Dutch firm launches magnetic fall protection

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Dutch firm launches magnetic fall protection

A first of its kind magnetic anchor for fall protection has been launched by Dutch firm McNetiq

The new magnetic anchor for fall protection when working at height have been developed by Rotterdam-based company McNetiq. The development comes in response to a growing demand for certified anchoring systems across a number of industries. For workplaces constructed from steel in construction and demolition to shipbuilding and powerplant maintenance, the magnetic anchor can be used for personal fall protection. Its makers say the use of the anchor is durable and cost-effective due to temporary anchor points not needing to be welded. The worker is connected to the magnetic anchor via a working line and is unable to go beyond an unsecured edge. There are various fall protection systems in circulation, but no magnetic ones as yet to our knowledge. This new anchor is based on the companies Controlock technology. McNetiq is the inventor of this patented technology, with which the breakout point and sheer force of a magnetic anchor can be determined in advance. McNetiq previously developed the Controlock scaffolding anchor that we saw at Bauma in 2019. This product is applied in industrial scaffolding construction and used in storage tanks, shipping, power plants, cranes, steel bridges and other steel construction projects. McNetiq was founded following the invention of the Controlock technology in 2014 and collaborates with innovative partners in the Rotterdam port industrial area.

Impact Report: Construction Industry Helpline sees a 57% rise in demand

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Impact Report: Construction Industry Helpline sees a 57% rise in demand

The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity has just published its fourth annual impact report which communicates to the industry, supporters and stakeholders, the impact that the charity is making and how it is helping to make a difference in the construction industry.

The report details the huge increase in demand for their 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline services, the introduction of free wellbeing sessions, the success of a major national project to increase the number of mental health first aiders and the development of their Construction Industry Helpline App.   2019 saw the total spent on charitable services of £1.221 million which included £723,607 of charitable giving to families, £416,372 on education and training and £81,287 on health and safety innovation.   During the year, 2615 cases were presented to their helpline, an increase of 57% on the previous year, 445 of these were from families requiring emergency financial aid and 2170 were for support on a variety of wellbeing issues.  Despite the huge increase in the number of cases, the charity has demonstrated a 62% reduction in the average cost per case compared to 2018 due largely to the introduction of professional case workers.  Sarah Bolton, Head of Charitable Services said, “Our caseworkers manage some of the more complex cases and can harness all available government and local support before releasing charitable funds. As well as ensuring better financial stability for our beneficiaries, this strategy also means that we now deliver more support, to a higher quality and at a lower cost per case”.  One of the key findings of the report was that 62% of emergency financial grants were to help pay for daily living costs including buying food, paying utility bills, and clearing rent arrears and debt.  With over 50% of the construction workforce either self-employed, agency workers or on zero-hour contracts, many live from one payday to another, which means that if things go wrong, the situation quickly spirals out of control. To tackle the issue and address the clear need for better financial management, the charity has added a ‘Financial Management’ training session to their existing range of free wellbeing courses. These sessions will provide pro-active information, support and guidance to help prevent situations escalating to crisis point and will stand alongside their helpline app which already has a section dedicated to financial wellbeing.  The report also identifies that of the 209 cases reporting a death or bereavement, tragically, 21 of these were due to suicide, highlighting the urgent need for better proactive mental wellbeing support in the industry.     Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity said, “I have sleepless nights trying to think of how we can get our services to individuals in crisis before they take their life, I am convinced that if given the opportunity we could manage to turn some away from suicide. With over 500 suicides every year in construction we are all morally obligated to be on the look out for individuals that are struggling.  However,  looking back at 2019 and the work we have already done this year, we are now delivering a huge portfolio of free and widely available pro-active resources and training to ensure that organisations and individuals have many pathways to support when they need it.”  Speaking of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the charity’s income for 2020, Bill Hill added, ”All of our charity events have been cancelled and with other companies unable to fundraise for us in many of the traditional ways, we are anticipating a massive income shortfall of £1 million.  In April we launched our Crisis Appeal to address this issue and I am pleased to advise that almost £500,00 has been raised to date. I am always humbled by the way our industry pulls together in times of need and this has been no exception. We still have a long way to go to achieve our 2020 fundraising goal and secure our charitable services but I am confident that our industry will support us all the way.” 

Worker takes serious fall from scaffolding at Sydney construction site

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Worker takes serious fall from scaffolding at Sydney construction site

A man has taken a serious fall from scaffolding on a construction site in Sydney, Australia this morning.

The 35-year-old worker plunged three meters, from the third to second floor of the building about 8.30 am at the site in Penrith. A source close to the incident told Scaffmag: “The man was working from a 2 board hop up that didn’t have tie bars installed it only had tie wire securing the boards in position. The worker stepped down off the slab onto the hop-up and they spread and the boards fell and he went down the hole it made.” NSW Fire and Rescue teams helped rescue the man, and a critical care helicopter also attended the scene landing opposite to the construction site. The worker was taken to the local Hospital by road in a stable condition. NSW Ambulance Station Officer Peter Van Praag said: “Any fall from height has the potential to be fatal, this man is incredibly lucky not to have sustained more serious injuries,”  “It was a great team effort with the help of Fire and Rescue NSW.” “The most important thing about going to work in the morning is getting home at the end of your day to your family. We urge workers to take extra care when at work, one mistake can cause serious injury.”

Scaffolding Firm Secures £100K Funding Boost

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Scaffolding Firm Secures £100K Funding Boost

A leading scaffolding firm has secured a six-figure funding boost in bid to support its cash flow and save jobs following the coronavirus lockdown.

Redditch-based Portway Scaffolding has received £100,000 from BCRS Business Loans via the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) supported by the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). The firm which is an audited member of the Scaffolding Association also has business operations in Glasgow and supplies and erects scaffolding across the UK. Like many businesses, the UK lockdown proved to be a challenging time for Portway Scaffolding as nearly all of its contracts were put on hold. The funding boost will help ease the firm’s cash flow and secure the jobs of 32 staff. Portway’s Managing Director Don McGrath said: “Securing a funding boost at this time was an important step in helping us manage our cash flow during the period of interruption caused by the coronavirus. “We expect business operations to start returning to normal soon, as lockdown measures are eased further and more construction sites re-open. “In the meantime, we are busy reviewing our processes and putting additional measures into place to ensure it is safe for our staff to return to work. “We have been communicating regularly with our customers and suppliers and envisage that demand for scaffolding will be similar to pre-lockdown levels, as we continue to fulfill pre-existing contracts and work on new construction sites resumes.” Stephen Deakin, chief executive of BCRS Business Loans, added: “We are delighted to have supported Portway Scaffolding with the funding it required at this incredibly challenging time. “This is an example of a strong, viable businesses whose growth plans were put on hold due to the unforeseen interruption to trading caused by the coronavirus. “With such a loyal customer base, a strong pre-existing order book and a very experienced team in place, we know that Portway Scaffolding will be back to doing what it does best as soon it is safe to resume work. “We believe that no viable business should go unsupported and understand how important SMEs are to the growth and prosperity of our local communities.”

New Appointment at Connolly Scaffolding

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New Appointment at Connolly Scaffolding

Manchester firm Connolly Scaffolding has appointed Dave Bowring as its Associate Director.

Dave Bowring
Dave Bowring the ex-boss of Bowmac Access services based in Chester will be heading up Connolly Scaffolding’s Estimating and Commercial department, the company said today. Bowring has been in the scaffolding industry for over 40 years, attaining senior positions with national scaffolding companies, and formally running Bowmac Access services for 15 years as Co-Director. A spokesperson for Connolly Scaffolding said on it’s Linkedin page: “Dave is bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and experience after running his own scaffolding company for fifteen years. He has also served as regional director for a national scaffolding company, bringing his total time in the industry to over forty years. He’s looking forward to joining the family and we can’t wait to have his expertise help us through this exciting time of growth we’re currently undergoing.”

North East Safety Systems Firm Launch the MacHatch

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North East Safety Systems Firm Launch the MacHatch

JMAC Safety Systems has launched a new safety product in a bid to protect workers between floors.

Teesside based JMAC Safety Systems announced this month that they have launched a new product to add to their market-leading range of health & safety products. Their latest offering, the MacHatch, has been introduced to the market to solve the issue that there is currently no suitable, tested and safe means of access and egress between floor levels during the construction phase of new dwellings. The firm says the MacHatch solves this problem and is available across the UK immediately.  Stating that their product is ‘the future of safe access between floors’, the MacHatch is 3 years in the making and has been trialled, tested and further developed during this time to ensure quality is of the upmost importance and the best on the market. During this period, JMAC has worked alongside some of the UK’s largest housebuilders to ensure they have a product that meets all requirements from an operational, commercial and health and safety perspective on site. The multi-door loading hatch has been specifically designed to overcome any issues which may arise on site. For example, if a safety decking platform leg lands on one door, operatives are able to use another door to safely gain access to the upper floor levels. The hatch design has been carefully thought out, to ensure speed and productivity is maintained onsite with safety in mind. Another great USP is the fact that one size fits all. The dimensions of the safety hatch allows the frame to sit within 550mm & 600mm width joist layouts and can be used anywhere within the floor joist layout, the hatch is screwed into position using the 4 holes situated in the frame. In addition to this, the non-slip multi-directional super grip profiled mesh is tested to BS7976 Part 2, a standard used by the Health & Safety executive, giving users added confidence in all weather conditions. Made in the UK using locally sourced materials and a local supply chain, the MacHatch is available in 2 types: a cost-effective steel option & an ultra-light weight aluminium option too.  Speaking of his newly launched product JMAC Group MD, Luis McCarthy, said: “I know this product is going to be a fantastic addition to the construction industry, we’ve been working on it for over 3 years now and have worked closely with site teams, operatives and suppliers throughout the process to ensure we have it right. JMAC were the first to identify that access and egress between floors for safety decking installers was not suitable on most sites, and it would have been great to be the first one to solve the problem. Our standards are so high, and we strive to achieve perfection, therefore we have taken our time to launch a product that we’re completely satisfied with. The great thing is that we already have a list of pre orders for this product as the house builders have watched and worked alongside us to develop it, they know the benefit it will bring and I’m delighted with the end result and looking forward to seeing the impact it makes within the industry.”

Scaffolding supervisor saves life of Stanlow Refinery colleague

Grahame Anderson
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Scaffolding supervisor saves life of Stanlow Refinery colleague

Altrad Scaffolding supervisor Paul Thomas has been praised by the company for saving the life of a colleague at the Stanlow Refinery.

Working on-site for Essar, he became concerned when a fellow worker seemed to be feeling unwell. He quickly suggested his colleague go to the medical facility to get checked out, though the operative explained he was fine and would be able to continue with his duties. It was clear to Paul something could be wrong and being genuinely worried about the employee, insisted they went to the centre together so his friend could get professional advice. There was certainly nothing wrong with Paul’s intuition as the moment they arrived at the centre, his colleague took a turn for the worse. In fact, it soon became obvious the man was suffering a major heart attack. Together with Chris Walsh, Paul was called on to perform CPR, eventually re-starting the man’s heart. Medical professionals were called to the scene to provide the necessary care and treatment. They later confirmed the actions of both Paul and Chris saved the life of their colleague. Paudie Somers, CEO of Altrad`s UK, Ireland & Nordics business told Scaffmag: “I`d like to take the opportunity to commend Paul on his proactive actions, which proved to be instrumental in saving the life of one of his colleagues. It`s our strong safety culture and our brilliant people that make Altrad the smartest choice, and we are proud have Paul as part of our team.”

Construction contracts awarded increase by 81%

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Construction contracts awarded increase by 81%

Industry analysts say UK contract award numbers in June have increased by 81.4%, signalling an improvement in conditions.

A market review by industry analysts Barbour ABI shows the total value of construction contract awards in June 2020 was £2.2 billion based on a three-month rolling average. Compared to May, this is a decrease of 9.2% and is also 57.3% lower than June 2019. However, contract award numbers in June increased by 81.4% to 477. The residential sector again dominated the share of contract awards with a total of 33.9%. Despite this, the largest project awarded for June was the in the Infrastructure sector with the Gatwick Airport railway station refurbishment, valuing in at £150M. The analysis shows that London has had the largest share of contracts awarded in June at 26.1%. This is followed by the South East at 16.4% and then the North West at 13.6%. Wales was the smallest region with only 1.4% of awards. Commenting on the figures, Tom Hall, Chief Economist at Barbour ABI and AMA Research said, “The UK economy plateaued in May as the easing of some lockdown restrictions mid-way through the month failed to significantly increase output. In-month GDP growth was 1.8% after the 20% contraction in April. With the outcome underwhelming compared to city economists’ expectations of 5.5% growth, output remains 25% down compared to February. June’s figures published next month will give a better understanding of how quickly lost output can be regained as larger parts of the economy resumed activity.” Download the full report here.    

Hydrajaws Launch New & Improved Digital Bluetooth System

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Hydrajaws Launch New & Improved Digital Bluetooth System

British pull-test manufactures Hydrajaws has launched a new and improved version of its Digital Bluetooth System.

Like the previous version, the Hydrajaws App connects by Bluetooth to a gauge and records pull-test results digitally and stores them in a report complete with result graphs. The new system now goes a step further by including an online customer cloud-based dashboard that can collect these results from a team of users, providing a comprehensive pull-test management system.  Instead of purchasing a Bluetooth Digital Gauge, customers can now simply subscribe to an online licence. These licences provide access to the app and online dashboard. Used in conjunction with any Hydrajaws Digital Gauge, pull-tests can now be recorded and stored in a cloud-based database. This database provides a wealth of testing information including a test location map, service centre information, user licence details, gauge calibration dates and full reporting facilities, including the ability to add photos and notes. British pull-test manufactures Hydrajaws has launched a new and improved version of its Digital Bluetooth System. Data in the cloud database is connected to the ‘Evident Proof’ platform; its unique systems encrypts the data, timestamps it and stores it securely on Blockchain technology making it immune to tampering and indisputable proof of the pull test taking place. Adrian Morgan, Managing Director at Hydrajaws, said: “We are extremely excited about our new app and the powerful pull test management system.” “When life-threatening incidents occur the consequences and repercussions are very high. Unfortunately for the responsible parties there can be an overriding incentive to corrupt or tamper with the original data so that there is little or, no evidence to apportion blame.” “Using the Evident Proof’ verification platform mitigates this risk by providing a fully auditable and transparent data provenance trail that is admissible in a court of law.” Hydrajaws Ltd are a SME, based in Birmingham, who develop, manufacture and sell a range of portable testers for testing the crucial holding force of anchors, fixings in construction materials and engineered lifeline systems for personal fall protection. For over thirty years their testers have been confirming the on-site safety of fixings in countries worldwide. With their extensive knowledge and expertise, they are regularly approached to provide solutions for a particular testing requirement.

Scaffolder seriously injured after falling at Scottish factory

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Scaffolder seriously injured after falling at Scottish factory

A scaffolder has been rushed to hospital after falling at a factory in Scotland

The 39-year-old worker reportedly fell through the roof of Norbord’s MDF mill in Cowie, Scotland. Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 9.30 am yesterday (21 July). It is understood an air ambulance was also called to the chipboard factory. The worker was scrambled to Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University hospital to be treated for his injuries. One person who claimed to be onsite at the time told local media “A scaffolder fell through the roof and a girder landed on top of him.” The local police have launched an investigation into the incident and the Health and Safety Executive has been made aware. A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Around 9.35 am, officers were called to a report of a worker injured at premises on Station Road, Cowie. “Police and ambulance attended and the 39-year-old man has been taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. The Health and Safety Executive has been informed. “Officers are currently carrying out enquiries into this incident.” A spokesman for Norbord said: “A contractor erecting scaffolding fell from a platform. Our on-site medical team provided immediate assistance and emergency services were called. “The Health & Safety Executive is currently investigating and we are cooperating with their enquiries.”
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