Bouncing Back: Medway residents set for new construction careers

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Bouncing Back: Medway residents set for new construction careers

A celebration took place on Thursday (14 October) to mark formerly unemployed Medway residents completing a programme to enter the booming construction industry. 

The graduation ceremony took place at the Dalefield Way Industrial Park base of building contractors O’Halloran & O’Brien (OHOB), which saw group members receive certificates and job offers.   

The Get Into Construction scheme, funded by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) with support from Medway Council, saw a fortnight of intense training for the eleven residents in a variety of skills including in scaffolding, site safety, asbestos, steel fixing, practice job interviews and vehicle marshalling. 

The programme has led to qualifications for the residents enabling them to work on a construction site straight away, or undertake an apprenticeship, or specialise in further training for an in-demand trade such as scaffolding.   

Logan Murfitt, 23, was offered a job with Alltask Scaffolding after completing the course. He said: “I have done lots of different jobs but wanted to get into construction because of the chance to progress. I have a five-year plan and construction gives me a structured way to progress. This course was really good and has given me a chance to get a job.”  

Logan Murfitt receiving his certificate

Taylor Curle, 21, graduated from the training course and has also been offered employment, with OHOB. He said: “This course has been so unlike anything I have done before. Nothing like school or even college. I have been treated like an adult and been given respect. I have been able to try different jobs and to see what I like to do.”  

Celine McGeown, CITB Customer Engagement Manager, said: “Medway, and Kent, are set to see several major developments in housing and infrastructure in the coming years, and it’s great that with Get Into Construction people in the area have the opportunity to take advantage of this. 

“With the industry booming this is exactly the right time for local residents looking for a new career to train up and embark on an exciting and rewarding career.”   

Construction in the South East has bounced back strongly from COVID-19 meaning 16,750 additional jobs have to be created by 2025, according to research from CITB.  

The industry in the region is expected to grow by an annual average rate of 4.4%, and recovering to pre-pandemic growth levels by 2022.   

To be eligible for Get Into Construction training, delivered by OHOB and Medway Adult Education, you must be a Medway resident aged over 16 not in education, employment or training.  

Find out more about Get Into Construction  

Scaffolders march in second week of all-out strikes

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Scaffolders march in second week of all-out strikes

Around 60 scaffolders based on British Steel in Scunthorpe held a march on Monday demanding fair pay for the work as their long-running dispute continues.

The scaffolders employed by Actavo held the early morning march around the British Steel Scunthorpe site on Monday (11 October). The workers went from the site main gate and picket line to the administration offices and then into Scunthorpe town centre. As previously reported the scaffolders who began an all-out strike over a week ago are in dispute with bosses over pay. The workers want to be paid in line with the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI). The rates for the workforce are currently 10 to 15 per cent below these rates, according to UNITE the union. The row began back in 2019 when their former employers Brand Energy had the maintenance contract on the site. Actavo took over the contract in February 2021 but the dispute continues. Alistair Tice, Yorkshire Socialist Party said: “So far the bosses haven’t shifted because they know that hundreds of other trades and contractors on site are paid less than the Blue Book rates, and a victory for the scaffolders would breach the dam to a flood of claims. But the strikers are determined and confident, as many of the inspection tags on their scaffolding are starting to expire, and most other firms’ scaffolders are not crossing the picket lines or won’t do Actavo work.” It’s understood the workers are set to hold further protests in a bid to win the dispute with their employers.

I-Scaff erects UK’s largest suspended scaffold using Layher’s FlexBeam

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I-Scaff erects UK’s largest suspended scaffold using Layher’s FlexBeam

Working on the Forth Road Bridge I-Scaff Access Solutions Ltd have installed the UK’s largest suspended scaffold that uses Layher’s cutting edge ‘FlexBeam’.

The most recent innovation from system scaffolding, access and weather protection specialist, Layher Ltd. is now central to major maintenance work being undertaken by I-Scaff on one of Scotland’s most iconic structures. The Layher FlexBeam is helping to create an extensive work area underneath the road deck of the Forth Road Bridge which, at more than 2.5 km in length, has connected North and South Queensferry since 1964.  Significantly, it is bringing clear advantages in terms of efficiency and time savings to the project. Ross Brown is Director of I-Scaff Access Solutions Ltd. who have installed the Layher system for main contractor Millar Callaghan Engineering Services Ltd. – working for BEAR Scotland, appointed principal contractor by bridge owners, Transport Scotland.  He highlights key elements of the access project. “The underside of the bridge deck features a series of parallel walkways, totalling some 10 km in length, which were installed in the 1980’s to provide Suspended Span Underdeck Access (SSUDA) to help facilitate engineering, maintenance and inspection activities,” he says.

“These gantries are now undergoing their own programme of maintenance which has called for a full width suspended scaffold to be installed as a means of access.  We have been brought in to meet this need on the sixth phase – some 120 metres in length across the full 36 metres width of the bridge – and our use of the Layher FlexBeam has brought major advantages to the work.” Importantly, the Layher system has required far less equipment than had been experienced in earlier phases where tube and fitting scaffold was used.  This has created significantly fewer obstructions enabling Millar Callaghan Engineering Services to undertake their work most efficiently. “The walkways are being removed for offsite refurbishment before being returned to and refitted on the bridge to continue their SSUDA role for, it is anticipated, a further 25 years,” continues Ross Brown. “With some sections measuring up to 9 metres in length, the handling equipment is gaining significantly from the relatively unobstructed platform.”  He says that the standards from which the temporary decking is suspended are located at an average of 4.5 metre intervals rather than the 1.6 metres typically required by tube and fitting. “Overall, we have been able to install 80 square metres of suspended decking per day on average – twice as fast as was originally the case.” Working on the Forth Road Bridge I-Scaff Access Solutions Ltd have installed the UK's largest suspended scaffold that uses Layher’s cutting edge 'FlexBeam'. The Layher installation features standards linked in clusters of three using wedge-head swivel couplers which, in turn, are clamped to, and suspended from, the bridge’s own steelwork using girder couplers. These standards then drop down to connect directly to the Layher FlexBeams installed at up to 5.5 metre intervals, and onto which Layher’s Allround Lightweight steel decking is then located.  A choice of decking lengths has enabled I-Scaff to accommodate the diagonal steel sections that form part of the bridge structure, while longitudinal bracing is only required every fourth bay. Guardrails and edge protection have also been installed, where appropriate, while dropped object netting has been located under the full working area by another Millar Callaghan Engineering Services subcontractor to protect the waterway below. “The fact that the design, which has been undertaken by Kenneth Redman, Technical Manager at our Livingston depot in Scotland, enables the scaffold to be suspended from the bridge’s own steel structure is extremely beneficial,” adds Sean Pike, Layher’s UK Managing Director.

Layher Scaffold Information Modelling

He points out that by using the Layher Scaffold Information Modelling (SIM®) software, a clear visual demonstration of the advantages of the FlexBeam system was available to the client in VR format, directly from the company’s LayPLAN CAD design model. “The lightweight material has also helped with manual handling procedures, while the greatly reduced number of components has not only played a key role in optimising installation efficiency, it has also made a significant contribution to minimising transport and storage needs,” continues Sean Pike. As a result, Ross Brown and his team have made full use of the system to deliver the saving in installation time that was an important project target, enabling Millar Callaghan Engineering Services to undertake the gantry removal, repair and reinstallation process more quickly than would otherwise have been possible.

largest suspended scaffold

To date, the largest suspended scaffold installed in the UK to use Layher’s FlexBeam, the Forth Road Bridge also represents I-Scaff first application of the equipment, with the contractor undertaking familiarisation training nearby at the Livingston facility. “We are delighted to be able to demonstrate to our customer that the benefits and savings on paper were recreated, and sometimes exceeded, when brought to life,” adds Ross Brown. “The fact that we have been able to show clear gains by comparing our approach to that used on the previous five phases to date has been extremely beneficial, and points us towards more extensive use of the Layher FlexBeam in the future.” With traffic on the road deck continuing uninterrupted, the Forth Road Bridge project has had to meet challenging needs.  If efficiency and safety can be defined as key project features, then the use of the Layher FlexBeam at the heart of this sixth phase of the work, means innovation can justifiably be added to the list. This article was first published in the ScaffMag Magazine Issue 14

Scaffolder turned author scores goals with new book

Grahame Anderson
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Scaffolder turned author scores goals with new book

Just like a football club making its way up the leagues Scaffolders can also work their way through the ranks winning a higher standing in the industry as Grahame Anderson found out when he spoke to Scaffolder and Author John McNicoll.

Given the right formation of abilities, there’s every chance they can score a few precious victories along the way in terms of the end product. And if you think the sporting analogy doesn’t ring true take a closer look at scaffolder turned author John McNicoll who has three magic numbers on the brain – Four, four, two. He explained: “I’ve been in the scaffolding industry for 25 years now, having started out as an apprentice on the YTS scheme in 1996. I now work as a contracts-manager at QFS Scaffolding Ltd, having worked my way up through various scaffolding abilities. I’m a keen football fan and was one day given the opportunity to write a few articles by a website on Twitter called By Far the Greatest Team. I did this for around six to 12 months, casually writing in my spare time. I also contributed to outlets such as From the Stands, Give Me Sport, We Are the Busby Boys and Manunited.uk.  “When we were about to go into the initial lockdown in March 2020, I thought I may have a little free time on my hands and decided to start designing a web page to blog on. I wrote a couple of articles and then decided maybe instead I could write a dozen or so articles and join them together to make a book. And off I went. Trouble was, we never went into lockdown as Construction carried on. I had to try and write in the evenings after work and on a Saturday or Sunday morning, often spending hours sat at the dining room table typing away. “I had made contacts on Twitter with an author and ended up sending some work for publication on his football website.  He advised me to contact Pitch Publishing, who specialise in sports literature. I offered my submission and was completely shocked when they replied with a thumbs up to get it done and sent over.” The result is a book called ‘Ode to Four Four Two’, examining how the game’s simplest and finest formation was used by coaches in Europe and particularly England, to build iconic teams able to dominate both domestically and in Europe. He added: “Formations have continually evolved since the birth of the game in the mid-19th century. From teams playing with four or five forwards, to the modern era of teams with just the one, arguably the greatest formation has been 4-4-2. Some of the greatest teams have lined up in this multi-functional system. “Flick through the football history books and it is filled with teams like AC Milan, Manchester United, Liverpool, Leeds United and Barcelona, all enjoying glorious eras playing 4-4-2. But it isn’t just the elite end of the game. You can purchase John’s book on Amazon by following this link. This article was first published in the ScaffMag Magazine Issue 14      

Construction output continues to decline

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Construction output continues to decline

Data suggests that the industry’s post-Covid recovery now looks to be over.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported that in August 2021 construction output in England had fallen for the fifth month in a row. Graphs compiled by the ONS show a near-vertical decline with the arrival of Covid-19 virus in the UK in early 2020 and the subsequent national lockdown in spring. Then from May 2020 to April 2021 there was an almost equally dramatic rise to return to near ‘normal’ levels of output. However, since April this year, there has been a steady decline in construction output.

The ONS said in a bulletin that anecdotal evidence from businesses continued to suggest that product shortages caused by supply chain issues and subsequent price rises were the main reasons for the decline. The rising prices of raw materials such as steel, concrete, timber and glass, along with the difficulty in sourcing these materials for jobs was a contributing factor to the monthly fall, says the ONS. Monthly construction output fell 0.2% in volume terms in August 2021 compared with July 2021, to £14,243 million, and follows the upwardly revised (by 0.6 percentage points) 1.0% monthly decline in July 2021. Many contractors have stated that their order books were healthy however, availability of products was impacting on construction projects currently underway.  

Training is the Ticket to Rail Sector Success

Billy Jones
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Training is the Ticket to Rail Sector Success

Billy Jones, Managing Director of scaffolding specialist, Millcroft, discusses why the right training and collaborative approach are critical to the efficient delivery of rail projects.

In the scaffolding sector, we’re all used to managing hazards and assessing risk. Working at height and controlling risks such as unstable structures and serious wind loadings is all an integral part of what we do. In the rail sector, the hazards involved are even greater, which is why rail projects require a specialist level of expertise, industry-specific knowledge and a commitment to training. It’s a sector Millcroft knows very well. A TfL-approved scaffolding contractor, the company has also worked for Network Rail, Crossrail, HS2 Ltd and a wide variety of contractors and civil engineering providers in the industry for decades. It means our team understands the complexities of working in a rail environment, including the increased safety requirements, along with challenges such as reaching programme milestones when working hours are restricted, to overnight possessions and maintaining business as usual operations for passengers without compromising safety or security. But even for an experienced contractor like us, recently shortlisted in the Construction News Awards and CN Specialist Awards for our work on the HS2 terminus at Euston Station and our involvement with on the Elizabeth Line terminus project at Paddington, there is never any room for complacency. Each rail project brings its own complexities, safety risks and operational challenges and it is only through close collaboration – internally and with our delivery partners – and appropriate training, that we can ensure smooth project delivery. Billy Jones, MD of scaffolding specialist, Millcroft, discusses why the right training and collaborative approach are critical to the rail sector

Understanding the risks and mission-critical requirements

The journey to a safer and more efficient project begins with the briefing process. Both the Euston HS2 and Paddington projects are huge infrastructure improvements taking years to deliver and requiring existing rail services to operate safely and efficiently throughout. It’s essential that developing the solution is a collaborative process, which looks beyond the brief to provide the most effective and safe response to the project. This includes considering the phasing of the project, safety factors such as live lines, public access and segregation of the work area and, of course, the flexibility of the scaffolding to enable both planned and unplanned adaptations. It would be naïve to think that a complex project delivered over a period of years would not involve a change of scope at some stage, and the communication across the scaffolding and client teams needs to be candid and effective to ensure an agile response when required. At Millcroft, our in-house design engineers and our considerable rail experience enable us to offer creative and innovative solutions for projects in the sector, which consider the sequencing required for safety and programme continuity at every stage. Billy Jones, MD of scaffolding specialist, Millcroft, discusses why the right training and collaborative approach are critical to the rail sector

Training and compliance

All scaffolding sites require safety best practice and reporting to be embedded in site routines and the right mix of skills on site; that’s a given. But in the rail sector, training related to the specific risks of the environment and toolbox talks to maintain a clear focus on health and safety are even more important. For example, on our recent Elizabeth Line terminus project at Paddington station, all Millcroft supervisors had to attend a frontline supervisor appraisal, which involved continuous assessment and an interview with the client’s management team. The continual assessment element of this process included observations of our supervision delivering toolbox talks, completing harness inspections, carrying out work equipment inspections, and delivering safe systems of work. Our supervisors were also assessed on the way in which they nurtured a safety culture across the team on site. We delivered TQUK Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work training to the appointed site managers and supervisors, along with Site Management Safety Training Scheme Training and Site Supervisor Safety Scheme Training, at our Site Safety Plus CITB centre in Greenwich. Manual Handling and Preventing Falls training Levels One and Two, and VTQ Mental Health in the Workplace training were also delivered on site by Millcroft’s Head of Group HSEQ, while regular, site-specific toolbox talks were part of the site routine. The project involved working in live, high-voltage environments, tunnels, and confined spaces, resulting in the need for rescue at height training and safety training for operatives working close to the live line too.  We ensured that there was a SSSTS or SMSTS member of the team on site at all times, along with six rescue at height trained members of staff. Thanks to our high standard of training and competency, our operatives became part of the rescue team for the entire site. Billy Jones, MD of scaffolding specialist, Millcroft, discusses why the right training and collaborative approach are critical to the rail sector

Beyond Compliance

While much of the training and accreditation across the team for the Paddington project and other recent Millcroft rail projects forms part of contractual obligations, the bottom line is that scaffolding companies that want to work on transport infrastructure should expect to go above and beyond. For Millcroft, it’s not just about ticking boxes, it’s about keeping people safe and minimising risk, for us and the client. This article was first published in the ScaffMag Magazine Issue 14  

Trade body welcomes new £300m funding for UK housebuilders

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Trade body welcomes new £300m funding for UK housebuilders

The UK’s largest scaffolding trade body has welcomed new funding that will provide £300m to UK housebuilders and secure work across the construction sector.

The Housing Growth Partnership Fund aims to support SME and regional housebuilders with the development of 10,000 new homes by 2025. Established by Lloyds Banking Group and Homes England in 2016, the partnership enters its second phase helping to bridge the homebuilder funding gap, allowing housebuilders to build more houses across the UK and grow their own businesses so that they can support further projects in the future. The partnership has already invested alongside 46 housebuilders to support the delivery of over 4,568 new homes, with nearly half now completed and sold to families across the UK. The latest funding will be broader in scope to enable investment into larger housebuilding projects with a development value of up to £75 million. It will offer support for the delivery of a wider range of housing projects including Build to Rent, Regeneration and Retirement Living. The partnership will also look to prioritise projects with a greater sustainability focus, as well as those using modern methods of construction and other evolutionary construction methods. Robert Candy, Chief Executive of the Scaffolding Association, commented “A significant amount of construction is needed in the coming decade to fulfil the government’s plan for building 300,000 homes per annum and this funding will help with this ambitious target. However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty within the sector with product availability, rising material costs and skills shortages already resulting in developers pausing or rethinking their plans. Whilst this funding is of course welcome, it will not resolve these broader challenges”. He added, “The Scaffolding Association is a strong advocate for improved skills provision and access to work within the construction sector and works tirelessly to highlight where improvements are needed to support growth with government, stakeholders, training boards and policy decision makers”.  

Striking scaffolders to hold march as fair pay battle continues

Daniel Norton
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Striking scaffolders to hold march as fair pay battle continues

British Steel scaffolders are set to hold a march on Scunthorpe as their fair pay dispute continues.

Unite the Union have tonight confirmed that striking scaffolders working on the British Steel site in Scunthorpe will now hold a march at 7 am on Monday (11 October) as part of their ongoing campaign for fair pay. More than 60 scaffolders working on the site have been holding continuous action with all-out strikes since Monday in a long-running battle over pay. The workers employed by Actavo have been fighting to be paid the recognised rate for the job since 2019, Unite says. Since the strike began Actavo has refused to enter into further negotiations to seek a resolution of the dispute. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Scaffolders at Scunthorpe are determined to defend their national industrial agreements and they have the full support of their union in this fight for fairness. “Where employers like Actavo undermine workers’ pay rates and refuse to pay the recognised rate for the job, they will face determined opposition from Unite.”

Local support

Workers at British Steel and members of the local community are being encouraged to join the march in support of the striking scaffolders. Unite regional officer Richard Bedford said: “The march on Monday will demonstrate the commitment and unity of the scaffolders who are determined to secure the correct rate of pay for the job.  “The strike is already causing considerable disruption on the British Steel site, In order to resolve the strike then Actavo needs to return to the negotiating table and agree the correct rate of pay for our members.”

The dispute

As previously reported the dispute began in 2019 when the workers first attempted to get their pay rates paid in line with the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI). By being paid in line with the NAECI agreement the scaffolders would see a 10-15 per cent pay rise. Significant strike action occurred earlier this year when the workers were employed by the previous contractor Brand Energy. Since taking over the contract the workers feel that Actavo has failed to resolve the pay issue. The scaffolders maintain over 500 scaffolding structures at the British Steel site.

One dead in Hong Kong scaffolding collapse

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One dead in Hong Kong scaffolding collapse

A large scaffold on a tower block in Hong Kong has collapsed onto a busy street killing a female worker and trapping others.

The bamboo scaffold that surrounded the 30-storey residential tower block collapsed this morning (8 October) after a strong gust of wind from a tropical storm hit the city. One female worker has reportedly died in the incident while two others are still missing. A number of motorists were also injured in the collapse after the huge scaffolding fell onto cars travelling along a busy road. The fringes of tropical storm Lionrock has lashed Hong Kong prompting the city’s highest-level ‘black’ rainstorm alert and a No 3 strong wind signal.

BrandSafway takes over German scaffolding firm

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BrandSafway takes over German scaffolding firm

BrandSafway has announced the acquisition of German scaffolding business Gerüstbau Muehlhan.

Owners of Lyndon SGB and many others, BrandSafway has acquired the business in a bid to expand its scaffolding and access operations in the German market. Gerüstbau Muehlhan specialises in advanced scaffolding solutions, operating from three locations in Northern Germany- Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Brunsbüttel. The business is expected to be a good fit alongside the group’s existing Hünnebeck scaffold and formwork operations in the country. Gabriel McCabe, president of BrandSafway’s International Division said: “Gerüstbau Muehlhan is a great addition to our company. Its proven expertise and emphasis on excellence in customer service, together with its strong reputation in safety, will further strengthen our market position in Germany. It is also a step toward diversifying and expanding into other end markets in the commercial, renewable energy and shipbuilding sectors.” Martin Hemberger, vice president of Forming & Shoring International added: “Both Gerüstbau Muehlhan’s and BrandSafway’s customers will benefit from this acquisition. Together, we can offer an even wider range of customized and highly efficient scaffolding services to an enlarged customer base.” Malte Herrmann, one of two managing directors at Gerüstbau Muehlhan said: “We are very pleased that we are now part of BrandSafway. This acquisition opens up very attractive opportunities for our customers and employees.” Co-managing director Gunnar Freier added: “While we bring our expertise and know-how to BrandSafway, our customers and employees alike can benefit from the global capabilities and resources that BrandSafway offers.” BrandSafway has been operating in Germany since 2012, under the name Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services. With headquarters in Ratingen, Western Germany, and numerous locations on customers projects, Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services has experienced dynamic growth and serves customers in various industrial end markets, especially in the chemical, pharmaceutical, energy, food, and steel market sectors.
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