A scaffolding structure has collapsed in suspicious circumstances in a town in Scotland.
According to reports, the scaffolding collapse happened in the early hours of Wednesday morning. It fell onto buildings on the other side of a narrow road in Kirkcaldy.
No one was injured in the collapse but the scaffolder who erected the job is convinced it was sabotaged to attack his Edinburgh-based firm Blair Scaffolding.
Speaking to local newspaper The Courier Blair Dryburgh said: “It’s absolutely crazy, you work hard to build a business to provide for your family and for your employees then someone sabotages your business like this.”
The scaffold came down during high winds but the scaffolder said it was impossible that this was the cause and has evidence to show that the job was tied in.
Evidence that the scaffold was tied in when first erected / Image credit: thecourier.co.uk
“We drill into the wall and fix anchors to it,” he said.
“Someone has taken the butts out that tie that together and adjusted the outside legs. The jacks had been dropped by about six inches.
“They’ve tied a bit of rope to the top and pulled it over, They must have stood in the church grounds opposite, as the rope was still over that side.”
Blair said his team, who are fully qualified and insured, build a number of scaffolds a day, and on rare occasions, the wind has been known to lift boards but had damaged this scaffold in such a way.
The Courier reported that the collapse is believed to have happened at around 1am and the road was closed until the scaffolding was removed later in the morning.
PERI UK has released a series of free product demonstration videos to help its customers adhere to the latest social distancing guidance from the CLC and NASC.
Recognising the construction industry has a vital part to play in an economic recovery, PERI UK has released a series of free product demonstration videos on its website as part of its 4-step customer support plan.
As more sites continue to reopen, PERI has been quick to adapt its products and services to ensure sites operate safely and efficiently, despite a reduced workforce.
The new videos guide scaffolders on how they can erect PERI UP scaffolding systems in line with the latest Site Operating Procedures and guidelines from CLC and NASC.
Each video features step-by-step demonstrations and detailed explanations provided by the company’s scaffolding supervisor, Mark Holmes, so scaffolders can assemble these systems safely under supervision.
Crucial safety measures, such as two-metre distances, can be observed using PERI’s scaffolding systems, as the videos demonstrate how they can be erected by just one scaffolder.
Currently, the demonstration videos feature the company’s most commonly used and versatile scaffolding systems, such as the PERI UP Flex Stair 75 and PERI UP Flex Stair 100, which can be used to provide temporary building access or as reinforcement scaffolding respectively.
The product demonstration videos will not be replacing the company’s valuable on-site support services, but will instead enhance PERI’s existing offer and help sites maintain construction output during a time it is needed most.
Managing Director for PERI UK, Alasdair Stables said: “We are determined to support our customers and help them keep their sites operational whilst working safely and efficiently. The current situation means that we cannot continue to work in the way we are all used to.A key focus for PERI at this time is to help customers adapt to the CLC’s Site Operating Procedures for the construction sector and to maintain the best possible efficiency on-site with whatever restrictions may be required.” Part of this approach is to make sure our sales and technical teams remain available to help with any challenges on-site, and in addition, our site demonstrators can provide web or site-based support for products being used on site.”
A man has been killed in an incident involving a cherry picker at the Willand Biogas site near Cullompton, Devon.
The workman aged 34, was working from the platform along with a workmate on Monday when they came into contact with an overhead power line. The man died at the scene from injuries suffered from the electric shock, while his colleague was taken to hospital for assessment but was not seriously injured.
South Western Ambulance Service sent multiple resources to the Willand Biogas site including land air and other specialist paramedic teams.
A statement from the Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Police were called to Station Road, Willand Industrial Estate, at around 9.50am on Monday 1 June, with reports that two men operating a cherry picker had been injured when it collided with an overhead electricity cable. A 34-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene and a 32-year-old man was taken to hospital for assessment. The deceased’s next of kin have been informed.”
A spokesperson for Willand Biogas said: “We were very sorry to learn of the tragic death of a contractor on site. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the friends and family of the deceased at this difficult time. The attaining and maintaining of the highest standards of health and safety management is a priority for Willand Biogas and we will be cooperating with the ongoing investigation by the Health and Safety Executive to the fullest possible extent. In view of that ongoing investigation, it is not appropriate for us to comment further at this stage.”
Slate roof repairs on the 800-year-old St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin have called for a scaffold and weather protection system that takes full account of the historic importance of the building.
Ireland’s oldest church, St Patrick’s Cathedral dates back to 1220, its currently undergoing the replacement of 19th-century roof slates and is benefitting from the combined scaffolding expertise of Ainscaff Scaffolding – working for main contractor Clancy Construction – and the performance of Layher Ltd.’s Allround scaffolding and lightweight roof systems.
After a year in the planning, the installation above the nave features scaffolds either side of the cathedral to support a series of multiple-beam clusters from which further scaffolding then rises to the temporary roof. Simon Ainscough, Director at Ainscaff, highlights the particular issues that have had to be addressed at the site –
“As so often with buildings of this type, the key factors that we have to accommodate are restrictions on tying-in to the fabric and both the movement and positioning of equipment through often tight spaces and alongside very valuable and irreplaceable structures and artefacts, and the Layher equipment provides key gains in each case,” he says. By way of example, he points out that the celebrated organ alone is valued at some £2 million.
“Key benefits of the Layher system include optimised handling due to its lightweight construction and the fact that it requires markedly fewer components than, for example, a tube and fitting alternative,” he says. He adds that because Layher Allround features a built-in rosette connection system, the risks of clamps, for example, falling or being left at site is minimised.
At the heart of the installation Layher’s, Ainscaff’s and Clancy’s design teams have developed a highly innovative scaffold and beam support structure to address the fact that tying-in was not possible.
“We created clusters, each of 11 Layher 750 beams, which were clamped to the walls before extending some eight metres externally through 14 windows along both sides of the building,” continues Simon Ainscough. “These were then fixed to the external support scaffolds to provide a base from which further structural elements rise to support the temporary roof.”
The design effectively bridges – and, therefore, avoids loading onto – lower roof areas which run alongside the nave while also helping to ensure an important door access area remains open. At the same time, the external support scaffold, which extends down to ground level, provides the optimum structure for the installation of a material loading bay and access stair system.
“The temporary roof itself features our Keder XL lightweight design which not only minimises loads and optimises handling, but can also be built to reach fully over the apex of the building without further support,” says Sean Pike, Layher Ireland’s Managing Director. He points out that a total roof span of some 18 metres is achieved.
The bay-by-bay construction of the Layher temporary roof structure has meant that the limitations of only having one crane on site were sufficient for the installation. “We could only lift from one end of the cathedral so we built rails onto the top of the support scaffold upon which Layher’s mobile roof system wheels were then located,” continues Simon Ainscough. “As each bay was craned into position and sheeted, it was then rolled along and fixed to create space for the following frame.” The roof sheets were then pulled into position through the integrated roof beam top chord Keder tracks – the whole scaffold and roof installation being completed in just four months by 14 scaffolders including, significantly, five apprentices.
With fireproof steel decking throughout and, importantly, cross-bracing only required on the top lift as part of the means of securing the roof structure to the scaffold – which allows clear walkways for the movement of both men and materials – the Layher scaffold system brings clear gains to such an important and iconic structure. The simplification of handling even helped the unloading of materials at site which had to be undertaken during the night to avoid traffic restrictions in the city centre location.
“This is a major project in every sense – not just because of its importance and specific structural characteristics, but also the amount of scaffolding and roof system material that has been used,” concludes Simon Ainscough. He points out that some 4.5 km of ledgers, 1.8 km of beams and 3.4 km of standards have all been deployed for what is only the first phase of the roof refurbishment programme. Now that the new roof over the nave is complete, using slate from the same quarry that supplied the cathedral 150 years ago, attention has moved onto phase two – repairs to the transept roof – with the final phase three to follow.
“It is a high-quality installation which demonstrates the suitability of our equipment together with Ainscaff’s and Clancy’s skills in the field of conservation,” concludes Sean Pike. “The structure provides safe, clear access and also creates the ideal, naturally-lit working environment for the roofing trades, yet impacts as little as possible on the continuing function of St Patrick’s Cathedral below.”
The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has launched a new Design Membership category focused exclusively on scaffolding design.
The new membership is open to UK-based scaffold designers and if minimum NASC requirements are met businesses can attain membership.
NASC has said these requirements relate to competence that includes a combination of qualifications and experience.
Previous to the new category many design firms attained NASC Information Member status. These companies have been given the opportunity to transfer over to the new design category in July.
According to the NASC website, businesses will have to part with £800+VAT per calendar year for the new membership subscription.
Robin James, NASC Managing Director, said: “The new NASC Design membership category provides greater recognition for scaffolding designers than was previously provided through the general NASC Information Membership category.“By setting design-specific criteria we have also ensured that NASC Design Membership is valued by the scaffolding industry – seen as a mark of quality and expertise, in the same way that NASC Full Contracting and NASC Full Non-Contracting membership is.”
James Attridge, NASC Technical Committee chair, added: “By appointing an NASC approved Design member, scaffolding contractors can be confident that these companies have the relevant experience, qualifications and Professional Indemnity insurance cover to carry out the project in hand.”
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has laid out its post-coronavirus rescue plan for the construction industry.
Called the Roadmap to Recovery, the plan has three phases which will be carried out over the next two years.
Construction leaders hope that within the two years the industry could bounce back more professional, productive and profitable.
The three-phase plan starts with the Restart phase, which will run for the next three months that aims to increase output, maximise employment and minimise disruption.
Next will be the Reset phase which according to the plan will be implemented within three to twelve months. Under this phase, the industry will be asked to increase demand, up productivity and strengthen the supply chain.
The final Reinvent phase which will run in year two will see the industry transform by adopting digital and manufacturing technologies. It will also deliver better value with collaboration and partnership.
A CLC task force is now engaging with Government to test how the plan’s proposals might be delivered.
Construction Leadership Council joint chair Andy Mitchell said: “The unprecedented challenge of coronavirus calls for unprecedented solutions. I am delighted by the way the industry has collaborated at pace to develop this plan, targeting those interventions that will help the industry get back on its feet as quickly as possible. We hope that everyone will take the opportunity to read the plan and consider the part you can play in its delivery.”
To download the Road to Recovery plan click here
Construction union Unite has sent an open letter to the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), warning that the organisation’s site operating procedures (SOP) are placing workers at risk.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began the various versions of the CLC’s operating procedures have acted as a template for safe site operation with the latest version of the SOP, (version 4) published last week.
The union has said it is primarily concerned about the section which deals with Work Planning to Avoid Close Working which states: “If you are not able to work while maintaining a two-metre distance, you should consider whether the activity should continue.” It goes on to say “that management should minimise the frequency and time workers are within two metres of each other.”
Social distancing vital
Unite has called for site work to be planned in a way that allows social distancing to be maintained with appropriate protection for workers on the very rare occasions when this is not possible and working within two metres of each other cannot be avoided.
However, the SOP version four says: “Workplaces should not encourage the precautionary use of extra PPE to protect against Coronavirus (COVID-19).” The union says that it will not support any guidance that could deny construction workers the appropriate PPE.
PPE concerns
In the open letter to the CLC, Unite construction officer Jerry Swain states: “The SOP could and should be revised to explicitly state that the job should not be undertaken without appropriate PPE, which of course would include masks.”
Unite also raises a similar concern about more than one person travelling together in a work vehicle and says that if two metre social distancing cannot be maintained then “workers should be supplied with an appropriate mask which must be worn”.
CLC vital role
Commenting, Jerry Swain said: “Since the pandemic began, the CLC has become the go to place for construction sites trying to operate and keep workers safe.“It is essential that the information in the site operating procedures is clear, comprehensive and complete. As the procedures are currently written, the health of workers is placed at risk.“Unite has been constructive in the development of these procedures throughout and has fed its views into the CLC. It is imperative that the CLC ends the confusion and republishes revised procedures.“No one should be required to work within two metres of someone else on a construction site and on the extremely rare occasion when this is simply not possible then the full appropriate PPE must be issued. It is also essential workers are fully trained in the safe usage of this equipment.“Our industry is under the spotlight; now is the time for the CLC to show leadership and do the right thing by workers. I truly hope, for the sake of our workers’ health and the battle against the spread of this virus that Unite receives a positive response from the CLC.”
HAKI is offering a free trial period of its advanced design tool, HAKI BIM, until July 2020. New users will be able to experience and benefit from the software completely free of charge during May and June.
The HAKI BIM plugin to Autodesk Revit® has been specifically developed for scaffold designers and engineers, to speed up the temporary access design process and accuracy for complex projects; ultimately reducing lead times for clients and risk of project delay in temporary works.
HAKI BIM simplifies design of 3D models, using the full range of HAKI products and components. The tool uses automation for timesaving, whilst ensuring depth and accuracy in design; resulting in solutions that are safe and fit for purpose to avoid issues later in build.
Exact quantification, weights, and basic loadings are also automatically generated by the HAKI BIM software. This enables planning of logistics and space requirements in the early stages of a project.
Alongside clear operational benefits, HAKI BIM offers superior quality presentations to customers by adding realistic rendering and sharing through Autodesk Viewer® for live collaboration and exploration. Models also integrate with AR & VR tools, such as the HAKI Playground, to give stakeholders the opportunity to explore solutions in real-life environments prior to build.
Mattias Kuduk, VDC and innovation manager at HAKI, commented: “For the temporary works industry, BIM is enabling internal and external design engineers to produce complex 3D scaffolding blueprints for simple structures. Unlike 2D CAD drawings, 3D modelling produces detailed designs in far less time and with more reliability.
“Designers can reap these benefits with the HAKI Design Tool and HAKI BIM. The former design tool enables designers to configure basic scaffolding designs on a cloud-based platform – Inventor iLogic and Configurator 360 from Autodesk – and the latter advances this configuration onto Revit for greater customisation and capability for more complex projects, enabling further interaction with the components within the 3D model.”
Engineers and designers can subscribe for their free trial here.
Total construction output in Great Britain is expected to fall by 25% during 2020, according to the Construction Products Association.
The anticipated decline in output is one of three scenarios for construction output examined by the CPA. Even under this most optimistic of scenarios, the country’s construction activity would suffer its sharpest fall ever recorded. The pause to construction work as a result of Covid-19 social distancing measures is the main cause of the fall, with 60% of planned construction output lost in April due to the measures.
The loss to construction output in April varies across sectors and nations, with an estimated 83% of work in Scotland lost due to more stringent lockdown measures, 85% of house building lost and 60% of non-residential new build lost. The story is equally bleak for residential repairs, maintenance and improvements works where 60% of work was lost, concentrated mainly in the ‘improvements’ element. The non-residential repair and maintenance sector saw only a 20% loss of activity, as work to repair largely un-used buildings and infrastructure such as roads and schools was brought forward.
The CPA has developed a series of scenarios to assess the impact of Covid-19 on construction output, given that the full effects of the pandemic are so wide-ranging and lack precedents. The full impact on the UK economy and construction will only become clear once the duration and severity of social distancing requirements in apparent, along with the effects this has on demand.
The most optimistic scenario is based on a ‘V’-shaped recession affecting primarily the second half of March, April and May, followed by a recovery from June at a slower pace than the initial decline. The other scenarios include a W-shaped recession (a second wave of infection and lockdown in 2020 Q4 and subsequent recovery in 2021 Q1) and a U-shaped recession (continued restrictions throughout 2020 and a slow recovery in 2021 as businesses and consumers come out of it highly risk-averse).
Commenting on the Spring Scenarios, the CPA’s Economics Director, Noble Francis, said, “The greatest impacts of the lockdown in construction were seen in the private housing sector. Returns to site in May will focus on partially completed developments rather than new starts as house builders are expected to be very cautious given uncertainty regarding demand. This uncertainty will also keep the recovery muted in commercial offices, industrial factories and the most-severely affected sub-sector, commercial retail.“A more positive outlook is expected for infrastructure activity thanks to a greater ability to implement safe distancing for workers on larger sites but also, vitally, thanks to HS2 being given the go ahead to proceed. An increase in activity from the five-year investment programmes within regulated sectors such as water and sewerage, roads and rail also adds to this more positive story.“For the fortunes of construction more generally, though, the near-term effect of Covid-19 on the economy and employment are likely to be considerably greater than those faced during the financial crisis of 2008/09. In addition to these issues around the general economy and construction demand, productivity on site has fallen significantly due to social distancing and other safety, which means that construction activity will take longer and cost more. Even in our most optimistic scenario, construction output bounces back by 25.5% in 2021 but, with growth starting from a low base, output will still be 6% lower than in 2019. Combined with the high levels of uncertainty on demand, getting levels of construction back to pre-Coronavirus levels will take time. Expect a long slog ahead.”
Scaffold contractor and Royal Warrant Holder, Coventry Scaffolding, is celebrating its 70th birthday this year.
As part of a year of celebrations, the London and south-east scaffolding company are pledging to plant 70 trees – one for each year they have been operating – to mark the occasion. The trees will be planted in partnership with The Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity. “Ensuring that our work is sustainable has always been one of the core pillars of the business,” said Coventry co-director Perry Hanifan. “We do everything we can to try and reduce our environmental impact, including sourcing our scaffolding boards from a PEFC-certified supplier and recycling materials wherever possible. For our 70th anniversary, we wanted to go even further by replenishing some of the resources we’ve used over the years and, considering the current situation with COVID-19, we wanted to focus on doing something positive for the future. Trees are often seen as a symbol of hope, regeneration and new beginnings, which is what we all need right now.”For Perry and his brother Paul, who took over the business in the 90s from their father Pat Hanifan, scaffolding has always been a family affair. Pat was encouraged to start his own scaffolding firm back in 1950 by his brother, Maurice, and was only able to set up due to the financial support of five other Hanifan siblings. He used the money to purchase a second-hand lorry and the materials he needed to begin work, setting up as ‘Coventry Scaffolding’ to show solidarity with a city in desperate need of construction after suffering badly in the bombings of WWII.In the 70 years that have followed the business has gone from strength to strength, with projects for iconic historical London buildings and monuments like Nelson’s Column, Natural History Museum, V&A, Queen Victoria Memorial, Tower of London and Harrods, to name just a few. Coventry has also become synonymous with refurbishing government buildings, becoming the go-to company for work in and around Whitehall, the Houses of Parliament and the Royal Palaces. This was recognised in 2005, when it was awarded the Royal Warrant by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. After 40 years of working on projects at Buckingham Palace, becoming the first scaffolding company in the UK to be granted this honour remains one of Coventry’s proudest moments.A further highlight in recent years was an award for NASC ‘Project of the Year’ in 2018 for the company’s scaffolding on the ‘Mastaba’ – a floating art installation on the Serpentine in London’s Hyde Park by world-renowned artist, Christo. The enormous structure, formed of 7,506 horizontally stacked barrels, required the Coventry team to spend a month in Bulgaria working on a small-scale version that was trialled in the Black Sea, before beginning its larger counterpart in London.Heading into its 70th anniversary year, Coventry Scaffolding is recognised as one of the longest-standing members of the NASC and one of the oldest independent scaffold companies in England. Perry said, “We’re incredibly proud to have made it to 70 years – it’s a real achievement. Looking to the future, there are younger Hanifans involved in the business so it may pass on to the third generation, but hopefully Paul and I will be around to see it reach 100. We recognise that this year and next will present unprecedented challenges for the whole industry but because of the way we have managed the business in the past, we hope to emerge from this period even stronger than before and look forward to working alongside our current and future clients for many more years.”
At the heart of the installation Layher’s, Ainscaff’s and Clancy’s design teams have developed a highly innovative scaffold and beam support structure to address the fact that tying-in was not possible.
“We created clusters, each of 11 Layher 750 beams, which were clamped to the walls before extending some eight metres externally through 14 windows along both sides of the building,” continues Simon Ainscough. “These were then fixed to the external support scaffolds to provide a base from which further structural elements rise to support the temporary roof.”
The design effectively bridges – and, therefore, avoids loading onto – lower roof areas which run alongside the nave while also helping to ensure an important door access area remains open. At the same time, the external support scaffold, which extends down to ground level, provides the optimum structure for the installation of a material loading bay and access stair system.
“The temporary roof itself features our Keder XL lightweight design which not only minimises loads and optimises handling, but can also be built to reach fully over the apex of the building without further support,” says Sean Pike, Layher Ireland’s Managing Director. He points out that a total roof span of some 18 metres is achieved.
The bay-by-bay construction of the Layher temporary roof structure has meant that the limitations of only having one crane on site were sufficient for the installation. “We could only lift from one end of the cathedral so we built rails onto the top of the support scaffold upon which Layher’s mobile roof system wheels were then located,” continues Simon Ainscough. “As each bay was craned into position and sheeted, it was then rolled along and fixed to create space for the following frame.” The roof sheets were then pulled into position through the integrated roof beam top chord Keder tracks – the whole scaffold and roof installation being completed in just four months by 14 scaffolders including, significantly, five apprentices.
With fireproof steel decking throughout and, importantly, cross-bracing only required on the top lift as part of the means of securing the roof structure to the scaffold – which allows clear walkways for the movement of both men and materials – the Layher scaffold system brings clear gains to such an important and iconic structure. The simplification of handling even helped the unloading of materials at site which had to be undertaken during the night to avoid traffic restrictions in the city centre location.
“This is a major project in every sense – not just because of its importance and specific structural characteristics, but also the amount of scaffolding and roof system material that has been used,” concludes Simon Ainscough. He points out that some 4.5 km of ledgers, 1.8 km of beams and 3.4 km of standards have all been deployed for what is only the first phase of the roof refurbishment programme. Now that the new roof over the nave is complete, using slate from the same quarry that supplied the cathedral 150 years ago, attention has moved onto phase two – repairs to the transept roof – with the final phase three to follow.
“It is a high-quality installation which demonstrates the suitability of our equipment together with Ainscaff’s and Clancy’s skills in the field of conservation,” concludes Sean Pike. “The structure provides safe, clear access and also creates the ideal, naturally-lit working environment for the roofing trades, yet impacts as little as possible on the continuing function of St Patrick’s Cathedral below.”
