Brogan Group wins Dublin scaffolding project
The Brogan Group has been awarded the scaffolding package for the Sweeney Corner Project in Dublin, Ireland.
The firm will be providing around 7,000m2 of perimeter scaffold along with a number of loading bays, staircases and birdcages. It’s understood that several elevations will be cantilevered out from 1st-floor level due to restrictions on space and site boundaries, the Brogan Group have said. Sweeneys Corner is a student accommodation development located in the Newmarket area in Dublin. On completion, the development will include 235 student bed spaces in four blocks and 37 build-to-rent apartments in a separate block. A commercial unit, café and garden will be located next to the River Poddle. The project is scheduled for completion prior to the start of the 2021 academic year.What is scaffolding insurance, and do I need it?
Does your scaffolding business have the right type of insurance? If not, you could be putting you, your staff and your business at risk, should something unfortunate happen whilst on-site. Whether you’re buying scaffolding insurance for the first time, or are looking to renew, there are a few things to consider to make sure you’re completely covered for all eventualities.
What is scaffolding insurance?
This is a good place to start, because it’s not always known what this type of insurance is, let alone why you need it. By understanding what the insurance is, you’ll see why it’s something that your scaffolding business needs.
Scaffolding is a high-risk business. Consider all the risks associated with your day-to-day job. Now consider who is at risk; you, your team, contractors, members of the public, and so on. With a lot going on, anything can happen to anyone at any time. But without insurance, should any accident occur, your business could be financially liable if the accident was caused by you.
Scaffolding insurance is therefore designed to protect you financially, against unforeseen accidents.
Why do you need it?
To mitigate risk, even the unavoidable and unknown risks. And because of the nature of the work, scaffolders are putting themselves, and others in greater risk than many other trades. From erecting the scaffolding, to working on it, maintaining it and dismantling it, consider the different types of accidents that may occur to you, your colleagues, contractors, members of the public and even the site itself should an accident happen.
For example, workers could fall, workers or the public could be hit by falling objects, the scaffolding could accidently damage property, the scaffolding or parts of it may even be vandalised or stolen. These are all risks that you may end up paying for, and the bill coming your way could be a lot more than the amount to pay for the insurance in the first place. Ultimately it gives you peace of mind that you’re covered.
Types of insurances available
Scaffolding insurance is made up of a number of different types of insurances. This is because each insurance covers a different risk:
- The main type of insurance is public liability insurance. This insurance is designed to protect your business if a third party (i.e. someone who isn’t an employee or contractor) makes a claim against your company for causing an accident or injury to themselves or damage to their property. If you are found to be legally responsible for the injury or damage claim, public liability insurance will help to pay the financial cost.
- Another key insurance for scaffolding businesses is employer’s liability insurance. If your scaffolding business directly employs people, whether they are full time, part time or contractors, it is a legal requirement for you to have employer’s liability insurance (other than for bona fide subcontractors). It is designed to protect an employee should something happen to them when operating and working on the scaffolding. For example, they may get injured or fall ill as a result of an accident caused by the scaffolding. If you are found to be legally responsible, employers liability insurance will help to pay the financial cost to the employee.
- There are a number of other types of insurances to consider as part of scaffolding insurance. For example, Financial Loss will protect you against claims that your client has suffered financial losses as a result of your work. Additionally, Professional Indemnity Insurance will protect you against claims from a client who has lost money as a result of a perceived sub-standard service. Not least, depending on your circumstances, you should also consider protecting your tools and equipment, and if you’re a sole trader looking into personal accidental cover and accidental death.
With some insurance providers, these insurances can be combined into one package, or bought individually. In either case it is considered appropriate to obtain a detailed picture of what you’re being insured for, what your claim limits are, and how much it will cost you each month or year to be insured.
What to watch out for?
As well as obtaining a detailed picture of what your insurance will cover, you should check for restrictions. These can come in different forms, but the most obvious one for scaffolders is a height restriction. Always double-check what the height restriction is. Some providers do actually offer an unrestricted height limit, so consider your needs and requirements. If there is a height restriction in place, do not erect scaffolding or work higher than this level, as your cover won’t be valid if any accidents do occur. Other restrictions may include regional access, for example, you may not be able to work in certain locations either home or abroad, so it is worth double-checking the locations where you are covered.
Next steps
Once you have a clear idea of your needs and requirements, it’s time to obtain quotes. Be sure to choose a reliable provider that has experience in your trade. And if you’re unsure of anything, be sure you choose a provider who’ll be able to answer any of your questions.
For reliable scaffolding insurance, Trade Direct Insurance provide comprehensive policies tailored for different budgets. Visit their site for a quick, no quibble, quote.
This article was first published in the ScaffMag Magazine Issue 11Taylor’s Hoists celebrates 15 years at the top of UK construction access
Award-winning leading hoists specialists, Taylor’s Hoists are this month celebrating 15 years at the top of the UK construction vertical access provision sector.
The Cambridgeshire-based firm is now part of the BrandSafway/Lyndon SGB operation, offering an unrivalled, combined leading access and scaffolding solution nationwide, alongside the might of the Lyndon SGB MASTCLIMBERS™ operation. Using their market-leading, environmentally-friendly fleet of hoists, they provide award-winning vertical access of some of the UK’s largest construction top tier projects, with a full-service of hoists support; from design conception to completion and including a comprehensive client maintenance and hoist familiarisation program. Right at the heart of the business is Paul Price, who has been with the Taylor’s Hoist brand, since the first few days in 2005, where his career began on the tools as the company’s first and only hoist erector. He is now Managing Director. Paul said: “I can’t tell you how extremely proud I am to be celebrating 15 years of Taylor’s Hoists and to now be part of the mighty Lyndon SGB and BrandSafway operational capacity. Together, we are now achieving more than ever. I am so proud of what we do, what we deliver, who we are and where we came from. The whole team deserves enormous recognition for what we have achieved together over the past 15 years.” Lyndon SGB’s Managing Director, Stuart Robinson, said: “Congratulations Paul and all of the team, for 15 years of increasing success. They work incredibly hard to achieve the highest possible standards in vertical access provision for our esteemed clients. Their passion for their brand spills over into every single aspect of their work. They are a huge asset to our portfolio and an increasingly important and popular choice for our leading construction client base across the UK.” When the Taylor’s Hoists business began in 2005, originally based at a small yard in Watford, Paul Price was its only hoist erector. Fifteen years on, Paul leads a 33-strong team from their spacious yard, storage, maintenance and office facilities behind Duxford Air Museum (strategically centrally located to serve the firm’s nationwide jobs), just off the M11/A505 corridor, which they moved to in 2011. And the Taylor’s Hoists operation now also functions from a second site at the new Lyndon SGB single scaffolding depot in Manchester, serving leading projects in the Midlands, the North and Scotland.
Recalling the early years, Paul said: “Back in 2005, I was the first and only hoist erector. But I was soon joined by a few other guys, making up the small team of Taylor’s Hoists field engineers, plus three managers in the office. It grew quickly, as we established a reputation for expertise and an excellent track record of customer service, combined with our decision to specify only the best hoists on the market.
“Back then, our facilities were very basic and we only had the one hoist when I first arrived; a goods hoist that from memory served just two landings! Being honest, I did question if I had made the right move from the national hoist business I was previously part of as a hoist erector. But, when I looked at what Taylor’s Hoists could be with the years of knowledge within such a small company, and the brand new Alimak fleet going out to the likes of Bovis, Lendlease, MACE & BAM projects, I knew Taylor’s Hoists had great potential. And I was right.
“Fifteen years have not flown by at all – it has been incredibly hard work, long days and many late nights, but never done alone. Whenever I look to my side, I know I can rely on the team of great people working with me, past and present. They are a hugely reliable team that want to deliver the quality of service we offer 24:7:365. Each member of the team – from the board of directors, to depot operatives, company managers and field engineers – are proud of what they deliver.
“That is what Taylor’s Hoists is… we are not just a hire company, we are a business that cares to offer the best possible access solutions, driven by our own reputation to maintain the premium standards we deliver, and we do that as a team.
“Of course, we also could not have achieved this milestone without our clients, who have given us the opportunity to show what we are capable of supplying. And those clients from back in 2005 are still many of the ones we still work for today. We have a great relationship with them and they have full confidence we can deliver what they need, safely, on time and on budget.” TRAD UK launches new decking adjustable foot
Made from injection-moulded plastic, new component offers cost-effective strength and durability
TRAD UK, the new brand for the combined TRAD Hire & Sales and TRAD Safety Systems companies, has done it again! For years now TRAD’s safety deck has been the watchword for quality and innovation, and it is this forward-thinking which has kept the decking system as the market leader for more than 15 years.
So TRAD UK is delighted to announce the launch of its latest concept: the new adjustable foot for decking.
Designed and manufactured in the UK and fully tested to BS-EN 12811-3 Part 3, the adjustable foot can be easily extended to three heights, making it a flexible and cost-effective option. At 70mm, the foot supports single decking panel overlap and can be extended to 140mm and 210mm to increase decking height accordingly. Each foot is supplied with a lockable steel pin for additional stability and security.
As well as offering versatility with the height adjustment, the product increases stability and helps to streamline the installation process reducing labour time and material cost.
“Designed to meet a variety of end-user needs, this new concept really does offer workability. The injection-moulded plastic adjustable foot is the latest innovation from TRAD UK,” said Alan Slater, Head of Technical and Product Support at the company.
“The product has undergone significant testing to ensure that it provides the best support at the most cost-effective price, allowing contractors to build decking securely at a range of heights with confidence.”
The adjustable foot is the first of many new product innovations currently being worked on by the TRAD team, with more to be revealed in 2021.
Scaffolding supplier confirms sale of tool hire depot
Scunthorpe based Caspian Group Limited has confirmed the sale of their Grimsby tool hire depot to independent tool hire firm GoHire.
The Caspian depot, which has had a strong and successful presence in Grimsby for over thirty years, was acquired as a going concern by GoHire, a deal which includes the comprehensive hire fleet and two vehicles. 5 staff members were also transferred over as employees of GoHire. Caspian’s Managing Director, Neil Garrison, said: “This is a great opportunity for everyone involved, we have worked with Sally and the team at GoHire for many years and enjoyed watching the business grow, I am pleased to hand over the reins to Sally and we will be supporting the transition all the way.” The sale of the tool hire depot forms part of Caspian’s ongoing consolidation plans and will help to allow for the future growth of the core business of manufacturing and supplying scaffolding access equipment. Caspian has an outstanding reputation within the industry and has been supplying scaffolding access equipment for over 40 years. Steady expansion and investment over the past 3 years have included the purchase of a state-of-the-art scaffold boards manufacturing facility and production line and the acquisition of an additional three-acre site, along with further investment in their in-house transport fleet. All of which has helped the firm become one of the most reliable and competitive scaffolding equipment providers in the UK.BrandSafway acquires Big City Access
BrandSafway continues its global growth and expansion with the acquisition of U.S. firm Big City Access.
In a move toward continued growth and expansion of its commercial construction and infrastructure business in Texas, BrandSafway has announced the acquisition of the assets of Big City Access, effective Dec. 1, 2020. “BrandSafway is committed to becoming the number one total access solutions provider in metro areas around the country, and this acquisition demonstrates that commitment,” said Art Eunson, president of BrandSafway’s Metro and Infrastructure Division. “By combining Big City Access with BrandSafway’s commercial operation in Texas, we will become the largest and most experienced premier commercial access provider in Texas, going to market as Big City Access by BrandSafway.” Founded in 2002, Big City Access is a premier, privately-owned provider of superior access and scaffolding in the Texas commercial construction market with approximately 160 employees. Headquartered in Houston, with additional locations in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, Big City Access has worked with area builders, contractors, construction managers and developers to provide safe and efficient solutions for projects of every size and scope. Big City Access offers supported scaffold, shoring, mast climbers, transport platforms, and a range of hoists and suspended platforms, which can be custom engineered for any job. The company also provides safety equipment and training. “Big City Access has an outstanding reputation and brings more than 18 years of technologically advanced commercial access experience to BrandSafway in Texas,” said Mike Krach, regional vice president of BrandSafway’s Metro and Infrastructure Division. “By leveraging the assets and expertise of Big City Access, together with BrandSafway’s, we can deliver a full suite of access and scaffolding, forming and shoring, and safety equipment and training to the commercial and infrastructure markets throughout the Texas region.” Both BrandSafway and Big City Access customers will now be able to take advantage of a wider range of products and services. “This is an exciting opportunity for both our customers and our employees,” said Barbara Roberts, president and CEO of Big City Access. “By joining the leading access and industrial services company in North America, we can further grow our business and provide an enhanced level of service to our customers.”Lee Marley Appoints Training Manager for Brickwork & Scaffolding
Lee Marley Brickwork Ltd has appointed Christian Hatherall-Good as the company’s Training Manager.
Lee Marley Brickwork (LMB) currently offers both brickwork and scaffolding apprenticeships in order to bring the next generation of tradesmen into the construction industry. Christian, bringing 25 years of experience in construction and education, will be charged with developing LMB’s programme further and capitalising on the recent change in the pathway of apprenticeship funding that gives employers greater flexibility on delivering the training that they need. What sets LMB’s award-winning programmes apart from others is a combination of behavioural coaching and up to the minute technical instruction. The training offered goes beyond current apprenticeship requirements with specialist modules focussing on modern methods of construction, fire safety and quality assurance. Based at their Head Office in Reading, he will be in charge of all LMB apprentices, mentoring and monitoring them throughout from the point of induction, to monitoring and delivering training, through to qualification. LMB’s brickwork apprentices spend four days on-site gaining real hands-on experience and one day at College while apprentice scaffolders follow a more staged block release programme. Christian is currently looking after 26 brickwork and 9 scaffold apprentices, he has students working on sites such as Oval Village Vauxhall with Berkeley Homes and Chelsea Barracks for Multiplex. Many of the company’s current apprentices are from Brooklands College where he worked for over 8 years as Head of Construction Curriculum and as a bricklaying tutor. But a key part of Christian’s role will be building relationships with other colleges and local authorities in order to identify new talent to join the LMB apprenticeship scheme. Christian, who holds a Professional Certificate in Education focused in Education from Greenwich University, will also oversee personal development and upskilling of LMB’s current operatives including identifying recent graduates of the apprenticeship programme that show managerial promise and encouraging them to take on more responsibility under the wing of an experienced site supervisor and are supported through their SSSTS and SMSTS for brickwork supervisors or their Advanced Scaffolder or CISRS Supervisor qualification for scaffolders. The next step for LMB will then be to open their own training centre that would be at the forefront of brickwork and scaffolding training in the UK. Christian is in the process of looking at funding and accreditation for this, watch this space! Christian said: “We are working on creating the best brickwork and scaffolding training centre in the UK. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for me to be involved from early planning stages in creating a training centre from scratch, delivering the latest methods and models of construction and traditional brickwork skills.” LMB Managing Director Lee Marley commented “As a former apprentice bricklayer I appreciate the opportunities that a quality apprenticeship can off a young man or women. It is also essential for the construction industry to encourage young talent into the sector and focus on evolving skills in order to improve productivity”Altrad secures ‘significant’ offshore contract renewal
Altrad has signed a contract renewal for an upstream Oil & Gas operator in the Southern North Sea.
The contract renewal announced today (2 Dec) will see Altrad continue to provide fabric maintenance services for one of the leading oil and gas operators in the Southern North Sea, United Kingdom. Altrad told Scaffmag the contract commenced back in April 2020 and will continue until December 2021. It’s understood it will encompass Altrad providing offshore deck operations, mechanical, access and scaffolding, thermal insulation and corrosion protection services in support of 45 offshore platforms and 2 onshore terminals. Altrad’s Director of Operations for Offshore Services, Chris Garland, said: “We are delighted to have renewed this contract which demonstrates our ability to deliver long-term, sustainable value for our client, whilst reducing their operational costs”. The contract award builds upon a successful strategic relationship which spans back over fifteen years, during which time Altrad has extended the scope of services such that on any one day, between 140 and 170 of our talented people, deliver critical services on behalf of its client. “The award of this contract, marks another milestone in Altrad’s transformation strategy in the UK offshore sector, wherein we have restructured the business, to put our client`s objectives at the heart of our decision making. This opportunity allows us to continue to deliver enhanced value for our client, which exceeds that available from any of our competitors, demonstrated not just by our words, but in how we deliver a superior outcome” added Peter Hughes, Director of Business Development & Strategy.COVID prompts NASC to slash members fees
