Scaffold firm boss wins top business award

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Scaffold firm boss wins top business award

The boss of two Milton Keynes based scaffolding firms has been awarded the SME National Business Award for Mentoring.

Matt Bowler, MD of MK Scaffolding Specialists and Vantage Event Structures was awarded the Gold Award at Wembley, in recognition for his work with young people and ex-offenders.
Matt Bowler, MD of Milton Keynes based MK Scaffolding Specialists and Vantage Event Structures wins SME National Business Award
Matt Bowler, MD of MK Scaffolding Specialists and Vantage Event Structures
Tessa Ojo, CEO of the Diana Award Charity, which sponsored the Mentor Award said Matt had “fully focused on training and giving people a hand up. This is real active mentoring and is highly commended.” Matt created a work scheme for inmates of HMP Spring Hill in 2011, giving those involved a chance to reskill as scaffolders working at his firm in Old Wolverton. Andrew Sibley now a rigger for international film studios, commended Matt for his support “because of Matt I work in films now and I go all over the world with my work. Whilst in Spring Hill he got me on the scaffolding qualification programme. If it hadn’t been for Matt I would probably have gone back into crime.” The SME National Mentor Award also recognised Matt’s work with young people and the opportunities he has given school leavers via his companies’ Apprentice Scheme, run in partnership with the National Construction College. Corey Robertson joined the scheme aged 17 and is now finishing his scaffolding qualification. Corey admits “I was on the wrong path before and I’m in a much better place now, scaffolding keeps you busy and keeps you fit, it’s been really good for me.”  Matt has been open about his own life story and how turning away from gangs and violence and channeling his efforts into something productive has enabled him to turn his life around. “It gives me a lot of satisfaction to help kids who are in the same position I was in and in construction there are so many opportunities to diversify into an area that suits you, Matt said. “When I started as a scaffolder if someone had told me I’d be building and designing structures for London Fashion Week and commentary boxes for premiere league football clubs, I wouldn’t have believed them.”  In 2019, Matt’s company Vantage Event Structures won the Design & Creativity Award at the MKBAA2019 for various projects including Scaffolding artworks for Burberry fashion house and a giant Rubik’s Cube for phone company Huawei on the Southbank. Matt was also recognised for his contribution to national and international business by winning Entrepreneur of the Year at the Milton Keynes Business Achievement Awards 2019.

NASC launches £30K mental health first aid training fund

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NASC launches £30K mental health first aid training fund

The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has set up a £30,000 funding pot dedicated to mental health first aid training.

The new fund gives its members the ability to claim up to £125 towards the cost of a mental health first aid course. The funding pot was created in conjunction with the trade body’s Head for Heights campaign that was set up in 2018. The campaign focused on breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health and promoting the importance of focusing on employee wellbeing in the workplace. It’s recent activity included the creation of SG38:19, free NASC guidance on mental health and wellbeing. “The £30,000 funding pot will help pay for nearly 250 NASC member employees to complete a mental health first aid course,” Lynn Way, NASC president said. “This will go a long way to improving awareness and understanding of mental health and wellbeing issues in the workplace and enable NASC members to better support their employees if and when they need to. “The Head for Heights campaign has been incredibly well-received by NASC members, who are as keen to do more to support anyone in the industry who’s dealing with a mental health challenge. There’s much more to come from us on this front in the year ahead.” The NASC has said, there are currently four mental health first aid training courses covered by the £30,000 funding pot. These are offered by MHFA England, St John Ambulance, 3B Training and the British Safety Council.  The creation of the fund comes just a month after the trade body launched a £150,000 fund dedicated to training and upskilling former servicemen. 

Storm Brendan brings down tower block scaffolding

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Storm Brendan brings down tower block scaffolding

A number of cars have been damaged and roads closed after a large scaffold fell from a tower block in Orpington, London.

High winds brought in by Storm Brendan ripped down the reported 10 lift scaffold at around 8:30pm last night (January 14). Emergency services attended the scene but no injuries have been reported. The fallen scaffold was left lying over the tower’s car park and an adjacent road, blocking it off to traffic. A dramatic video was posted online showing the aftermath of the scaffold collapse. The scaffolding had been erected for the purpose of repairing the balconies on the southeast London tower block. Although not confirmed News Shopper has reported that the scaffold was tied into the fabric of the tower block. However, it would seem these ties failed. Residents living in the tower block also told Journalists that weekly inspections had been carried out on the structure.

Sheffield’s £500m plans to improve buildings & council housing

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Sheffield’s £500m plans to improve buildings & council housing

Sheffield City Council has laid out plans to spend £500m on building and improving council housing over the next five years.

The spending plan has been laid out in the council’s housing revenue account (HRA) business plan for 2020/2021, according to The Construction Index. In 2019 Sheffield City Council committed to providing 1,600 new council homes by 2023/24 and this year this is being extended by an additional 1,500, taking the total to 3,100 new council homes over the next 10 years. The biggest investment in the plan is in the form of improving the city’s existing council house stock. This includes updating kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, roofs and improving communal areas. Councillor Paul Wood, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and community safety at Sheffield City Council, said: “We have ambitious plans to provide housing that gives people options, meets the demand and varying needs of our residents, and creates thriving communities. “The truth is there isn’t sufficient affordable housing in the city, we don’t have enough options available within our council housing stock and we need to maintain the quality of tenants’ existing homes. “We are tackling all of these issues head on, investing millions of pounds to make sure people in Sheffield have suitable, well maintained homes that they can afford and be proud of. “As well as all of these benefits to our housing offer, this level of investment over the next few years will also create hundreds of employment and apprenticeship opportunities for local people, providing essential jobs and up-skilling our future tradespeople.”

Specialist printer’s ultra-realistic Somerset House scaffold wrap

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Specialist printer’s ultra-realistic Somerset House scaffold wrap

Somerset House in London has been covered in an ultra-realistic scaffold wrap.

The iconic Neoclassical façade of Somerset House is instantly recognizable overlooking the Southside of the Thames. And while the building is currently undergoing some restoration work, you may not have noticed thanks to the ultra-realistic scaffold wrap that covers the construction work beneath. The man behind this impressive faux façade says it’s been one of his most challenging jobs to date, involving countless hours of photo-editing, printing and installation by skilled professionals. “This type of wrap is called a trompe L’oeil building wraps and they are somewhat of a specialised craft,” explains Project Print Management (PPM) owner and creator, Justin Murray. “The process begins with a team of engineers and designers collecting accurate measurements and photos of the building façade, which are then carefully edited to create the perfect realistic perspective, colour and scale. A framework is then built over the building scaffolding that will hold the printed wrap exactly in place to create the optical illusion during the construction work. Our team then coordinates a skilled specialist rope access team to install the enormous print on the frame.”

Scaffold Wrap is digitally printed for Somerset House

The scaffold wrap was digitally printed on 5-meter-wide format printer using UV ink technology onto Verseidag mesh PVC banner material, which can let the wind pass through. These types of facade building wraps are often used when historical buildings are undergoing refurbishment or maintenance work. scaffold wrap at somerset house Since these buildings are often visited by tourists, it’s important they maintain their characteristic visual aesthetic, so the scaffold wraps cover up any unsightly scaffolding, making it almost invisible. Somerset House is one such grade 1 listed building, open to the public and regularly hosting exhibitions and events throughout the year from ice-skating in the winter to the Film4 summer screenings, where the courtyard is transformed into a stunning open-air cinema, housing London’s largest open-air screen. “Most of our work is on period buildings, and it’s always challenging to get our print to visually represent the actual building. This is the ‘art’ of the process – making it look like nothing’s there,” says Murray. scaffolding covered in a digitally printed wrap He founded PPM in 2011 after leaving the print company he had started at age 19 and run for 18 years, deciding to become a specialist large-format creative print coordinator.

10 Years of Creatives Talents for Justin

Almost 10 years on and Justin is still enjoying using his business experience and creative talents for a range of exciting large format printing challenges, including his specialty of trompe L’oeil building wraps. “Lots of companies handle quite complex large-format print jobs, but not many do the kind of thing we specialise in at PPM,” enthuses Murray, who has created building wraps for clients including; The Monument to the Great Fire of London, Everton Football Club Stadium and the BNP Paribas building.

New CISRS Smart cards delayed until mid February

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New CISRS Smart cards delayed until mid February

CISRS tells industry to ‘bear with us’ after delays with its new Smart card system emerges.

The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) has this afternoon contacted training providers to notify them of a delay to the production of its new Smart cards. The new digital cards will not be available until mid-February. The new cards were supposed to be in production this month after NOCN Job Cards took over from the CITB when it withdrew from providing the card scheme administration services on 2nd December 2019. When they are available, the revamped cards will use NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. When the Smart card is tapped on any NFC enabled device like modern mobile phones and tablets, the cardholder’s name, photo, courses, and endorsements will magically appear on the screen of the device. It’s understood that the ‘change of IT systems’ is being blamed for the current delay. According to an email seen by ScaffMag, the new system with NOCN job cards is not properly able to access the 40+ years of CISRS data and is proving more problematic than CISRS envisaged. Further testing is currently being carried out while extra staff has been drafted in to help alleviate the backlog of CISRS card applications, the email reads. Interim non-Smart cards will be issued until the new system is fully functional. These will be then replaced with Smart cards free of charge, it says. CISRS has also stated, if employers or individuals want to confirm someone has completed training or applications have been received, they can call the helpline 0844 815 7223. Alternatively, they can email [email protected] and put “CISRS confirmation of application” in the subject line so that it gets to the correct team. Dave Mosley CISRS Manager reached out to ScaffMag and said: “It is not the start to the new year and the new scheme we were hoping for and I realise it is very frustrating for all concerned. “We apologise for the inconvenience caused and ask that the scaffolding sector and the wider industry to bear with us a few more weeks until the issues can be resolved.”

Scaffolder set to enter dating reality TV show

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Scaffolder set to enter dating reality TV show

Scaffolder Callum Jones is due to appear on ITV’s hit TV show Love Island.

The 23-year-old scaffolder from Manchester is employed by Connolly Scaffolding Ltd. He is set to enter Love Island’s swanky Cape Town villa this coming Sunday.
Scaffolder Callum Jones
Scaffolder Callum Jones, Credit: ITV
According to reports, Callum hadn’t told his workmates he was going into the villa and they expected him in work on Monday. He has self-described himself as a “cheeky chap” and says he has “builders banter but is down to earth” For those that don’t know, Love Island is an ITV reality TV show which sees single participants couple up in an effort to find love – and win the £50,000 prize. Many previous participants in the show find fame and fortune after the show ends. But will Callum also succeed or will he be back scaffolding on a construction site in a couple of months?  

Trade body appoints new Technical Advisor

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Trade body appoints new Technical Advisor

The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has appointed Dennis Braithwaite as its new Technical Advisor

Mr.Braithwaite has extensive scaffolding and access knowledge within the industry with 40 years of experience, predominantly working for Cape Industrial Services Ltd. He has a wide and varied experience which includes involvement within the oil and gas, chemical, power generation, and offshore sectors both in the UK and overseas. The trade body has said Mr.Braithwaite has already a wealth of first-hand experience of the NASC, having sat on a number of the trade body’s committees. He is also currently part of the team working on the new forthcoming TG20:20 guidance.
Dennis Braithwaite
NASC’s new Technical Adviser Dennis Braithwaite

Speaking about his new role, Mr.Braithwaite said: “I am really looking forward to getting started and would encourage NASC members to get in touch if they have a technical query they need help with.

“It’s great to join the NASC’s executive team, which plays such a key role in supporting the NASC membership as well as the scaffolding industry as a whole.”

Mr.Braithwaite replaces Ken Johnson, who held the role for more than seven years.

Robin James, NASC Managing Director, said: “I’d like to welcome Dennis to the NASC team. He has extremely large shoes to fill in replacing Ken but we’re sure if anyone can carry on the outstanding work Ken undertook on behalf of the confederation then it’s Dennis.”

 

Omega Access North plans major business upgrade

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Omega Access North plans major business upgrade

Warrington based Omega Access North Ltd is planning a major upgrade to its headquarters in Woolston creating 10 new jobs in the process.

The scaffolding company has applied for planning permission from Warrington Borough Council to renovate its office and yard, reports the Warrington Guardian. Plans submitted involves the demolition of existing office buildings and outbuildings for the storage of materials. These will be replaced with the construction of a new two-storey office and new storage space. The firm hopes that the scheme will ‘remove poor quality, inefficient old buildings and regenerate the site’ and allow for expansion. Ten new jobs are set to be created as part of the plans. Planning application documents stated: “It is proposed to upgrade the existing scaffolding facility – the modular office building will be replaced with modern, high-quality accommodation. “The new offices will provide a central area to support the continuous growth of the business.”

ScaffMag’s most read stories of 2019

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ScaffMag’s most read stories of 2019

As the year edges closer to an end, and before we pack up and close for the traditional Christmas break we take a look back at what most attracted your attention during 2019.

The last twelve months have been another busy news-filled year for the scaffolding industry as ScaffMag continues to keep you updated with what’s going on. Either on desktop, mobile, tablet or in our quarterly magazine available in digital and print, we have you covered. During the holiday season, we will update the site with any major breaking stories but our full news service will be back on 6 January 2020.

Most Read Stories of 2019

1. Louie Bates (Pageviews/Reads 15,734)

The heartbreaking story of young Scaffolder Louie Bates who struggled with depression and took his own life, sparked mental health discussion’s across the industry. Young scaffolder who struggled with depression found hanged by mum

2. Female Offshore Scaffolder (Pageviews/Reads 11,637)

Scaffolder Vicky Welch became the first UK female offshore scaffolder for Stork after completing her first trip in the North Sea. Vicky Welch becomes the first UK female offshore scaffolder for Stork

3. Scaffold Collapse in North London (Pageviews/Reads 7,918)

In March a scaffold collapse left a mass of bent and twisted scaffold tubes and broken boards on a street in Hampstead, London. Major Scaffolding Collapse in North London

4. Accident Leaves Worker Hanging Off Building (Pageviews/Reads 7,025)

Three people were injured, one critically after a scaffolding and construction elevator collapse in downtown Fort Worth, Texas USA. Scaffolding collapse leaves worker hanging off building and pedestrian critically injured

5.Highest Scaffold In Europe (Pageviews/Reads 6,778)

GKR Scaffolding successfully completed the build of what is currently the highest scaffolding in Europe on the construction of the UK’s second highest skyscraper. GKR Builds Highest Scaffold in Europe

6. Scaffolding Championships in Lithuania (Pageviews/Reads 4,541)

Scaffolders competed in the first-ever international scaffolding championships held at RESTA the countries largest trade fair in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Lithuania holds first ever Scaffolding Championships

7. Robot Scaffolder (Pageviews/Reads 3,834)

Video showed NASA’s Valkyrie robot is able to use human tools to erect scaffolding and plot itself a path across difficult terrain. VIDEO: NASA’s Valkyrie Robot Can Erect Scaffolding

8. LA Scaffolding’s Video FAIL (Pageview/Reads 3,635)

Funny outtakes from a scaffolding company’s promotional video have become their actual corporate film, and users of Linkedin loved it. Corporate video goes wrong but scaffolding firm benefits

9. Big Carl starts at Hinkley Point (Pageviews/Reads 3,544)

‘Big Carl’ The world biggest crane was shipped over from Belgium to help build the new power station. Worlds biggest crane starts work at Hinkley Point

10. HP Sauce dons new scaffolding label (Pageviews/Reads 2,025)

After 123 years HP sauce changed its label to reflect the work going on at Big Ben in London. Scaffolding on Big Ben inspires new sauce label

ScaffMag 2019 Overview

ScaffMag has enjoyed another year of growth through the website, magazine and social channels. Google Analytics show ScaffMag.com receved between Dec 2018 – Dec 2019: 878,993 pageviews from more than 242,000 users   ScaffMag has the largest following of any scaffolding related page on Facebook. Our social media community on Facebook alone now stands at a massive 80,961 likes with more than 135,000 followers from around the world. Twitter: @ScaffoldingNews  7,148 Followers Instagram: @scaff_mag : 3,680 Followers The ScaffMag quarterly magazine’s digital version has also enjoyed increased readership with just under 28,000 reads and over 90,000 impressions on issuu. Our daily and weekly rundown email newsletters now have over 7,400 subscribers. If you are interested in booking an ad campaign with us in 2020 and join our growing band of advertisers please contact us at [email protected] We would like to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous and Happy New Year. See you in 2020.
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