Yorkshire-based manufacturer, ITP Ltd, has secured a contract to supply scaffold sheeting for the multi-million-pound makeover of Leeds’ most iconic building.
The company’s Powerclad Standard FR system has been installed as a key element in support of major refurbishment at Leeds Town Hall, which is one of the largest town halls in the UK and currently stands as the city’s eighth tallest building.
Originally opened in 1858 by Queen Victoria, the Grade I listed building will benefit from a wide-ranging project to secure its legacy for future generations.
Designed by Page Park Architects, the refurbishment will use specialist decorative artists to carry out the renewal of the original features in the hall alongside the addition of several new features including new seating, enhanced soundproofing, vastly improved public access, additional toilet facilities, two new bars and new event space.
The venue – which saw 340,000 visitors last year – is used to host live music, comedy, film screenings, entertainment and many of the city’s renowned arts and cultural events. The facility is due to reopen in 2022 in time for the 2023 city-wide cultural festival.
Award-winning scaffold company, IBN Scaffold Access Ltd, is using ITP’s Powerclad Standard FR 2.2 sheeting throughout the project to protect the building during its renovation. The product’s certified flame retardant material has been tested to the highest standard by independent regulators and follows all relevant standards and regulations. At Leeds Town Hall, Powerclad sheeting is improving the safety and security of the site while minimising the environmental impact of development work.
David Brown, Managing Director of IBN Scaffold Access Ltd, said: “We have worked with ITP on many major developments and their products and customer service are consistently outstanding. Powerclad will provide robust and reliable containment and protection throughout the timeline of this refurbishment. The product meets the rigorous performance requirements of IBN’s comprehensive quality control program which is designed to deliver customer satisfaction in every project.”
ITP Account Manager, David Gilmore, added: “We are proud to see our sheeting being used to facilitate the rejuvenation of one of Leeds’ most well-known and well-loved buildings. Leeds Town Hall is one of the numerous high-profile projects across the globe which feature our Powerclad systems, which have gained recognition throughout the construction sector for their strength, durability and flame retardancy. Contractors and scaffolding specialists also appreciate the quality of our manufacturing, with total batch traceability, and our ISO 9001 certification which demonstrates the reliability of our services and products.”
CITB boss Steve Radley who holds the position of Director of Policy and Strategic Planning is set to leave CITB in the spring.
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced its Director of Policy and Strategic Planning, Steve Radley, will be leaving the CITB in March 2022.
Steve joined CITB in 2014 and since then has led the company’s engagement with the government and the construction industry to establish an evidence base that has underpinned CITB’s approach for almost eight years.
“It has been a real privilege to be part of CITB for the past eight years,” Steve said.
“During this time, I have had the opportunity to shape how CITB supports the construction industry, using the levy funding more strategically and strengthened our relationship with government and helped to secure key areas of funding and support. I’ve enjoyed working with the many talented people within CITB and our partners. “I joined CITB to make a difference and look forward to seeing the industry continue to grow and thrive.”
Tim Balcon, CITB Chief Executive, added: “Steve has brought to his role significant insight and dedication. He has been instrumental in ensuring CITB has a strong voice around key issues including the outlook for industry skills, migration and NetZero. He also played an instrumental role in CITB’s response to the pandemic.“We wish him all the very best for the future and thank him for all that he has achieved for CITB and the industry.”
Scaffolders employed by Actavo at British Steel in Scunthorpe have voted for more industrial action in 2022.
After 12 weeks of strike action in 2021, 83 per cent of the workers voted in favour of more action in 2022. The scaffolders have agreed to begin continuous strike action beginning on Wednesday 26th January.
In the long-running dispute over the scaffolders pay Unite said Actavo and British Steel need to take responsibility for the ‘mess’ they have created by refusing to apply the national agreement and pay workers the rate for the job.
The scaffolders are in dispute with their employer Actavo (UK). But Unite says that the client, British Steel, must also take responsibility for this long-running dispute.
Problems began in 2019, as a result of the scaffolders not being paid in line with the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI). The rates for the workforce are currently between 10-15 per cent (depending on specific roles) below these rates. The workers maintain 500 scaffolding structures at the British Steel site.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “Both Actavo and British Steel need to take responsibility and sort this mess out. I hope this overwhelming vote for more strike action in 2022 will focus minds and spur the management into action to resolve this dispute.“The employers could have industrial peace in 2022. Or else we are prepared to fight tooth and nail to stop the race to the bottom.”
Unite regional officer Richard Bedford said: “There is an unwavering determination to protect the national agreement and the rate for the job. We call on both British Steel and Actavo to join Unite in tripartite discussions. It’s time to stop passing the buck and for all parties to get around the negotiating table so the scaffolders can get back to work.”
Help Inside the Hard Hat, the latest awareness campaign from the Lighthouse Construction Charity goes on tour on 7th February for a week, to raise awareness of the charitable support services available to the construction industry, allied trades and their families.With their mission that “No construction worker or their family should be alone in a crisis” the tour aims to deliver the message directly to frontline workers along with information about the crucial services that the charity provides.The five-day tour will visit various locations across the Midlands from 7th – 11th February. The charity is asking companies and sites to contact them if they would like a visit from the ‘Hard Hat’ tour team to deliver the charity’s messages directly to those that might need support and there will also be a great range of prizes and freebies up for grabs. To request a visit by the Help Inside the Hard Hat tour, contact Andy Stevens on; Twitter @Andystevenstv Email [email protected]The tour will be hosted by three familiar faces in the construction industry media and loyal supporters of the charity, Andy Stevens from @andystevenstv, Rob Muldoon @myhpodcast and Matt Dunleavy @d5constuctionltd. Their down to earth, relatable approach and first-hand life experiences are a winning combination sure to make the tour a huge success. Bill Hill, CEO of Lighthouse Construction Charity said, “There is a marked increase in suicides within the trades, machine operators and our unskilled labour force. Over 50% of this workforce are either self-employed, agency workers or on zero-hour contracts and are often part of the subcontracted labour force on our construction sites. This suggests that communication about the support services we have available are simply not getting through to these workers and they are the ones that need us the most”.In the UK, two construction workers take their own lives every working day and stress, anxiety and depression account for a fifth of all work-related illnesses. The charity’s ‘Help Inside the Hard Hat’ campaign has already helped to raise vital awareness of poor mental health within the industry. Over 35,000 posters have been downloaded and sites across the country have shared the campaign message on site hoardings. The campaign has also seen the Help Inside the Hard Hat message on vehicles, mobile working platforms and cranes. To find about more about the work and services the charity offers visit :www.Lighthouseclub.orgIf you or anyone you know needs help today you can contact the Construction Industry Helpline 24/7: UK 0345 605 1956 or ROI 1800 939 122For more information and to download free resources visit Help Inside the Hard Hat
Safety & Access Ltd have recently supported AECOR International in a partnership to open yet another international CISRS Training facility.
A virtual online audit took place over the Christmas break with Safety & Access, CISRS and AECOR reviewing the facility and resources. The new centre passed its strict criteria audit and is now able to begin training.
The new facility based in Punjab, Northern India is part of a range of international partnerships for Safety & Access primarily serving the oil and gas industries including CISRS accredited training centres in Nepal, Oman, UAE, Malaysia and Qatar.
Scaffmag understands the UK training firm has further plans to open additional facilities in the Caribbean region soon.
Rick Statham Safety & Access Ltd Director said: “We are delighted to be able to announce the opening of a new international CISRS OSTS Training facility in Punjab, Northern India. This region of India is home to many of the scaffolders that work hard in the Middle East to provide for their families and we are proud to now be able to enhance those job opportunities with internationally recognised training and increased levels of safety whilst adopting industry best practice.”
2022 is set to be a special year for Leach’s.
Not only is 14th January Scaffolder’s Day, but Leach’s will also be kicking off the company’s centenary celebrations as 2022 marks 100 years since Mr Leach founded his original emporium in London and began selling the legendary Leach’s scaffolding spanner.
To mark the occasion, not only are Leach’s offering their traditional monthly goodies and treats, but the team has also put together 100 special deals on some of their most respected scaffolding and construction safety products.
Put the date in your calendar and join Leach’s on Friday 14th January.
Special Scaffolder’s Day Offers for January
LEACH’S GIFT TO YOU – Join the celebrations with a limited edition centennial Leach’s bottle opener + birthday treats, free on every order!
FREE Leach’s Centennial Edition Hoody (orders over £200*)
100 SPECIAL TIMED DEALS from 14th January and throughout the rest of the month including BIGBEN Ultralite Height Safety Helmet, BIGBEN Anchor Test Kit, BIGBEN Black Magic Induction Level, and 20% OFF all BIGBEN Leather Belts and Frogs
*prices do not include VAT
100 Years of Leach’s
According to Leach’s records, Mr Leach opened his first emporium in 1922, originally offering a selection of tools, ironmongery and hardware.
Customer service was important to Mr Leach, and by placing the consumer at the heart of his modest operation, Leach’s quickly grew by word of mouth. As the classic Leach’s spanner became ever more popular, the business carved out a specialist niche in the supply of scaffolding tools.
Before long, scaffolders from across the UK would descend upon Mr Leach’s premises in London to buy the famous Leach’s spanner. Believe it or not, Leach’s, now based in Hereford, still stock a derivation of this original spanner today.
Russell Tennent, Managing Director at Leach’s, said, “The history of this company is incredibly important to us, so we want to celebrate this unique occasion with our staff and wonderful customers.“That’s why we are delighted to share with you our centenary celebrations and are kicking off on Scaffolder’s Day with a great giveaway and lots of excellent deals on our well-loved scaffolding safety products. For every order received on Scaffolder’s Day and for the remainder of the January, we will send you a gift including some extra special surprises. When you receive it, take a picture of you enjoying or wearing it and send it to us. We’d love to see and give a virtual cheers! Keep your eyes peeled for the rest of the year too, as we continue our celebrations throughout 2022”.Join Leach’s this Scaffolder’s Day on Friday 14th January 2021. To learn more about this year’s exclusive 100 offers, visit: www.leachs.com on Friday.
Excalibur Screwbolts Ltd today announced its support of the brand-new Safety Alert Protocol from the Temporary Works Forum (‘TWf’).
Released by the TWf on 6 January 2022, this important document aims to establish an industry standard for organisations to issue a safety alert following a temporary works related incident.
The purpose of the guidance is to develop a standard approach to the generation and circulation of safety alerts to optimise their effectiveness.
The document can be accessed here
Temporary works are the parts of a construction project that are needed to enable the permanent works to be built, e.g., access scaffolds, props, shoring, excavation support, falsework and formwork, etc.
It is the remit of the TWf to encourage best-practice and give authoritative guidance and professional leadership to the industry. An additional benefit of the new protocol is the protection of brand reputations in avoiding unfounded allegations.
Excalibur Screwbolts is a double winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and, as such, fully appreciates the value of a reliable and trustworthy brand reputation – all of which has contributed to the company’s success with clients on high-profile construction projects such as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Crossrail, HS2, Grand Paris Express and London Power Tunnels.
John Stevens, Excalibur
Director, John Stevens commented: “As members of the Temporary Works Forum, we welcome the new Safety Alert Protocol, which we believe provides clear and concise guidance to the industry in terms of keeping the right people up to date should failures occur in equipment, process, procedures and substances used in the workplace. At Excalibur Screwbolts, safety is front and centre of our product development strategy. Our products are patented and incorporate our award-winning vibration resistant twin helix thread design which makes them safe, reliable, easy to install and cost effective. Our mission is to continue to provide the highest quality, most reliable fixings to be used in any engineering or construction projects, wherever the location, whatever the material, whatever the challenge.”
Commenting for the Temporary Works Forum, David Thomas (Director and Secretary) noted: “At the Temporary Works Forum, we realise that the circulation of factually incorrect, misleading, or poorly written information contained in a safety alert can, and does, cause unnecessary confusion within the industry and has the potential to damage a brand. Our remit is to establish and maintain industry best-practice and we hope the new Safety Alert Protocol will be well received by our members”.
Britain’s workplace regulator is set to clamp down on businesses in Sheffield and Rotherham after a sharp increase in the number of serious and fatal incidents noted by its inspectors within the last five years.
There were 12 worker deaths reported to the HSE – under the “RIDDOR” regulations – in Sheffield and Rotherham between 2014 and 2021 and a further 594 serious injuries reported over the same period.
22 HSE inspectors will primarily focus on conducting inspections on businesses where workers regularly undertake welding and use metalworking fluids, a high proportion of which are based in the area.
In 2020 around 12,000 people in the UK died from lung diseases likely to be linked to past exposure from work. The HSE say there is scientific evidence to suggest that exposure to welding fumes can cause lung cancer and exposure to metalworking fluids can cause a range of lung diseases.
From today, Monday 10 January 2022, 22 inspectors from HSE’s Yorkshire and North East field operations teams will visit more than 70 local businesses, identified by HSE’s targeting and intelligence team as operating in a high risk sector or performing poorly.
The businesses span a wide range of sectors including metal fabrication, engineering, general manufacturing, waste and recycling. The operation will last for a week.
Andrew Denison, Acting Head of Operations said: “It is estimated that each year 12,000 workers die in Britain from occupational lung disease and 17,000 new cases report suffering work-related breathing and lung problems. This part of South Yorkshire has a fine tradition in metal fabrication and manufacturing; we just need to ensure that the innovation continues to extend to safe working practice.“Local inspectors have witnessed an alarming rise in the number of fatalities and injuries in the Sheffield and Rotherham area in the last five years. This initiative will ensure that inspectors are able to visit sites and speak with duty holders to ensure the appropriate controls are in place to protect their workers’ health and safety, particularly in relation to the risks from occupational lung disease.“
During the visits the companies will need to demonstrate that they have measures in place to manage risks to protect the health and well-being of their workers including health conditions such as occupational lung disease.
If an HSE inspector identifies any other areas of concern during an inspection, they will take the necessary enforcement action which in some cases may lead to an Enforcement Notice being served or, in the case of serious breaches, a prosecution.
Altrad continues its mass expansion with the completion of its acquisition of Muehlhan’s oil & gas business in Denmark and in the UK.The deal, which was completed on 31 December 2021, marks another milestone in Altrad’s development, whereby it invests in businesses that share its excitement, vision and values to offer enhanced value to its clients. Altrad’s CEO for the UK, Ireland & Nordics – Padraig Somers said, “We are delighted to welcome the Muehlhan businesses into the Altrad family. The acquisition makes a perfect addition to our business – it supports the repositioning of our offshore business by adding scale and capability, it enhances our relationship with a number of strategic clients and allows us to extend our geographic footprint into Denmark.”Pleasingly, this arrangement will encompass approximately 750 talented people joining Altrad, wherein they will be valued and encouraged to develop fulfilling careers, to become the best they can be.Peter Hughes, Director of Business Development & Strategy added, “This latest acquisition represents another step in the repositioning of Altrad’s upstream business – aligning with the objectives of our 2026 strategy – which will see Altrad transition into a business that is 75% larger than it is today, by 2026.”
A new app, developed by the 38 card schemes displaying the CSCS logo, is set to radically improve the construction industry’s card checking procedures and site safety.
The CSCS Smart Check app represents a major step forward as, for the first time, all 2.1 million cards displaying the CSCS logo can be electronically verified using a single app.
The rollout of the app begins in April 2022, providing employers with a quick, easy and secure way of ensuring everyone on site has the right qualifications and training for the job they do.
The app will be free to use and available for Apple iOS and Android devices.
CSCS says that sites should require everyone working in construction to hold a card displaying the CSCS logo and they should be checking those cards regularly to ensure they are genuine and in date.
However, with 38 schemes offering CSCS logoed cards and many using their own (often incompatible) card checking systems, the process can be complicated.
Having one app to electronically check all cards at the site gates will make life easier for those responsible. It doesn’t matter what card turns up at the site gates – from asbestos to welding, if it displays a CSCS logo it will be compatible with the CSCS Smart Check app.
Visit cscs.uk.com/smartcheck to find out more about the CSCS Smart Check app.
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Rick Statham Safety & Access Ltd Director said: “We are delighted to be able to announce the opening of a new international CISRS OSTS Training facility in Punjab, Northern India.
This region of India is home to many of the scaffolders that work hard in the Middle East to provide for their families and we are proud to now be able to enhance those job opportunities with internationally recognised training and increased levels of safety whilst adopting industry best practice.” 
