Bolton and Trafford are the latest areas the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is specifically targeting with spot inspections to ensure workplaces are COVID-secure.
Following a rise of COVID-19 cases in both Bolton and Trafford, they have been put into local lockdown measures. To ensure businesses in these areas are following the COVID-secure guidelines, HSE inspectors are calling and visiting businesses to carry out spot inspections.
During the spot inspections, the HSE provides advice and guidance to manage risk and protect workers and visitors but, where some businesses are not managing this, we will take immediate action. This can range from the provision of specific advice, issuing enforcement notices, stopping certain work practices until they are made safe and, where businesses fail to comply, this could lead to prosecution.
To support the understanding of the rise in coronavirus cases in the area, HSE is working alongside local public health authorities and the local councils.
To be COVID-secure means businesses need to keep up to date with the latest guidance and put measures in place to manage the risk and protect workers and others. There are practical steps that businesses can take:
Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment
Develop increased cleaning, hand washing and hygiene procedures
Maintain 2m social distancing where possible
Where people cannot be 2m apart, manage transmission risk
Sally Nicholson, HSE Head of Operations, North West, said: “Becoming COVID-secure needs to be a priority for all businesses, especially in Bolton and Trafford.“As we have seen a rise in COVID-19 cases in these areas, it is essential workplaces take reasonable steps to control the risk and protect people from coronavirus. This means making business adjustments to become COVID-secure.“We advise employers to work with their employees when implementing changes, to help increase confidence with workers, customers and the local community while reducing the risk of transmission. Simple steps can help save lives.”
As inspections are ongoing, HSE has been utilising different ways to gather intelligence and reach out to businesses across Bolton and Trafford with a combination of site visits, phone calls and through collection of supporting visual evidence such as photos and video footage.
All businesses are in scope for inspections, that means any size business in any sector can receive an unannounced inspection.
Some of the common issues HSE inspectors are finding include: failing to provide arrangements for monitoring, supervising and maintaining social distancing, failing to introduce an adequate cleaning regime – particularly at busy times of the day – and providing access to welfare facilities to allow employees to frequently wash their hands with warm water and soap.
Francine Cheney, HSE Head of Operations for Construction, said: “All businesses in Bolton and Trafford are in scope for spot checks which means businesses of any size, in any sector can receive an unannounced visit from us to ensure they are COVID-secure.“We want all workers to remain safe in the workplace and to continue to follow government guidelines travelling to and from work, back at home and socially as this can make a real impact in halting the spread of coronavirus.“By making sure that businesses have measures in place to manage the risks, we can benefit the health of the local community as well as support the local and national economy.”
For more information on spot inspections, see https://www.hse.gov.uk
TRAD Scaffolding Contractors, which celebrates its 50th birthday next year, has announced that its longstanding employee Peter McShane has been appointed as Managing Director.
“I am delighted to announce that Peter will be managing TRAD Scaffolding,” said Des Moore, CEO of the TRAD Group. “Peter has been with TRAD since 1993, having already had a great grounding in scaffolding working with his Dad and uncles since leaving school. He was a trainee when he started working with us and has worked his way up on the tools and into management positions, demonstrating his real dedication to the business.”
The new appointment comes as the TRAD Group responds to the Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on the business. Earlier this year, the Group announced the merger of TRAD Hire & Sales and TRAD Safety Systems to create a single company – TRAD UK.
Meanwhile, TRAD Scaffolding continues to build on its reputation within the industry, bringing in new efficiencies and working with proprietary scaffolding systems to ensure safe and cost-effective projects at all times.
The business has continued working during the pandemic, providing crucial support that allowed construction to continue where safe. This commitment has resulted in TRAD Scaffolding securing orders of in excess of £10m during the Covid-19 period alone and the company’s pipeline of work for the financial year ending August 2021 looks extremely promising.
“It has been undoubtedly a very difficult time over the last year or so with Brexit first and now Covid-19 having an enormous impact on the construction industry,” said Mr McShane.
“During this time however, it has been important to remain focused on our clients’ requirements and expectations and, just as importantly, our staff safety and welfare. I am very proud to be appointed as Managing Director, with the responsibility for looking after both our staff and our clients as we move into a very different future.”
This appointment, along with those recently made at TRAD UK, demonstrate the Group’s commitment to nurturing and supporting the talent and knowledge within the business to ensure continuity as it grows.
“It’s part of our culture to give opportunities to people within the business, rather than bringing people in from outside,” said Des Moore.
“We believe in investing in our people and giving everyone a chance to succeed. Many of our people have come through from the tools, and so they understand construction sites and the particular challenges they bring. We embrace diversity at TRAD and we don’t discriminate – the best people for the job are always there if you give them the chance.”
“Some would say being appointed Managing Director in such an uncertain period could be seen as unenviable,” commented Mr McShane.
“But, as someone who has been supported, mentored and given the opportunity to progress through TRAD from an early age, I would say that it’s an honour to lead the company that I have grown up with and love into the next chapter of its great history.”
Two contractors have been fined just £9,500 by the courts in Hong Kong for the death of a scaffolder.
On 27 December 2018 in the residential district of Yau Tong, the scaffolder was erecting bamboo scaffolding at the eighth floor level of the external wall of a residential building. The man fell to the first lift of the scaffold sustaining fatal injures. He later died the same day.
The Hong Kong Standard reports that Wang Hong Construction Engineering Company and Ying Wu Scaffolding Engineering were each fined for six charges including failing to take adequate steps to prevent a person from falling, and failing to provide and maintain a safe plant and system of work.
Both contractors were each handed a fine of HK$95,000 which equates to just around £9,500 here in the UK.
The contractors were charged with violating the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations, and the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Protection of Eyes) Regulations.
The Scaffolding Association has joined forces with global technology company SafetyCulture enabling its member’s free access to iAuditor, SafetyCulture’s flagship workplace safety inspection app.
The Scaffolding Association hopes the partnership will raise safety standards in the UK construction industry by enabling scaffolding businesses to carry out essential risk assessments regularly and thoroughly.
SafetyCulture and the Scaffolding Association have digitised a list of checklist templates containing best practice protocols for high-risk construction environments. The trade body hopes these will empower its members to build a genuine safety culture from the ground up.
The Scaffolding Association boasts that its 465 member organisations will be able to access a growing list of best-practice templates at no cost, as an additional benefit to their membership.
It’s understood they will also have access to iAuditor’s full public library of 100,000 template checklists. Which includes access to templates for safety procedures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
iAuditor is the world’s largest safety checklist app. It has been designed to simplify the auditing process, making it easy for anyone to monitor and manage safety and quality from a mobile device. The technology provides visibility and insights to help raise safety and quality standards across construction sites.
In addition to providing checklists, as an inspection management software, iAuditor enables construction teams to collect consistent data, standardise operations, send reports, identify failed areas and get problems resolved.
More than 26,000 companies around the world are already using the iAuditor app, including leading businesses in the manufacturing, mining and aviation sectors, in addition to major construction companies.
Dan Joyce, General Manager EMEA, SafetyCulture said: “Top-down, infrequent audits no longer work; companies need better visibility of their sites and real-time data capture to tackle the additional challenges that COVID-19 brings. Empowering staff on the ground and equipping them with the right tools is the first step.
“The Scaffolding Association is a natural partner for us, and our app will help employees of scaffolding companies to report and act on safety concerns in their workplace, in turn aiding companies to make better-informed safety decisions.”
Rob Candy, Chief Executive of the Scaffolding Association, added: “We’re thrilled with this new partnership and pleased to be recommending iAuditor for undertaking risk assessments and inspections. Our ethos and commitment to safer workplaces aligns perfectly with the work SafetyCulture does.
Working with them to offer members access to the tools they need to manage workplace safety efficiently and effectively came at the ideal time. The app is simple to use and produces data and reporting facilities that will offer real benefits to our members. It will be a useful addition not only to those with well-established procedures and practices but also to those members who are looking to progress through our membership levels. ”
SafetyCulture has also been helping businesses around the world to get safely back to business following COVID-19 lockdowns. Already, more than 75,000 people worldwide are using iAuditor to complete daily COVID-19 inspections. Fully up-to-date with the latest government protocols, the technology can help construction companies that temporarily shut down sites during the lockdown period, as they get back to work.
TRAD UK, the new brand for the combined TRAD Hire & Sales and TRAD Safety Systems companies, has announced that Colin Dobson has been appointed as Managing Director.
“I am very pleased to announce that Colin will be managing TRAD UK,” said Des Moore, CEO of the TRAD Group. “Colin is highly regarded in the industry, having worked with TRAD Hire & Sales for 22 years and been involved in the industry for more than 35 years. I know that he will be a safe pair of hands for the business as it consolidates and sets out its plans for the future.”
The new appointment comes after a restructure that amalgamated TRAD Hire & Sales and TRAD Safety Systems, allowing the Group to offer a complete single-source supply for all scaffolding and safety systems hire and sales needs, resulting in a nationwide network that gives exceptional coverage and service.
“I am proud and delighted to be appointed as Managing Director for the new business,” said Mr Dobson. “From my first day with TRAD, I could see that its strength was in its people. The success of TRAD Group has been driven not just by technical and product expertise, but by the strong and open relationships we build with our clients – and within the company itself. This is certainly the case for the people within the new TRAD UK company, who are combining their years of experience and knowledge to bring a broader, in-depth offering to the scaffolding and construction sectors.”“It is also fantastic to be working with an outstanding team – we have appointed Jim Gorman as Deputy Managing Director, whilst Stuart Quinn and Alex Ackers have been appointed as Regional Managers: Stuart will be covering our Leeds, Birmingham and Glasgow depots, whilst Alex is responsible for the facilities in Stockport, Andover and London.”
Bringing the two companies together means that customers across the UK will benefit from access to some of the most experienced scaffolding experts in the business. Everyone across all six UK depots – drivers, yard support, admin and leadership teams – have years of experience in the trade, helping to make sure that customers get what they need when they need it. And with such a strong brand name in the sector, along with the backing of the international Altrad Group, customers of all sizes can be confident that they’re getting the best.
“Amalgamating two companies is certainly a challenge,” commented Mr Dobson. “As a hire and sales specialist, I’m learning a lot about the safety products side of the business and I’m excited about the opportunity that combining the businesses will bring to customers, staff, the Group and our shareholders. I expect the new business to have an immediate and positive impact on the industry, building on our reputation for excellence and delivering ever-better products and services to our customers.”
PASMA has announced the relaunch of its training scheme for complex aluminium access towers, and with it comes a new name.
For those who complete the challenging programme – they’ll be known as Access Tower Specialists and they can build all types of towers, including bespoke structures designed to meet the needs of a site, however tall, wide or awkward it may be, PASMA has said.
It’s the highest qualification available for access towers, aimed at those with considerable experience under their belts. They’re already trained on all standard configuration towers – i.e. those that come in a kit with an instruction manual – but the Access Tower Specialist course takes them to the next level, quite literally.
Those who pass all the theory and practical assessments are qualified to use prefabricated aluminium components in surprisingly complex configurations that can go to much greater heights than standard towers.
The structures they build allow others to work safely at height in sectors such as construction and the built environment, maintenance, facilities management and aerospace. Their service is known as ‘hire & assembly’ and it covers equipment rental, consultation, specification, design, assembly and dismantling. Working closely with tower manufacturers, they can:
Plan the build
Select safe equipment
Follow design drawings
Assemble and dismantle
Make engineer-approved alterations
Tie structures into buildings
Inspect towers
Collate all paperwork
Conduct safe handovers
Although they’re competent on all standard configuration towers – mobile access towers, cantilever towers, towers on bridges, tower on stairways, large deck towers and linked towers – it’s bespoke structures that truly showcase their abilities.
These towers can go tall and wide, around, over and under obstacles, give access to multiple levels or stairwells, provide large (and mobile) deck areas, squeeze into tight spaces and be adapted as requirements evolve. Doing all of this with lightweight, prefabricated aluminium components is a specialist skill that is not taught anywhere else.
In a press release the Chair of PASMA’s Hire & Assembly Committee and owner of STS Access, Pete Harley said: “For too many years, complex towers were something you learned on the job. There was no one checking that the knowledge being handed down was correct, consistent or comprehensive and there was no way for workers to prove their competence. The Access Tower Specialist course from PASMA, the recognised subject matter experts, has changed all that.”“Nowadays, when an experienced tower operative is ready to learn the advanced skills they need to work with bespoke structures safely, there’s a formal training programme for that, and they’ll get an Access Tower Specialist PASMA card at the end of it. I’ve seen what a huge help this has been to safety professionals and site managers who need a reliable way to check the competence of workers on their projects.”
The relaunched course comes as more and more businesses are recognising that aluminium towers are a safe, convenient, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly access solution that’s more flexible than they first thought.
It will be delivered by PASMA at the Test & Research Centre in Cambridgeshire, a dedicated facility for work at height testing and training. PASMA recently invested close to £1M in purchasing and equipping this facility, with a key requirement being a 25-metre clear headroom where tall, complex tower structures can be built.
The training scheme is just one of the developments led by PASMA and its members in recent years that have driven up standards and provided a means of identifying skilled and competent workers in the hire & assembly sector.
You can verify workers’ competence by asking to see their PASMA card. If it covers level ‘S’ (for Access Tower Specialist) or ‘R’ (for Professional Tower Rigger, as they were formerly known), they are qualified to work with any type of tower, including bespoke structures.
With the first course under the new name taking place later this year, anyone interested in qualifying as an Access Tower Specialist should contact PASMA on +44 (0)345 230 4041 or [email protected] to book a place.
A Brentwood based scaffolding firm has donated an impressive £10,000 to children’s charity Taylor Made Dreams.
Family-run Proplant Scaffolding Ltd has said, “it’s an honour” to have been able to donate the funds to the charity.
Established in 2014, Taylor Made Dreams is a charity that helps kids who have life-limiting illnesses fulfil their dreams. It’s CEO Suzi Mitchell “deserves a knighthood,” said Proplant Scaffolding on twitter.
The charity’s main aim is to assist in the creation of a unique ‘Bucket List’, which is ‘Taylor-Made’ to meet the specific needs and desires of an individual child.
Jordan Marsh, Director of Proplant Scaffolding Ltd said: “We were introduced to them back at the start of 2020 and when we found out that they were looking for continued funding and donations we couldn’t say no. What they do is truly remarkable!They help children with life-limiting disabilities to fulfil bucket list things they might like to do, places they might like to go and meet people they might like to meet.”
Shaun Fennessey, Director of Proplant Scaffolding said: “When we met Suzie and heard about her story and why she set up TMD, we knew there and then we would like to help out by giving whatever we could afford to give.”
Jordan Marsh concluded: “You hear so much about the big-name charities in the news and everything they do, but you never hear about the smaller ones like TMD and the struggle they go through working tirelessly to raise vital funding in order for these kids to fulfil their bucket list choices. This could be something massive like heading to Disney World for a weekend with family or just something so small and humbling like a child asking for some new lego. All of it is funded by charity donations.”
“It was an absolute pleasure to be able to make this charity donation, and we will continue to help and support TMD in any way we can for the foreseeable future.”
Its understood Proplant had planned to make the donation earlier in the year, however, the coronavirus lockdown prevented the presentation to take place until recently.
Three construction companies have been fined after a worker suffered fatal injuries while demolishing a two-storey building in preparation for a development project.
Portsmouth Crown Court heard how David Shayler, an employee of Ryde Demolition Limited, was removing roof timbers by hand with a colleague, when a gable wall partially collapsed causing him to fall backwards striking his head against a stack of roof tiles.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on the 13 October 2016, found that the work was inadequately planned and managed by all the duty holders involved in the project, the technique used to remove the roof timbers was done out of sequence, and the brick gable had been left unstable. In addition, inadequate provision was made to prevent falls from height, despite concerns raised by workers in the days leading up to the incident.
Ryde Demolition Ltd of St Johns Hill, Ryde have pleaded guilty to breaching two counts of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and have been fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,132.02.
HJ Bennett Ltd of Pyle Street, Newport have pleaded guilty to breaching two counts of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and have been fined £120,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,057.62.
Stoneham Construction Limited of St Johns Place, Newport have pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 and have been fined £56,667 and ordered to pay costs of £12,004.42.
Speaking after the case, HSE inspector Dominic Goacher said: “This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the companies’ failure to implement safe systems of work.”“Demolition is a high-risk activity whose safe execution is complex and technical and where expertise is vital. The risk of unintended structural collapse is well known within the industry. Demolition requires careful planning and execution by contractors who are competent in the full range of demolition techniques.”“Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country, and the risks associated with working at height are well known. In this case the risks of structural collapse and falling from height were not controlled, which led to the preventable death of a father-of-two.”
Paul Corfield is without question a highly skilled man within the scaffolding industry, not least because he’s passionate about his craft. But his work runs much deeper than that as an avid collector of scaffolding memorabilia. Scaffmag was keen to delve deeper into his archive.
(See below for a selection of Paul’s Scaffolding Memorabilia Archive)
They used to play thanks for the memory whenever the great Bob Hope took to the stage – but it’s a tune Paul Corfield could easily have in his head any day on-site. There’ll be no jokes from him of course, because his colourful hobby is a serious business.
From an old Big Ben Spanner to documented ships scaffolding, Boulton Tubular Structures to The illustrated Carpenter and Builder, Palmers Travelling Cradle to the most glorious images from a bygone age, Paul has assembled a unique industrial collection. If you love your scaffolding history, this is the place for you.
Paul explained: “I started working weekends and in my school holidays with my Father, Ian, whenI was 12/13. The day after I finished school I was full time on-site. It should have been Palmers Scaffolding in Manchester but the depot closed it, so officially it was Ace Scaffolding.”
Across the year’s Paul sub-contracted to a number of large firms such as SGB, Deborah Graystons, Kwikform and like any decent scaffolder (his own words), TRAD in London around the turn of the century. He now finds himself working for Lyndon Scaffolding in both London and Manchester.
My collection started around six years ago when my father gave me his old Big Ben spanner and a couple of books. From there I went onto old newspaper advertisements, mainly SGB ones.
So if Paul found himself on a desert island what would he keep with him? “Hands down the SGB adverts, he says. “In particular the “SGB DOES THE JOB” close up of the band and plate, as their strapline is “the originators of tubular scaffolding”.
“The fact we still use the band and plate today is a testament to the company and a big reason why this is one of my favourites. I still have an original SGB Podger on my belt some 100 years after they were first used.”
And if you thought car phones are still relatively new think again. Did you know
The SGB two way car radiotelephone was working successfully in the 1930’s? Paul has the proof.
And if he had to throw a spanner into the works, how about The Big Ben Collection of three original tools. You wouldn’t really want to clock off, but if you did there’s always a couple of playing cards to pass the time and an advert.
He told me: “It says a lot about the company that Leach’s Scaffold Supplies have a full line of products named after the Big Ben Scaffolding Company.”
As for a third favourite choice, he adds: “I love the two Military Engineering booklets, very detailed with weights and measurements, images of fittings and fold-out ‘plates.’ These are drawings for specific scaffolds such as observation towers and heavy-duty trench supports.”
“I actually have well over 50 individual pieces which I plan to frame in my Covid lockdown built man cave, aptly called “the band and plate”, amongst the music and Darts paraphernalia.
“Anyone who is interested in the contents of the individual books and brochures are more than welcome to get in touch as I will scan and share the contents.”
There’s also a superb array of TRAD project reports lovingly put together. Paul has no idea how much the collection could be worth.
“It’s not something that has ever crossed my mind, it’s a very niche collection, I don’t envisage me looking stunned on Antiques Roadshow any time soon.
“The truth is all of this collection and my knowledge and appreciation of the scaffolding industry would not of happened if it wasn’t my father, Ian.I will be ever grateful because he taught me all he knew.”
He laughs:“My Mrs, on the other hand, is always told not to bend any envelopes arriving from eBay.”
Bob Hope raised plenty of smiles of course, and this where both men have a lot in common. When it comes to the scaffolding industry, this amazing collection comes with a beautifully constructed message. ‘Thanks for the memory’.
SIMIAN, the UK’s largest privately owned scaffolding training provider, and Aspects Total Training Limited, have announced the formation of a new joint-venture partnership.
The initiative will see SIMIAN take over the day-to-day operation of Aspects’ centre in Coventry, as a hub to support its training operations in the Midlands region.
Michelle McFall, Aspects’ Director said: “We are extremely pleased to formally agree a partnership with Simian and we are looking forward to benefitting from the wealth of industry knowledge and expertise they bring to the venture. We are confident that the centre will release its full potential and build on the early success we have enjoyed. Our agreement opens up opportunities for the centre and will enable the JV to develop and realise our long-term objectives at a faster pace, and this will ultimately be for the benefit of the scaffolding industry in and around the Midlands region.”Aspects Total Training facility in Coventry
A spokesperson for SIMIAN told us that a full programme of courses at the Coventry facility is now available via SIMIAN’s website and their training team are available to answer questions about the new Centre. For enquiries contact [email protected] and 0345 6022418.
Existing Aspects customers can continue to contact the centre team directly at the Coventry site, SIMIAN said.
Speaking after the signing of the joint venture, Jackie Thomason, Finance Director at SIMIAN said: “The venture is the ideal model for both businesses and fits perfectly with our post-COVID business plan. The centre is ideally located with easy access just off Junction 3 of the M6. The team at Aspects have built a very high quality training facility that will benefit all of those that go to learn there. In the short time that the business has been operating, Michelle has already developed a great team and we look forward to working with them and welcoming them into the SIMIAN family.”Aspect’s Director Michelle McFall and Simian’s FD Jackie Thomason at the socially distanced signing of the new joint venture agreement this morning.
Sally Nicholson, HSE Head of Operations, North West, said: “Becoming COVID-secure needs to be a priority for all businesses, especially in Bolton and Trafford.
“As we have seen a rise in COVID-19 cases in these areas, it is essential workplaces take reasonable steps to control the risk and protect people from coronavirus. This means making business adjustments to become COVID-secure.
“We advise employers to work with their employees when implementing changes, to help increase confidence with workers, customers and the local community while reducing the risk of transmission. Simple steps can help save lives.”
As inspections are ongoing, HSE has been utilising different ways to gather intelligence and reach out to businesses across Bolton and Trafford with a combination of site visits, phone calls and through collection of supporting visual evidence such as photos and video footage.
All businesses are in scope for inspections, that means any size business in any sector can receive an unannounced inspection.
Some of the common issues HSE inspectors are finding include: failing to provide arrangements for monitoring, supervising and maintaining social distancing, failing to introduce an adequate cleaning regime – particularly at busy times of the day – and providing access to welfare facilities to allow employees to frequently wash their hands with warm water and soap.
Francine Cheney, HSE Head of Operations for Construction, said: “All businesses in Bolton and Trafford are in scope for spot checks which means businesses of any size, in any sector can receive an unannounced visit from us to ensure they are COVID-secure.
“We want all workers to remain safe in the workplace and to continue to follow government guidelines travelling to and from work, back at home and socially as this can make a real impact in halting the spread of coronavirus.
“By making sure that businesses have measures in place to manage the risks, we can benefit the health of the local community as well as support the local and national economy.”
For more information on spot inspections, see https://www.hse.gov.uk 
