Birmingham builder dies in scaffold fall
The Police and the HSE are currently involved in a joint investigation after a 78-year-old builder died after falling from scaffolding.
On March 5, the builder from Birmingham was working on the refurbishment of a new Go Outdoors retail unit at Centaurus Business Park, South Gloucestershire.
While fitting a large window the builder fell around 15ft. He was taken to Southmead Hospital but died from his injuries the following day.
Detective Inspector Dave Lewis said: “This is a tragic incident in which a man fell from scaffolding while fitting a large glass window. His family have been informed and are being supported at this very difficult time.
“We’ve been working closely with our colleagues in the Health and Safety Executive, who are assisting with our enquiries, to establish what happened.
“We want to appeal to anyone who was in the area of Centaurus Business Park on Monday morning, who saw or heard any part of this incident, to come forward and speak to us.”
2018 CN Specialists Awards winners revealed
PHD Modular Access Services has come out top in this year’s Construction News Specialists Awards.
At a glittering ceremony held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel over 750 attendees from the UK’s leading specialists firms and clients came together to celebrate the best in construction. Against stiff competition in the category which included previous winners GKR Scaffolding, PHD Modular Access Services was named this year’s Access & Scaffolding Specialist 2018.
- Chris Sedgeman Scaffolding
- Controlled Scaffolding
- GKR Scaffolding
- JECS Offshore Scaffolding
- Premier Technical Services Group
- QFS Scaffolding
- WellMax Scaffolding
Innovation of the Year (Contractor): Winner
The scaffolding sector also saw success from GKR Scaffolding after they were awarded the impressive title of Innovation of the year. For their groundbreaking Virtual Reality Working At Height Safety Training that we previously reported on.
- Bachy Soletanche
- Kelly Formwork UK
- Keltbray Piling
- NG Bailey
- O’Donovan Waste Disposal
- Premier Technical Services Group
New report shows Scaffolders earn more than Architects
Revealing survey shows a changing UK skills base.
A new report from The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) reveals staggering evidence the average salary of a scaffolder is actually higher than a university-trained architect. In fact, plasterers, bricklayers, plumbers and electricians are all taking home more in a year than teachers, veterinarians, nurses, and accountants. And the highest paid bricklayers in the capital are earning around £90,000 annually, such is the demand for construction skills in the UK. The average salary of a scaffolder is £40,942 according to FMB findings, as opposed to £38,228 for an architect.
The research was carried out among FMB members in the week commencing 29th January 2018. Construction companies across the UK were asked what they pay their skilled trades-people and the results, based on responses from 313 firms, showed average annual salaries were as follows:
- Site managers earn £51,266
- Plumbers earn £48,675
- Supervisors earn £48,407
- Electricians earn £47,265
- Civil engineering operatives earn £44,253
- Steel fixers earn £44,174
- Roofers earn £42,303
- Bricklayers earn £42,034
- Carpenters and joiners earn £41,413
- Plasterers earn £41,045
- Scaffolders earn £40,942
- Floorers earn £39,131
- Plant operatives earn £38,409
- Painters and decorators earn £34,587
Bear in mind general construction operatives earn £32,392, with nurses earning just under 32k, teachers 38k and dentists 40k.
FMB chief executive Brian Berry says: “The average university graduate in England earns £32,000 a year whereas our latest research shows your average bricky or roofer is earning £42,000 a year across the UK. In London, a bricklayer is commanding wages of up to £90,000 a year.”
Pursuing a career in construction is becoming an increasingly savvy move. University students in England will graduate with an average £50,800 of debt, according to The Institute for Fiscal Studies, while apprentices pass the finish line completely debt-free. Not only that, apprentices earn while they learn, taking home around £17,000 a year.
FMB is calling on all parents, teachers and young people, who too-often favour academic education, to give a career in construction serious consideration.
Mr Barry said: “The construction industry is in the midst of an acute skills crisis, and we are in dire need of more young people, including women and ethnic minorities, to join us. Our latest research shows more than two-thirds of construction SMEs are struggling to hire bricklayers, and 63 percent are having problems hiring carpenters.”
The FMB used its findings to urge young people to enter the construction industry through paid apprenticeships, rather than working toward a degree and massive debt. The whole exercise points to the current plight of the industry.
Mr Berry added: “This is a stark reminder of how the Government’s housing targets could be scuppered by a lack of skilled workers. The FMB is committed to working with the Government to improve the quality and quantity of apprenticeships because the only way we will build a sustainable skills base is by training more young people, and to a high standard.”
No doubt this revealing report will be some cause for debate amongst industry employees.
CISRS Respond to new scaffolder training scheme announcement
The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) has issued a statement after the news of a rival training scheme was announced last week.
The Scaffolding Association (SA) last week unveiled their plans to set up the Access Industry Training Scheme (AITS), which they say will increase training and skills delivery capacity for our industry. Within the announcement, SA claimed research into the availability of training for new entrants in the access and scaffolding sector found that one-fifth of training centres were either unreachable or unable to offer training dates. Their research also found that only six courses out of 30 were scheduled to be run in London – an area that represents 40 percent of total construction demand. ScaffMag approached CISRS in order to respond to this proposed new scaffolder training scheme and current training capacity. In a statement, CISRS have said that they felt that some of the information that has been issued in the article does not reflect a clear picture of current industry recognised training. The research mentioned in the article has not been shared with CISRS, there is no information supplied regarding which centres failed to respond, which courses were requested, dates offered etc. It is therefore difficult for CISRS to make a definitive response. Dave Mosley CISRS Scheme Manager said: “It is tricky to respond to these claims without them being corroborated, however, I feel they are misleading and unhelpful. I do not think that the majority of the sector or the wider industry wants to create another scaffolder training scheme as it will lead to duplication of training and confusion, a topic which was covered by ScaffMag last year.” Claims of New Scaffolders Card Scheme Are Unfounded “The proposed new training appears to cover a lot of areas which are already included within the CISRS scheme, with the initial focus at more of a supervisory level. Delivering this type of training will not increase recogonised training course availability for new entrants or scaffolders. We are currently working with existing and potential new providers to increase capacity.”
Scaffolder training firm partners with HAKI
Safety & Access have announced a further partnership with HAKI to enable delivery of the HAKITEC 750 system from their training facility in Humberside.
The partnership will enable Safety & Access to offer a range of HAKITEC weather protection temporary roof courses.
Safety and Access say the available course will be of two days duration and successful candidates will receive certification branded by Safety & Access Ltd and HAKI. The training facilities in Humberside also offer HAKI CISRS two day SSPTS Training.
On the new partnership Rick Statham, Joint Managing Director of Safety & Access said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with HAKI to deliver the bespoke training on the HAKITEC 750 roof system. We would like to thank all of the team at HAKI also for providing this opportunity and for the excellent and ongoing support”
“As we see in industry the progressive replacement of traditional tube and fitting roofs we feel that this support service on this safe and quality roof system will be a welcome addition for our existing and new customers.
Scaffolding firm fined 100K after apprentice joiner falls from loading bay
A scaffolding company has been fined £100,000 for safety breaches after a 16-year-old apprentice joiner fell four metres from a scaffold.
Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 6 September 2016, the apprentice was passing roof tiles from the loading bay to a colleague on the scaffold when he caught his foot in a gap between the scaffold platform and the loading bay.
The apprentice fell backwards under a single guard rail to the ground below, sustaining injuries including a fractured cheekbone, broken wrist and injuries to his ribs.
The apprentice also required 13 stitches for a deep cut above his left eye.
An investigation by the HSE found the loading bay edge protection did not include an intermediate guard-rail or toe board.
Bland Scaffolding Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and has been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £920 in costs.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Trisha Elvy commented: “This case highlights the importance of following well known industry guidance to design and erect scaffolding in a safe manner, a fall from this height could have easily been fatal.”
Worker falls from scaffolding on Surrey Quays development
An operative is currently recovering in hospital after falling 4m from scaffolding erected on a mixed-used development site.
A Health and Safety investigation is today underway at the Surrey Quays, Galliard Homes development. According to sources, on Monday (26th February) a contractor fitting glass panels fell from scaffolding approximately 4m to the ground below. The contractor sustained serious injuries and has received medical treatment in hospital.
Sources close to the incident say a signed off scaffold onsite had been subjected to unauthorised adaption by contractors resulting in the fall.
Galliard Homes declined to comment any further on the incident.
The 46-acre Galliard Homes Surrey Quays site is situated within the London Borough of Southwark it is composed of the former Harmsworth Quays printworks and the Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, these will be transformed into a distinctive mixed-used, community-centred leisure hub, comprising more than 5.5 million sq. ft. of office, retail, entertainment and educational space.
The HSE investigation continues.
Plans unveiled for new scaffolder training scheme
The Scaffolding Association (SA) has unveiled plans to increase training and skills delivery capacity for access and scaffolding contractors by setting up the Access Industry Training Scheme (AITS).
SA say the scheme will be an employer-led training solution that will help to expand the training and skills development capacity in the access and scaffolding industry. Speaking to ScaffMag Robert Candy, chief executive of the Scaffolding Association, said: “The Association has established the Access Industry Training Scheme to increase training capacity and offer new opportunities for both our members and the wider industry. Our members have had serious concerns about the nature and availability of training in our sector. Last year we commissioned research into the availability of training for new entrants in the access and scaffolding sector and found that one-fifth of training centres were either unreachable or unable to offer training dates. The survey also found that only six courses out of 30 were scheduled to be run in London – an area that represents 40 percent of total construction demand.“ AITS is said to be currently creating a dedicated training programme for specialist access and scaffolding contractors and will hold courses either at their client premises or at its own training centre. SA have told ScaffMag the new scheme will Initially focus on; working at height; risk management; safety training for site managers, supervisors and operatives; and managing a scaffolding transport fleet. Plans are also progressing to extend skills training to cover scaffold inspection and workplace safety and wellbeing. Scaffolding training courses are being designed to suit all levels, from apprentices to advanced level scaffolders, inspectors and supervisors. Candy also added: “Clearly there are concerns around training capacity, especially when CITB has plans to exit direct training at the National Construction College, the main provider of scaffold and access training. We see the Access Industry Training Scheme will create much-needed training capacity that will help to fill the skills gap in our sector and raise standards.”MG Scaffolding expand into Birmingham
Contract scaffolding company MG Scaffolding has announced the opening of a third depot in Rowley Regis, Birmingham. Opening today (26th February 2018) the new depot will run alongside their existing operating centres in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.
The firm was established in 2002 and became NASC members in 2008, they have grown to be recognised as one of the largest independent suppliers of scaffold services in the regions they operate in.
“With our existing local workforce and buoyant business opportunities in the area, it is a logical step and fits in perfectly with our thriving established business,” the firm explained.
Managing Director Carl Fallon commented: “We were not actively looking to expand the business but the opportunity arose just by chance and came along at just the right time.”
“When the opportunity came it was too difficult to ignore and once we assessed our current market position with existing clients/projects in the area and crunched the numbers we felt that we could make it work,” he said.
Fallon added: “We wish the management team every success in driving the business forward and delivering the professional services and brand that has become expected from MG Scaffolding Ltd.”
Palmers provide bespoke scaffolding service to Devonshire Park project
Palmers Scaffolding UK is supplying a bespoke scaffolding service and modern access solutions at the prestigious, £34.5 million VINCI Construction UK Devonshire Park re-development project in Eastbourne.
The project is creating a nationally important cultural and tennis destination and includes internal refurbishment repairs to the Congress and Devonshire Park Theatres and the famous Winter Garden, as well as a remodeling of its front entrance and a renovation and redecoration of the historic tennis pavilion. And a new show court is also being created as part of the development.
The large-scale construction contract will span a two-year period and Palmers have initially been drafted in to provide scaffolding and access to the Devonshire Park Theatres.
Palmers Scaffolding UK Ltd Director, Lindsay Harle said: “Palmers are pleased to be providing a range of conventional tube and fitting scaffolding and other modern access solutions to part of this prestigious large-scale project and working alongside client VINCI Construction UK. We hope to be there for the duration of the job, offering a full range of services and expert access support.”
Ian McFarlane, Business & Project Development Director added: “Being pre-qualified as a second tier sub-contractor enables us to quickly (and safely) be able to meet the needs of the UK’s top principal contractors and suppliers on top fast-track construction projects like this UK Devonshire Park job in Eastbourne. It another fabulous flagship project to be involved with VINCI Construction UK.”
