Nottingham City Council opens £3.25m scaffolding tender

Alex Mercer
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Nottingham City Council opens £3.25m scaffolding tender

Nottingham City Council is inviting bids for a four-year scaffolding contract with an estimated value of £3.25m.

The works contract covers scaffolding erection, alteration, dismantling, inspection and supervision on council buildings, alongside design and risk and method statements.

The Find a Tender opportunity, is listed as a below-threshold open competition. Its full notice reproduced on Sell2Wales gives an estimated term of 18 January 2027 to 17 January 2031.

The estimated value rises to £3.9m including VAT. The council says spending figures are a guide and do not guarantee the value or volume of orders.

Bids will be assessed on price, weighted at 60%, and quality at 40%. Detailed requirements are contained in the NEC4 Term Service Short Contract form of agreement in the tender pack.

The notice also warns that local government reorganisation in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire could affect the contract, with organisational and contractual arrangements potentially needing to change.

Suppliers must register on Source East Midlands, the procurement portal to which the council is moving from East Mids Tenders.

The full notice on Sell2Wales lists enquiries as closing at noon on 23 November 2026 and tenders at noon on 30 November. Its summary page displays a different tender deadline of 1 December, so bidders should confirm the closing date through the buyer’s tender portal.

Worker seriously injured in Swiss scaffold dismantling fall

Daniel Norton
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Worker seriously injured in Swiss scaffold dismantling fall

A 37-year-old worker has been seriously injured after falling from scaffolding during dismantling work in Oberstammheim, Switzerland.

The incident happened at about 9.40am on Tuesday 3 November, Zürich cantonal police said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Initial findings indicate that the man was dismantling the scaffold when he fell to the ground from height. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The cause of the fall has not been established. Zürich cantonal police are investigating the circumstances with the Winterthur/Unterland public prosecutor’s office.

Police specialists attended to secure evidence and document the scene. An ambulance team from Winterthur hospital, an emergency doctor and a Suva construction-site safety specialist were also involved in the response.

The police statement did not identify the worker’s employer or specify the height of the fall. It gave no further update on his condition beyond confirming that his injuries were serious.

First Scaff wins NSW Employer of Choice award

Alex Mercer
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First Scaff wins NSW Employer of Choice award

First Scaff, based in Albury, New South Wales, Australia, has won the 2026 Business NSW State Award for Employer of Choice in the 20 employees and under category, with the scaffolding firm now calling for greater investment in training and higher industry standards.

The Ettamogah-based company received the award at the International Convention Centre in Sydney on Friday 30 October. It was one of 11 regional winners competing for the category’s state title at an event bringing together 216 finalists across 22 categories.

The result follows First Scaff’s wins at the Albury Wodonga and Riverina Murray awards earlier this year. The company was also a state finalist in Excellence in Small Business.

Director Mick Beaumont said the recognition belonged to the crew.

“This is the award that means the most to us because it’s about our people,” he said.

“People expect a tradie workplace to be tough and not much else. We want to show it can be a place where people grow, feel looked after and get home safe to their families.”

Four-year internal training

First Scaff says it has grown to a team of twelve since 2016, delivering scaffold and access work on power stations, dams, rail corridors and industrial sites across regional New South Wales and Victoria.

Its approach includes a four-year internal traineeship for every new full-time team member, tailored to their interests and starting skill level. The company says team leaders record a morale check at the end of each shift, with any drop followed up within 24 hours.

Regular one-to-one meetings and rosters that accommodate family commitments sit alongside quarterly team summit days. These bring together training, problem-solving and sessions with outside coaches, as well as time for staff to set personal goals for the following 90 days and beyond.

Beaumont said the business wanted future leaders to come from within its existing team.

“We don’t get everything right, and we’re not finished. We’ll keep improving how we train and support our people, and we want our next leaders to come from within our own crew,” he said.

Call for higher standards

First Scaff wants to use the award to press for more training, stronger standards and formal recognition of scaffolding as a skilled trade in Australia.

Beaumont said clients also needed to consider the experience, training and safety behind an access contractor’s price.

“Working at height is dangerous work, and our industry needs more from itself,” he said.

Business NSW Riverina Murray regional director Serena Hardwick said the award demonstrated the role employers could play in addressing the region’s skills shortage.

“First Scaff demonstrates that being an employer of choice is about creating an environment where people can develop their skills, build a career and feel valued by the organisation they work for,” she said.

Business NSW’s regional awards programme named First Scaff as its Employer of Choice winner before the company progressed to the state final.

Four injured in Taiwan market scaffold collapse

Daniel Norton
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Four injured in Taiwan market scaffold collapse

Four people were injured when scaffolding collapsed at the old Beitou market demolition site in Taipei, Taiwan, prompting a stop-work order and plans for wider scaffold safety inspections across the city.

The collapse happened on Tuesday 3 November. Emergency services were called at 10.35am and the injured were taken to hospital.

In a statement, Taipei City Government said investigators would examine the demolition work, scaffold height and fixing arrangements to establish whether requirements had been met. The cause remains under investigation.

The city said its New Construction Office had imposed a NT$2.5m contractual penalty on the construction contractor and was reviewing the supervision of the project.

Labour inspectors are also examining site protection, scaffold installation and the employer’s safety management arrangements.

The response extends beyond the market site. The city said it would expand safety inspections of scaffolding across Taipei and penalise breaches identified.

Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported that Shilin prosecutors and Beitou police had formed a joint investigation team. Investigators visited the site that afternoon and instructed police to preserve evidence and obtain relevant records to establish whether contractors or construction personnel bore criminal responsibility.

The city said it was recording damage to nearby stalls and shops and would require the project team to arrange repairs and compensation.

Separately, figures released by Taiwan’s Ministry of Labour on 3 November show that 102 construction workers died in major occupational accidents in the first nine months of 2026, nine more than in the same period last year.

Falls accounted for 62% of fatal construction accidents, while subcontractor workers made up more than 70% of construction deaths, the ministry said.

NIE Networks tenders £4.8m scaffolding framework for power infrastructure

Daniel Norton
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NIE Networks tenders £4.8m scaffolding framework for power infrastructure

NIE Networks has advertised a scaffolding framework with an estimated value of £4.8m, covering work on Northern Ireland’s electricity infrastructure.

The procurement is divided into two lots, each valued at an estimated £2.4m, for overhead line, substation and associated access requirements.

The notice published on Sell2Wales on 31 October sets out an initial four-year term, with options for NIE Networks to extend it by up to a further four years.

Two lots for electricity network work

Lot one covers distribution overhead lines, including scaffolding for the erection, maintenance and replacement of electricity poles. It also includes low-voltage wires and cables beneath the eaves of customer properties, alongside fault and emergency response work.

Lot two covers distribution and transmission substations and transmission overhead lines. Its scope includes access for work on substation equipment, buildings and apparatus, electricity poles and towers, and roadside protection schemes when overhead lines are raised or lowered. Fault and emergency work is also included.

Design and inspections included

The requirements extend from pre-site assessments and scaffold planning through to design, hire, delivery, erection, alterations, maintenance and dismantling.

Contractors will be required to provide task-specific risk assessments and method statements, together with the necessary designs, calculations, engineering assessments and drawings.

The scope also calls for inspections after erection and before first use, at intervals of no more than seven days, and after alterations, weather, impacts or other circumstances that could affect safety.

NIE Networks specifies competent personnel for design, erection, inspection and supervision, with supporting inspection records and certification.

Framework could run for eight years

The notice gives estimated initial contract dates of 29 December 2027 to 28 December 2031. Extension options could take the arrangement through to 28 December 2035.

The £4.8m figure is the estimated framework value, rather than a guaranteed amount of work or an awarded contract.

Both lots are to be assessed on a weighting of 70% price and 30% quality. Procurement documents and participation requirements are available through eSourcing NI under reference S1138 (2027).

Tube costs rise, but the CBAM outlook eases

Trevor Inns
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Tube costs rise, but the CBAM outlook eases

Scaffold tube costs up 5% this quarter, and HMRC’s first CBAM numbers point to a far smaller January rise than feared

The TUBEIND Index, which tracks the cost of landing imported scaffold tube in the UK, currently stands at 81, up from 77 in the summer. Higher freight and a weaker pound did the damage.

What the index measures

The TUBEIND Index tracks what it costs to import scaffold tube before any importer or wholesaler adds a margin.

The index is set to 100 at June 2023, so a reading of 81 means tube costs 19% less to land than it did then. We show each driver so you can see what is pushing the number up or down. The series is built monthly from actual shipments and shown here by calendar quarter.

The index since June 2023

Tube Industries index chart. – Credit: Tube Industries.

Tube has cost less to land than in June 2023 every quarter since, with the 2024 Red Sea crisis the only period that came close. On HMRC’s illustrative CBAM rate it stays below that level through the first half of 2027.

What moved this quarter

The index rose from 77 to 81, about 5%. Almost all of it came from two places. i) ocean shipping rates have been climbing since the summer as importers are pulling stock forward to land it before CBAM starts ii) Sterling has weakened since the spring. For most of 2025 and early 2026 a strong pound was quietly cutting the cost of imported steel. That tailwind has gone and turned into a small headwind.

Steel prices have hardly changed at all as Chinese domestic demand remains weak and mills have had little room to raise prices. That stability is the main reason tube has stayed cheap through 2025 and 2026.

Tube Industries cost-driver chart – Credit: Tube Industries.

What comes next: CBAM

From 1 January 2027 every tonne of steel imported into the UK carries a carbon charge under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. On 16 October HMRC published draft numbers for that charge. The final rate for ships arriving between January and March will be published before the end of December

That draft rate is lower than most of the market expected. Scaffold tube will be charged roughly an extra 7p per foot. Note: This is the default charge. For importers working with suppliers that have actual emissions data (verified by an approved, independent third party) the charge should be lower.

That lifts the index by about 8 points, from 81 to around 86 in the first quarter, with a range of 85 to 89. Freight easing after the pre-CBAM import rush offsets about 3 of those points. The net effect on landed tube in January is a rise of about 6%.

For fittings, they weigh around the same as a foot of 3.2mm tube, so expect a similar 7p increase in your double, swivels and sleeves which may also be slightly offset by an easing of freight prices.

Coriant acquires Intech Environmental to expand industrial services

Daniel Norton
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Coriant acquires Intech Environmental to expand industrial services

Coriant has acquired Intech Environmental, adding industrial cleaning, confined-space rescue and rope access capabilities to the group behind Rainham, Zenith and SCA.

The H.I.G. Capital-backed industrial and infrastructure maintenance group announced the acquisition on 2 November. It said the deal would establish industrial cleaning as a dedicated service line alongside its existing operations.

Financial terms were not disclosed in the announcement.

Intech Environmental operates across the UK, working in energy from waste, steel, water treatment, utilities and other industrial sectors. Its services include high-pressure water jetting, specialist vacuum work and cleaning tanks, silos and vessels.

The business supports planned maintenance, shutdowns and outages, as well as more complex cleaning projects. Coriant said bringing those capabilities into the group would allow it to offer customers a wider range of services through one supplier.

The acquisition follows the formation of Coriant around Rainham, Zenith and TEi, and subsequent additions including Control Valve Services, SCA and Wescott SGS.

Scaffolding and specialist access are already part of that mix. Coriant announced its acquisition of SCA in April, adding access scaffolding, temporary containment and industrial support services for the marine, defence and infrastructure markets.

Maxine Mayhew, chief executive of Coriant, said: “Bringing Intech into Coriant is another important step in building a leading, increasingly full-service industrial services group.”

She said Intech’s specialist cleaning capabilities would strengthen the group’s service offering as it continued to expand.

Brian Kilminster, managing director of Intech Environmental, said joining Coriant would enable the business to combine its expertise with the group’s other operations.

“We have built our business on specialist expertise, a strong focus on safety and quality, and a commitment to delivering reliable solutions in demanding industrial environments,” he said.

The announcement did not disclose Intech’s turnover or workforce size, or set out changes to its management or branding.

Ibstock issues profit warning as brick demand weakens

Alex Mercer
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Ibstock issues profit warning as brick demand weakens

Ibstock has warned that its second-half performance will fall materially short of previous expectations after third-quarter brick sales came in 22% below forecast, according to Construction Enquirer.

The UK building products manufacturer is cutting production to limit stock levels and continuing to reduce costs, the publication reported on 2 November.

The sales shortfall is measured against expectations, rather than the same period last year.

Chief executive Joe Hudson was quoted as saying: “Trading conditions deteriorated sharply during the third quarter, with weakness continuing into October.”

Hudson said reducing output would put further pressure on earnings in the near term, but was necessary to bring production into line with demand.

The warning follows a difficult first half. In its interim results published on 5 August, Ibstock reported revenue of £164m, down from £193m a year earlier. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation fell from £36m to £26m.

At that stage, the company still expected a stronger second half, although full-year earnings were forecast towards the bottom of market expectations.

Ibstock said private housebuilding and repair, maintenance and improvement activity remained subdued. Its brick business was increasingly weighted towards new-build residential demand.

NASC highlights gambling harms in workplace safety guidance

Daniel Norton
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NASC highlights gambling harms in workplace safety guidance

NASC is urging scaffolding employers to address gambling harms in their safety and wellbeing arrangements, warning that fatigue, stress and lost concentration can affect work on site.

The confederation outlined its recommendations in a bulletin announced on 19 October, produced with assistance from Betknowmore UK.

Its public summary links those effects to potential risks during scaffold erection and material handling, as well as pressure on colleagues when workers are absent.

NASC recommends a workplace gambling policy, questions within risk assessments and consideration of blocking software on work devices. It also calls for awareness training across businesses, with more detailed training for senior leaders and tools to help managers discuss concerns and direct staff to support.

The bulletin, Safety, health and wellbeing risks of gambling in the workplace, is available to NASC members under reference NASC/2026/006.

Betknowmore UK’s wider workplace guidance emphasises a supportive approach to policy. In a March 2023 article, the charity said fear of losing a job can discourage employees from seeking help, and urged employers to make support information readily available.

The charity describes gambling harms as effects that can extend beyond the person gambling to families, employers and communities. These may include damaged relationships, financial difficulties and poorer performance at work or in education.

Free, confidential help for people concerned about their own or someone else’s gambling is available through GamCare. Its National Gambling Helpline, 0808 8020 133, operates 24 hours a day, alongside online support.

PHD Access joins £190m Dungeness A decommissioning team

Alex Mercer
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PHD Access joins £190m Dungeness A decommissioning team

PHD Access has been named as the scaffolding partner for a Dungeness A decommissioning programme worth up to £190m.

Principal contractor Aureos confirmed the firm’s involvement in an announcement on 28 October. The £190m figure covers Aureos’ overall contract, not PHD’s scaffolding package. No separate value was disclosed.

Nuclear Restoration Services awarded the contract to remove eight boilers from the former Kent power station, along with associated plant and infrastructure. Each boiler weighs around 800 tonnes.

PHD joins a specialist team which includes Keltbray on demolition and asbestos removal, EDF Cyclife on radioactive de-planting and component preparation, and Mammoet and Nxgen on heavy lifting.

Aureos said surrounding buildings and plant would be removed before the boilers could be extracted. Sections of the concrete boiler cells will be cut and lifted out to make room.

A jack-and-slide system will then move the boilers out of their cells before they are taken to a storage area.

The programme includes work in a Radiological Controlled Area. Aureos said controls would address residual radiation and asbestos hazards alongside demolition, lifting and construction risks.

NRS said the award followed four years of enabling work. Aureos was selected through a competition covering technical capability, delivery certainty, innovation, social value and cost.

Once complete, the programme will have removed around a third of Dungeness A’s above-ground structures, reducing the site’s footprint and future maintenance needs.

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