who have previously served in any war where the UK has been involved.”
TRAD is now working towards its charity scheme for this year “22 for 22”, where the Group will be raising money for the Anthony Nolan Trust, in memory of John Paterson, previously Managing Director at TRAD Hire & Sales for many years, and who sadly passed away in June 2021.
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Designed to be a safe, strong and stable platform over stair voids, the new G&M MAP System offers:
The G&M MAP Safety System can be installed at the earliest stages of construction – directly after the joists and other load bearing members have been installed – and can then be used in conjunction with ladders or other temporary access stairs systems.
Additionally, access hatches in the platform can be configured as required to allow full or partial access for operative and materials, working alongside another key safety system product; G&M Safety Decking Hatch. And additional platform panels can also be easily removed to accommodate access for larger or irregularly shaped equipment or materials.
And the new, lightweight, modular G&M MAP Safety System offers incredible versatility, making it suitable for use and re-use on wide range of construction projects.
Designed to be a safe, strong and stable platform over stair voids, the new G&M MAP System offers:
The G&M MAP Safety System can be installed at the earliest stages of construction – directly after the joists and other load bearing members have been installed – and can then be used in conjunction with ladders or other temporary access stairs systems.
Additionally, access hatches in the platform can be configured as required to allow full or partial access for operative and materials, working alongside another key safety system product; G&M Safety Decking Hatch. And additional platform panels can also be easily removed to accommodate access for larger or irregularly shaped equipment or materials.
And the new, lightweight, modular G&M MAP Safety System offers incredible versatility, making it suitable for use and re-use on wide range of construction projects.
BMH Scaffolding’s site manager, Kevin Mee, said “With a project of this size, it’s important to make a fast and efficient start. Our expert team of almost two dozen scaffolders is already delivering impressive progress in all areas, to make sure that multiple elevations are ready, in time for the next stages of construction.”
Phoenix Brickworks’ Chairman, Christian Watson, celebrates this impressive new win for his group; “This is yet another terrific win for BMH Scaffolding, part of the Phoenix Brickwork group of companies, demonstrating the breadth and depth of our offering to main contractors, and our ability to handle ever-larger projects.
“Our growth across the country continues from North to South, despite the challenges of Covid restrictions, and is testament to the quality, expertise and industry knowledge of our workforce.”
With a turnover now exceeding £25m, Phoenix Brickwork is fast becoming a key player in the national sub-contracting landscape. 
BMH Scaffolding’s site manager, Kevin Mee, said “With a project of this size, it’s important to make a fast and efficient start. Our expert team of almost two dozen scaffolders is already delivering impressive progress in all areas, to make sure that multiple elevations are ready, in time for the next stages of construction.”
Phoenix Brickworks’ Chairman, Christian Watson, celebrates this impressive new win for his group; “This is yet another terrific win for BMH Scaffolding, part of the Phoenix Brickwork group of companies, demonstrating the breadth and depth of our offering to main contractors, and our ability to handle ever-larger projects.
“Our growth across the country continues from North to South, despite the challenges of Covid restrictions, and is testament to the quality, expertise and industry knowledge of our workforce.”
With a turnover now exceeding £25m, Phoenix Brickwork is fast becoming a key player in the national sub-contracting landscape. 
The ScaffFloat system is designed to integrate with the world’s most popular scaffold systems, including 450 and 750 lattice beams made by Apollo, Generation/Altrad, Layher and Haki. It is the versatility and compatibility that is feeding it’s growth overseas with floats in or on their way to Cyprus, Malta, Singapore, Australia & Ireland and growing enquiries from a number of other markets.
Toby Budd, MD of ScaffFloat added: ”We are delighted to have Damian and Access Engineering Group onboard and this first commercial job is a great start. It’s a real milestone that proves the ScaffFloat system is no longer limited to UK shores. We are now looking at starting manufacture in country so we can supply higher numbers of floats for other projects down under in the pipeline.’’
The smallest pontoons start at 3m x 3m and can scale to almost any size and shape with a 16m x 6.4m self-propelled pontoon with 12m spuds recently used for a 15t dive spread for UXO works on the Thames.
Uses for ScaffFloat™ span several sectors including survey, drilling, geotechnical, renewables, oil & gas, civils, events, military, disaster relief as well as safe floating access. 
The ScaffFloat system is designed to integrate with the world’s most popular scaffold systems, including 450 and 750 lattice beams made by Apollo, Generation/Altrad, Layher and Haki. It is the versatility and compatibility that is feeding it’s growth overseas with floats in or on their way to Cyprus, Malta, Singapore, Australia & Ireland and growing enquiries from a number of other markets.
Toby Budd, MD of ScaffFloat added: ”We are delighted to have Damian and Access Engineering Group onboard and this first commercial job is a great start. It’s a real milestone that proves the ScaffFloat system is no longer limited to UK shores. We are now looking at starting manufacture in country so we can supply higher numbers of floats for other projects down under in the pipeline.’’
The smallest pontoons start at 3m x 3m and can scale to almost any size and shape with a 16m x 6.4m self-propelled pontoon with 12m spuds recently used for a 15t dive spread for UXO works on the Thames.
Uses for ScaffFloat™ span several sectors including survey, drilling, geotechnical, renewables, oil & gas, civils, events, military, disaster relief as well as safe floating access. 
Where can construction workers seek professional support?
Where can construction workers seek professional support?
