U.K. Edition
F-Board Wins the CN Business Innovation of the Year
F-Board has been crowned the winner of the Construction News Business Innovation of the year 2016.
After much debate by the judges, F-Board was crowned the victor of the CN Business Innovation of the year having demonstrated a number of benefits in terms of the environment, cost efficiency and health and safety through the product of the same name. The F-Board is a scaffold board made entirely from recycled plastic, which the company offers to buy back at the end of its life to make into new F-Boards, reducing the amount of timber used in the scaffolding sector. It also lowers the impact on the environment and reduces CO2 emissions – the UK produces millions of timber scaffold boards every year, which need to be replaced after their typical lifespan of 12 to 18 months. Not only were the judges impressed by the product’s green credentials, but also its ability to improve site safety. Each board’s non-slip design reduces the risk of workers slipping or falling from height in all weather, while the F-Board retainer locks the end of boards into place, preventing them lifting or changing position and creating trip hazards. The F-Board also delivers cost efficiencies that can benefit a project’s budget and be passed through the supply chain. Its lifecycle can reduce the frequency of purchasing scaffolding equipment, and by recycling their boards at the end of their lives, businesses also get a return on investment. As a company, F-Board pointed to its focus on research and development, working with academic institutions to improve the product’s performance and expand its application to sectors such as nuclear, transport and oil and gas. “This breakthrough innovation has huge benefits for the construction industry,” the judges said. “The company has shown dedication to innovation through ongoing product development, and by working on that with a number of leading universities in specialist fields. “This ultra green product ticks all the boxes and the market seems huge,” they added.Wood Group wins $120 million industrial services contract with Babcock International
Wood Group has been awarded a new five year framework contract with a five year extension option, valued at approximately $120 million, by Babcock International to provide industrial services to a number of its UK sites.
The contract will be delivered by Wood Group PSN’s industrial service line business, Wood Group Industrial Services (WGIS) and maintains the company’s leading position in the UK marine sector.
More than 400 people will be employed on the contract that builds on Wood Group Industrial Services’ 15 year relationship with Babcock International. Surface preparation, application of protective coatings, scaffolding, insulation, rope access, cleaning and fire sentry services will be delivered under this framework contract.
Hugh Pelham, managing director of WGIS, said: “Securing this new contract is testament to our track record in the marine sector and relationship with Babcock International. We have a strong history of delivering marine projects safely, to schedule and to budget. I look forward to building on this across further Babcock Group sites, and successfully continuing our long-standing relationship with this key client.” The Original Asterix HD Beam
Available in standard lengths of up to 4m, the ASTERIX HD beam is manufactured from alloy tube which has the same diameter as traditional scaffold tube, so no special fittings are required.
Due to the eight hole spigot, the Asterix HD Beam has increased joint strength, and high permissible bending moment and shear values. A high strength, multi-purpose scaffold beam, the ASTERIX HD Beam is suitable for all applications. With consistent 1.0m vertical post spacing and integral post collars, the ASTERIX HD beam can also be used in conjunction with the ALTRIX Temporary Roof System. When used in combination, the load and span capacities of the ALTRIX system can be significantly increased.
For more information about our products and services call us at 0845 899 0845 or visit www.tradhireandsales.co.uk
GKR Win the CN Access & Scaffolding Specialist of the Year
GKR Scaffolding Ltd have won the coveted Access and Scaffolding Specialist of the Year award at the Construction News (CN) Specialist Awards 2016
London-based NASC members GKR Scaffolding Ltd have just celebrated 21-years in business and have recently created their own in-house GKR Academy. The academy gives employment training opportunities for scaffolding labourers and operatives to progress to management positions within the firm. GKR have also just celebrated 500,000+ hours without incurring a RIDDOR incident – proving their track record in health and safety. GKR Scaffolding submitted a CN Specialist Awards application in the access and scaffolding specialist contractor category, focusing on their work on iconic London projects, like the complex and high risk, Bloomberg’s new European headquarters, run by principal contractor Sir Robert McAlpine – London’s first billion pound construction job. Speaking about the Bloomberg project, GKR Scaffolding Ltd Director, Lee Rowswell said: “We were appointed early to try and unlock the project and solve workable solutions to the client’s demanding ideas. One of the many challenges was to construct a hoist run-off tower that could be moved at any-time to enable the stone cladding to progress on the external façade of the building. “And as Bloomberg is to be clad in stone and bronze and the bronze is not repairable, GKR made the decision to use a fully tethered system on all scaffolds on the project – giving our client the reassurance that nothing could ever damage the bronze.” Other key GKR Scaffolding Bloomberg project statistics included:- 178,836 Man Hours without RIDDOR or Minor Injury
- 3,836 tonnes of scaffold materials on site
- 1,206 aluminium beams to the base of the scenicliftshafts
- 256 deliveries to site with materials out of hours to avoid congestion within the City of London.
Didcot Power Station Collapse: Major Incident Declared
Update: One person has been killed, three people are missing and five in hospital after a building collapsed at Didcot Power Station.
A major incident has been declared with several casualties after a building collapse at Didcot power station in Oxfordshire, South Central Ambulance Service said. Emergency services are attending a building collapse at Didcot power station in Oxfordshire. Thames Valley police officers are said to be at the scene, along with other emergency services. According to the BBC, three ambulances are said to have also been dispatched, along with a hazardous area response team. The collapse at the Oxfordshire plant was reportedly heard shortly after 4pm. The power station has been listed for demolition but no activity was scheduled for today.Cape awarded new contract in South Korea
Cape plc has secured a contract with Samsung Heavy Industries (“SHI”) in South Korea for the installation of insulation to the Cryogenic Pipework on the Process Topside on Shell’s Prelude Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (“FLNG”) facility.
The Prelude FLNG facility is a global project with the key location for fabrication being in Geoje, South Korea. SHI’s shipyard is where the substructure and topsides are currently under construction and is one of the few dry docks in the world large enough to undertake the fabrication. Once complete, the Prelude FLNG facility will be moored 475 kilometres north-east of Broome in Western Australia. The Prelude FLNG facility is 488m long, 74m wide and along with its contents, will weigh around 600,000 tonnes. It will be the largest floating offshore facility in the world. Commenting on the contract award Joe Oatley, Chief Executive of Cape, said “I am delighted that Cape has been able to secure this contract and that we will be further developing our relationship with Samsung Heavy Industries. Prelude will be the world’s largest FLNG facility and we are proud to be involved with such a prestigious project.”Wood Group wins 5 year contract with Valero Energy
Wood Group has gained 5 year contract with Valero Energy at Pembroke refinery in south west Wales.
Wood Group has secured a new five year framework agreement with Valero Energy, an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels, petrochemical products and power. Effective immediately, Wood Group Industrial Services (WGIS), will provide services to the onshore Pembroke refinery in south west Wales.
The contract signifies an important expansion for the firm into the UK petrochemical sector. WGIS will deliver surface preparation and application of protective coatings under the contract, which has a one year extension option.
Hugh Pelham, managing director of WGIS said: “WGIS has the broad capabilities and experience that positions us well to further extend our expertise into the downstream process and energy market. This is demonstrated by this contract win with Valero Energy, where our focus will be working in partnership with our client to deliver effective and efficient services to enhance the integrity of the asset.”
In 2015, WGIS secured more than $300m of new contracts.
Wood Group is an international energy services company with $6bn sales and operating in more than 50 countries.
TRAD Hire & Sales Ltd receives excellent reviews for METRIX and ALTRIX
Following on from a highly successful open day at their National Training and Product Awareness Centre in Barking, the UK’s leading scaffold supplier showcased their innovative Plettac METRIX Scaffold System, plus the new ALTRIX Temporary Roof System, at another successful open day at their Birmingham depot.
The event started with a live demonstration of these two innovative products – METRIX and ALTRIX – both of which are unique to TRAD Hire & Sales Ltd in the UK, followed by an indoor presentation.
A time lapse video demonstrated just how quickly Plettac METRIX can be erected, evaluating it against other well-known systems and Tube and Fitting. The comparative speed and ease of use of Plettac METRIX conclusively proved the system to be superior in every respect.
It is no coincidence then, that scaffolding industry experts are hailing Plettac Metrix, quoting the system’s versatility, labour saving and programme time reductions as its principal benefits. Further enhancing the system’s advantages is the optional Permanent Advanced Guardrail. Erected from the level below, this component is an innovation in scaffolding safety, which also increases production.
The open day attendees were then introduced to TRAD Hire & Sales newest product, the ALTRIX Temporary Roof System. This all-aluminium weather protection system has been designed to work with any scaffold type, but compliments Plettac METRIX perfectly.
The lightweight colour-coded components are easily identifiable; this along with Push-Fit technology enables quicker assembly times.
The ALTRIX system philosophy is “more than just a roof”; many of the components have been designed with dual roles in mind, meaning they can be used in other scaffolding applications. For example: forming large flush decked areas and bridge sections in independent scaffolds.
A Q&A session followed with Des Moore, TRAD Group Managing Director, covering a wide range of topics, including TRAD’s business model and the commercial benefits that can be gained from using both Plettac METRIX and ALTRIX.
The showcasing of these products gained positive feedback from some of the UK’s leading Scaffold Contractors and Construction Companies, one attendee said:
“We’re currently trialling Plettac METRIX on a Taylor Wimpey site at Nuneaton. We’ve been using it for around three weeks now – it’s brilliant, so fast. Within a couple of days we noticed big time savings.”
Following the success of the open day, TRAD Hire & Sales Ltd has set up a Plettac METRIX and ALTRIX demonstration area at their Birmingham Depot for customers to view the products for themselves. The demonstration area will be a permanent fixture and anyone interested in the products are encouraged to come and experience them first hand.
Book your place today at one of TRAD’s Open Days.
To be one of the first to experience the cost saving benefits of TRAD Hire & Sales’ new products, book your place at one of their upcoming open days – places are limited, so book now on 0161 494 2999 or email [email protected].
Scaffolding firm in court after Scaffolder is Paralysed
Hemel Hempstead Scaffolding Limited has been fined after a worker suffered life changing injuries when he fell from the roof of a barn.
Stewart Thomas from Hemel Hempstead, 31 at the time of the incident, was carrying out scaffolding work in preparation for the installation of solar panels on a barn roof at Gaddesden Home Farm, Bridens Camp on Red Lion Lane on 25 July 2013.
St Albans Crown Court heard that father of one Mr Thomas was placing scaffold boards along the roof ridge when he fell through the fragile roof to the concrete floor eight metres below. He suffered multiple injuries to his head and neck including a brain stem injury, a punctured lung, broken ribs and a lacerated liver. Mr Thomas is now unable to talk, move or feed himself and requires residential care.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Hemel Hempstead Scaffolding Limited had never provided a written method statement or risk assessment for this work. Critically there were no fall protection measures in place, and there was also no appropriate supervision of inexperienced and trainee scaffolders on the site.
Hemel Hempstead Scaffolding Limited of Seymour Crescent, Hemel Hempstead pleaded guilty to breaching section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act, 1974 and were fined £110,000 and ordered to pay £22,596 in costs.
After the hearing Stewart’s mother Karen Coffey said: “I have had to move from my home and family in Hemel Hempstead to Northamptonshire to be near Stewart.
“My other children find it very hard to see Stewart the way he is now, but along with my mother I visit every day. I have also taken a job nearby that keeps me close to Stewart but also gives me something else to concentrate on.
“My granddaughters are going to miss out so much on the things they would have done and learnt from Stewart.
“Since my son Stewart’s accident all our lives have been dramatically changed – hopefully we can try and move forward to make Stewart’s life as best we can with his family close by him.”
Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector Stephen Manley said: “The company’s approach to health and safety was poor. They failed to properly and safely plan the work they were contracted to carry out and failed to supervise inexperienced young workers. The particular works would have been unfamiliar to the team and so the lack of thorough supervision was lamentable.
“As a result of their failings a young father has been left being unable to communicate or look after himself and he will never be able to play with his young daughter.
When working at height, there is a high likelihood of serious injury or death if safe procedures are not put in place and adequate steps taken to ensure they are followed”.