Welsh firm reaches new heights with mental health pledge

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Welsh firm reaches new heights with mental health pledge

Absolute Scaffolding Wales (ASW), a Neath-based business, last week pledged its commitment to Time to Change Wales, a social movement that aims to improve attitudes and change behaviour towards mental health in society in Wales.

Some 30 guests including Wales & Ospreys player Paul James and representatives from Hafal and Mind Cymru, the two mental health charities behind the campaign, attended the event which saw ASW’s MD Carl Hendy make and sign his pledge on behalf of the company.

ASW joins Neath Port Talbot Council and scores of other businesses around Wales in announcing their commitment to the initiative which is funded by Welsh Government alongside Big Lottery and Comic Relief.

According to Time to Change Wales, mental health problems are extremely common with one in four of us affected at any one time; yet they are often misunderstood and people with mental health problems can be subjected to stigmatising attitudes and discriminatory behaviour.

Karen Roberts, Programme Manager for Time to Change Wales says: “We are delighted that ASW have signed our organisation pledge and are taking positive steps to help tackle mental health stigma and discrimination. Our campaign message is simple; we want to get people talking about mental health in order to normalise conversations with friends, family and in the workplace. We have worked with ASW to develop a comprehensive action plan which we hope will help give everyone in the organisation the confidence to talk about mental health in the workplace, and are very much looking forward to engaging with their Employee Champions in the coming months.”

ASW is one of south Wales’ leading scaffolding businesses and part of the Welsh Government’s Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP) which supports high growth businesses in Wales.

With its HQ in Resolven and employing around 15 staff, it is the principal contractor for a number of high-profile companies and organisations including SSE (Rail Works), Tai Tarian, Trivallis, Cadw and Trinity House.

“I am proud to make our pledge to Time to Change Wales and pleased so many people were able to join us today,” says Hendy.

“Changing the way we think and act about mental health problems is extremely important especially in the workplace where without empathy and understanding from employers, the problems are unlikely to go away and may even get worse.”

Hendy explains that mental health issues are particularly prevalent within the construction industry where men, predominantly young, can find themselves struggling to cope with family and relationship issues as well as financial concerns.

“At ASW we regard good mental health just as important as good physical health and so without prejudice or discrimination, encourage openness and make it clear that help is available,” he adds.

“We are delighted to welcome ASW Scaffolding on board and thankful to Carl and his team for making this commitment which is particularly timely as it coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week,” comments Roberts.

For more information on Time to Change Wales visit:

www.timetochangewales.org.uk/

Vicky Welch becomes the first UK female offshore scaffolder for Stork

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Vicky Welch becomes the first UK female offshore scaffolder for Stork

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

Vicky, aged 29, is one of just six qualified female scaffolders in the UK. We reported a few months ago that Vicky had completed her offshore training in February with her sights set on an offshore career. With all the relevant certification and offshore training, industrial services firm Stork was delighted to welcome Vicky as their first female scaffolder, setting a new precedent for other females to follow. Vicky has now completed her first trip offshore on CNOOC International’s Scott platform and has already been mobilised on her next scope to company’s Buzzard asset. Vicky explained her thoughts on her first trip: “I was nervous as to how I would be accepted in the offshore environment and worried that people may change their behaviour around me. As the only female scaffolder offshore, I knew people may be intrigued about my skills and experience but I am no different to any other scaffolder. Nobody I worked with made my gender an issue. I proved I am capable of carrying out the job so they treated me the same as every other scaffolder on-board. You will always have people with more technical knowledge, others with more physical strength but the industry itself is a mix of different people and I just felt like part of the mix, regardless of my gender.” While on her first trip offshore Vicky mentioned that she was pleased and encouraged to encounter other females on-board undertaking such roles as geologists, chemists and stewardesses. “The offshore industry is changing and Vicky is an excellent example that gender does not dictate position”, a spokesperson from Stork said. Vicky truly believes gender is irrelevant and it is about the right person for the job, she added: “I would only recommend a male or female to join the offshore industry if they are the right type of person. You have to be used to working in a harsh environment where the weather can change quickly and you can be working in confined and restricted spaces. The job is demanding but very rewarding and I would encourage anyone who is right for the job to choose a career in scaffolding offshore.”  

Scaffteq West acquired by Safe Rise Scaffolding Group

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Scaffteq West acquired by Safe Rise Scaffolding Group

Leading Bristol based scaffolding company, Scaffteq West Limited was recently sold to the Safe Rise Scaffolding Group, with the aim of growing Scaffteq’s services to clients in Bristol and the wider West Country.

Scaffteq West is the largest provider of scaffolding services to the house building market in Bristol and the West Country serving a strong blue-chip client base of residential house building construction companies. Adèle McLay, Director of Safe Rise Scaffolding Group led the transaction for the acquirer drawing on her significant business advisory, accountancy and investment banking experience. Adèle’s business partner and husband, David Hayde, also a Director of Safe Rise Scaffolding Group was involved with the acquisition, drawing on his significant commercial construction projects experience and expertise in corporate finance and management consulting as a former Partner, KPMG in New Zealand. Adèle from Safe Rise Scaffolding Group commented, “We are thrilled to have acquired Scaffteq West. It has a proud history of serving leading construction companies in Bristol and the wider West Country area, and we look forward to continuing to provide excellence in scaffolding services to our existing and new clients, building on the phenomenal success the company has enjoyed to date under the ownership of Nigel Harris.” Nigel Harris, Scaffteq West’s Founder will remain as Chief Executive with Scaffteq West. Nigel said, “I am really pleased to have sold the company to the Safe Rise Scaffolding Group, as this gives us the ability to further grow Scaffteq in the local market, the West Country and Wales. We will also be able to draw on the expertise of Safe Rise Scaffolding’s member companies to develop the services we offer in our region, including providing scaffolding for the commercial market. I am very excited about all the new opportunities the sale has provided us.” Primary Asset Finance acted as lead finance broker to Safe Rise Scaffolding Group in its acquisition of Scaffteq West Limited. Phil Betts, Managing Director at Primary Asset Finance said: “Primary Asset Finance was very pleased to have facilitated the acquisition of Scaffteq West by the Safe Rise Scaffolding Group, and we wish the new owners and Nigel Harris tremendous success”. Safe Rise Scaffolding Group was also advised by Stephanie Kleyman and Nick McEwen at Kleyman & Co. Solicitors. The vendor was advised by Clive Farquhar of Farquhar Partnership Chartered Accountants and Ros Miller of Keystone Law. This sale offers some good news for the house building and commercial construction market in Bristol and the West Country, and is a thumbs up for the construction sector.

PERI’s CISRS Inspection course is a success, says firm

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PERI’s CISRS Inspection course is a success, says firm
Developing skills in an industry where time and health and safety standards are continually under scrutiny is essential. By attending such courses that provide upskilling opportunities, Scaffolding Inspectors can maintain the highest standards on any project site. In April, PERI’s Scaffolding Instructor, Mark Holmes, delivered the company’s first PERI UP system scaffold Inspection course. The 1-day course, which is suitable for Scaffolders Part 2 & Advanced or candidates who have already qualified for the CISRS BSI (Basic Scaffolding Inspection) or ASI (Advanced Scaffolding Inspection) Card, took place at NETA’s training facility in Stockton-On-Tees. During the training, attendees learned how to inspect PERI UP scaffold structures in accordance with the product’s user manual, ensuring they were safe and secure. To meet course and attendee requirements, the instructor delivered a balance between theoretical and practical content, giving attendees the chance to put the skills they had learned into practice. Geoffrey Hill, Scaffolding Operative at Sky Scaffolding (Whitby) Ltd., said: “I have been in the industry a long time and usually work with tube and fitting scaffolding. After completing the inspection training and working with PERI UP, I was really impressed by the system scaffold and course. The delivery of theory and practical content has been excellent. Being able to gain the necessary inspection skills and knowledge has been very beneficial for me in my role. I would definitely recommend the course to Scaffolders looking to enhance their knowledge of scaffold inspections.” Brian Ward, Lead Instructor at NETA, said: “As an instructor, I can see the different courses such as this make during system application and how the correct inspection procedures can be applied. The training will certainly help me in my role when I am teaching the course in the future. There is no doubt this is a great course, but it is the instructor’s responsibility to impart all of the additional information, such as the detailed product knowledge, and I feel PERI’s Scaffolding Instructor has gone above and beyond my expectations.” After receiving a high demand for the training, PERI delivered the same course earlier this month, where attendees benefitted from learning more about the PERI UP system in addition to inspecting system scaffolding. Martyn Jones, Managing Director at Best Price Scaffolding, said: “The course provides the right information for the specified level and also leaves you wanting more. It is great for people that have not used the product before, as you get an insight into how to inspect PERI UP scaffolding and also what the benefits of the system are. I was quite surprised to learn about what you could do with the system, especially PERI UP’s integration with formwork. I feel I can take back the knowledge I have gained and relay that PERI UP is more than just a system scaffold; it is more diverse.” Advanced Scaffolding Inspector at KierBam, HPC, Wayne Fletcher commented: “We are currently using PERI UP for tidal work on the Hinkley Point C. What I like most is how you can improvise using the system. Scaffolders are reluctant to use new or different systems, but courses like this, which enable attendees to try the system, help them to understand its benefits.”

The Evolution of Scaffold Design

Brian Webb
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The Evolution of Scaffold Design
People will always need access to hard-to-reach places, and we will always need scaffolding. To do scaffolding properly and safely involves numerous people: engineers, designers, estimators, and scaffolders – as well as the building owners. Communicating what a scaffold structure will look like to all these people can be a challenge, particularly when what seems like a simple structure requires complex drawings. Until recently, the most common communication medium has been a set of printed drawings. But visualizing what the actual three-dimensional scaffold will look like when viewing a printed page is difficult. Even more difficult is ensuring everyone (including the building owner) understands the structure to be built. Neglecting to do so costs valuable time and money. So, what does the world look like when we don’t have to rely on printed drawings?

Augmented Reality

Imagine a world where you look at a building façade and see the proposed scaffolding appear. The jobsite becomes the construction site right before your eyes. You walk around and through the scaffold to verify everything will work, before it’s built. As the scaffold is built and handed over as-is; there is no need for printed drawings. This is augmented reality, or AR, scaled at actual size.

Augmented Reality On The Drawing

You’ve traveled far for a big sales meeting and have a spectacular scaffold design to show your customer. The requirements are complex, but you’ve thought outside the box and created an elegant design that’s cost effective and easier to build. But you’re giving a presentation to a customer who doesn’t know scaffolding well and visualizing your design is a big concern. You lay out a large printed drawing of the plan view, and the drawing comes to life. The scaffold structure appears on top of the drawing for everyone to see. As your customer walks around and scrutinizes your design, you know right then that you’re going to get the job. This is also AR, but it’s scaled down to a smaller model for everyone to see.

Virtual Reality

You’d like to get a full idea of the scale of a scaffold once it’s built so you hold up a headset to your eyes. Now you’re flying up the stair tower and floating right at the overhang to make sure the painters can access the other side of the pipe for painting. This is virtual reality or VR.

Interactive 3D

While out of the office, you suddenly remember that you needed to add a cantilever to a scaffold that you’re designing but can’t recall if you already have. Using an app on your phone, you fly up to outside the 6th level and confirm that you did indeed add the cantilever and there’s a double layer of bracing, just like you expected. This is an interactive 3D view.

Shared Designs

Your scaffolders have your drawings, but there’s a complex area that in the past would have required a lot of section cuts and elevations. You’ve made modifications to this area while working closely with your foreman, and the job is ready to go. At the construction site during the toolbox talk, the scaffolders view the job on a tablet and fly around the scaffold while listening to the foreman go through the details. There are no more questions as to what they’re going to build, since they can see the scaffold right before their eyes.

An Evolutionary Leap In Scaffold Design

With Scaffold Designer and Scaffold Viewer by Avontus, the printed, interactive 3D, virtual, and the augmented world is possible right now. Scaffold Viewer transforms the work you’ve done in Scaffold Designer and makes it available in the cloud. Now your scaffold designs are in your pocket, ready to be viewed and shared with whomever you like. Download Scaffold Viewer from https://www.scaffoldvr.com (for free) and see for yourself. Ready for more? Contact us at [email protected] for a free demonstration today.

Payslips now have to include the number of hours worked

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Payslips now have to include the number of hours worked

The new law means workers payslips now have to include the number of hours worked, making it simpler to check if your wages are correct.

This new right ensures that all workers receive a payslip, which forms part of the government’s Good Work Plan – the biggest package of workplace reforms for over 20 years. Payslips will now have to include the number of hours worked, making it simpler for workers to make sure they are being paid in full, and at the correct rate. Ministers also brought into law a package of trailblazing reforms, which will give workers ground-breaking new rights. This includes the repeal of the Swedish Derogation – a legal loophole that enabled some companies to pay agency workers less than permanent staff – and a new entitlement to a day one statement of rights setting out details of a new employee’s leave allowance. Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “The UK has a labour market that it can be proud of and we are committed to continue leading the way in workers’ rights. That is why we have introduced a new right for all workers to a payslip ensuring workers are paid fairly.” The new payslip legislation came into effect on 6 April 2019.

Company fined after live electrical cable is fixed to scaffolding

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Company fined after live electrical cable is fixed to scaffolding

A Jersey scaffolding firm has been fined £45,000 after putting workers at risk of electrocution and burns.

Jubilee Scaffolding Company was contracted to erect scaffolding at a property in St Lawrence, Jersey in August 2018. But shortly after the scaffolding was erected, the owner of the property was surprised to discover that an uninsulated mains electrical cable had been secured to the scaffold using a scaffold fitting. The Royal Court in Jersey heard that The Health and Safety Inspectorate was contacted and investigated the matter, calling in the company’s directors for an interview in December. The scaffolder responsible for erecting the scaffolding said that workers had believed the wire was a telephone cable not an electrical cable. According to the Jersey Evening Post, Crown Advocate Conrad Yates said that there had been a ‘serious risk’ of electric shock, burns or electrocution to workers from the exposed wire, while work was being carried out. He called for the company to be fined £40,000 for breaching health and safety laws. The company. which pleaded guilty to the breaches, was represented by its managing director and owner Sarah Waye in court. She said that she had done ‘everything in her power’ to improve safety standards since last summer. She added: “I can’t believe that anybody did not see the cable. I’m dumbfounded.” Ms Waye said that she understood why the Crown wanted to ‘send a message’ by imposing a fine for the law breach. During sentencing, Lieutenant-Bailiff Anthony Olsen said: “It’s the court’s conclusion that the crown was correct and the fine should be £40,000.” He added that the company would be allowed four months to pay the fine and would also be charged a further £5,000 to cover the prosecution’s legal costs.

HAKI launches new mobile application

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HAKI launches new mobile application

System access equipment provider, HAKI has launched a new iOS mobile application that brings to life the product range through interactive user guides and augmented reality (AR).

The HAKI App is a free, one-stop service that provides customers 24/7 access to information about HAKI equipment and applications, irrespective of their location. Simple navigation allows users to easily find component lists, mounting and loading data, and videos on products like the market-leading Stair Tower, Universal system and HAKI Bridge System (HBS) – all at the click of a button. Complemented by AR, the app allows users to take a closer look at core HAKI systems and components in 3D. Rotation and zoom features also give a detailed view of structures. Additionally, customers can book training courses and view the latest HAKI news and case studies through the app. Developed by HAKI’s Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team, the HAKI App forms part of the company’s broader digitalization plans, and follows the release of new HAKI design and BIM tools in late 2018. VDC and innovation manager, Mattias Kuduk said: “We developed the new mobile app to help our customers find the information they need, quickly and easily, no matter where they are in the world. This is convenient for customers and makes sure that they have the correct information about our products to hand, so systems are used safely.   “The interactive AR feature lets people see HAKI from a real-life perspective – something that has not been possible from our standard brochures and manuals before. “We also have plans to update the app later this year with more features, like a built-in configurator, and an Android version of the app will be released soon.” You can download the free HAKI App now, on an iOS device via the App Store.

Trade body selects new Vice President

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Trade body selects new Vice President

The NASC has selected its Contracts Committee Chairman to serve as its next Vice President of the scaffolding trade body.

David Brown of IBN Scaffold Access Ltd based in Barnsley and Manchester was chosen by his fellow NASC Council members to succeed current NASC Vice President, Lynn Way. Mr Brown has been a member of the NASC Contracts Committee since February 2012 and became chair of this committee, and as a result a member of NASC Council, in 2016. He also represented the trade body on the Contractors Legal Group (CLG) for several years and now sits on the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) Council on behalf of the NASC. Mr Brown will take up his two-year tenure as Vice President on the same date that Mrs Way begins her Presidency – November 22 – the date of the NASC’s AGM, Ball & Awards. He will duly become President himself from November 2021 to November 2023.
David Brown of IBN Scaffold Access Ltd
Speaking of his appointment, Mr Brown said: “I am delighted and humbled to have been selected as the next NASC Vice President. I look forward to working alongside the other Officers and Directors to ensure the NASC continues to achieve its objectives. “On a personal level, I am keen to support the NASC in encouraging more young people into scaffolding, giving the industry the skilled professionals it needs to continue to grow.” Robin James, NASC Managing Director, added: “We would like to congratulate David Brown on being selected to serve as NASC Vice President. David has brought a great deal of expertise and input to the Contracts Committee as both member and chairman and represented this committee expertly on NASC Council since 2016. “We are sure that he will make a similar contribution in his role as Vice President and bring plenty of ideas and enthusiasm to the table when he becomes NASC President in 2021.”

Contract Law Seminar back by popular demand…

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Contract Law Seminar back by popular demand…

Scaffolding Association has again joined forces with Birketts LLP Solicitors to run a half-day seminar on CONTRACT LAW and relevant contract issues called “How not to make a rod for your own back…”

The event will take place in Birmingham on Tuesday 4th June 2019 from 10am to 3pm and includes lunch, with bacon rolls on arrival from 9.30am. Places are limited to 25 on a first come first served basis. There is a small charge for the event and discount for members of the Scaffolding Association. Carl Fura, Commercial Director, Godiva Group said of the event “I can wholeheartedly recommend making the effort to attend the Contract Law Seminar provided through the Scaffolding Association. I found it massively informative and a great session, one that was delivered in a professional, clear and simple way that was easy to follow and understand. A big thanks to the Birketts team for providing myself with some clear, positive advice and guidance on the day that has helped the company through some current challenges.” Mark Parkin, Head of Operations, TIGER Specialist Access Limited said of the event “I thought the seminar was very well put together and a great way to chat with Birketts and also interact with our industry peers. I feel this is a necessary insight to an increasingly difficult market for any companies involved in scaffolding.” ScaffMag understands that topics will include:
  • Knowing your contract – what to look out for and the risks if you don’t
  • How much control do you have?
  • Payment notices – the payment scheme and how it applies to you
  • Variations/changes – risk management, fixed-price contracts etc
  • What happens if you don’t get paid? – suspending your works or termination
  • Dispute resolution – adjudication and insolvency
  • Real life examples will be used
  • Open panel discussion at the end for YOUR questions
VENUE: Hyatt Regency Hotel, 2 Bridge Street, Birmingham, B1 2JZ To book please email: [email protected] or call 0300 124 0470.
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