NASC & CISRS to Re-Develop Level 2 Scaffolding Diploma

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NASC & CISRS to Re-Develop Level 2 Scaffolding Diploma

nascpress

The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) and Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) have recently been assisting the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) with a radical re-development of its Level Two Diploma for scaffolding apprentices (No. 601/3726/5). The new Diploma in Scaffolding will be available for registration from September 1st 2014.

A working party made up of representatives from CISRS, NASC, the CITB awarding body, approved training providers (NCC Midlands, Simian Skills and Safety and Access) and Scaffolding contractors including NASC members, Brand Energy (SGB), Deborah Services Ltd and Complete Access (Scaffolding) Ltd, has been meeting in recent months to review the content of the Level Two Scaffolding diploma.

The main focus has been to bring the diploma in line with the launch of the NASC’s new ‘best practice guidelines for tube and fitting scaffolding’ – TG20:13. And in addition to this, other “outstanding issues” have been resolved e.g. splitting the Independent scaffold from the Birdcage scaffold exercises, to enable them to be taken as standalone units. The new qualification has also been updated to include a unit on Prefabricated Aluminium Towers.

A CITB spokesperson said:

“The Level Two Diploma in Scaffolding was initially launched in August 2013 as part of the Training Qualification Review, as such it was updated in line with legislation and industry guidance that was valid at that time. It was however recognised that the scaffolding sector was going through a series of changes at this point, most importantly the imminent introduction of TG20:13 which was scheduled to be released in Spring 2014. Following an approach from NASC and CISRS, we felt a further review to the existing qualification content to confirm it met the new requirements was justified. After a meeting with them and other industry representatives, it was established that the qualification did require updating to ensure it was fit for purpose and met with what the industry needs to effectively train its workforce.”

Dave Mosley (CISRS Scheme Manager) said:

“We had originally looked at the diploma with a view to replacing some of the construction industry generic elements with more scaffolding sector specific items. It soon became apparent that following the launch of TG20:13 there where several existing units which would now need further examination. The working group has performed very well and we would we like to thank CITB for their positive and swift response to our sector’s request for a review. We are happy with the changes and feel that the industry now has a more relevant and representative diploma on offer.”

House Builder And Scaffolding Firm Fined For Scaffold Collapse

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House Builder And Scaffolding Firm Fined For Scaffold Collapse

HSE: Builder Sentenced

A scaffolding firm and house builder have been prosecuted after two bricklayers were injured after falling from scaffolding that collapsed.

Cathedral Scaffold Company Ltd had erected a scaffold six meters from the ground bridging a narrow gap between the gable ends of neighbouring houses on a construction site in Lincoln. After loading out materials, two bricklayers were about to start work when the scaffold collapsed. The two men fell approximately two meters onto the lift below, both men sustaining serious injurers. A Health & Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the scaffold constructed by Cathedral Scaffold Company Ltd was not to a hsecollapserecognised design, which would of included standards to transfer the loads to the ground. Scaffolders onsite mistakenly believed they could not fit a four-board wide scaffold with standards required by the contractor Persimmon Homes Ltd in such a narrow gap. Not to any current scaffolding standard the scaffold was still handed over to Persimmon Homes Ltd with a handing over certificate identifying the structure as a general purpose  scaffold capable of supporting a specified distributed weight load. As no calculations for strength or stability were undertaken this was not guaranteed. Persimmon Homes Ltd then overloaded the scaffold causing it to collapse. HSE found the weight of just one pack of dry blocks distributed evenly over the platform would have taken it over the load limit – even without the men, tools or mortar on the platform. It was likely that the actual loading could have increased the danger as the blocks were all stacked towards one side of the platform.

Persimmon Homes Ltd, of Fulford, York, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(b)(i) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was today (28 July) fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £10,426 costs.

The Cathedral Scaffold Company Ltd, of Dixon Way, Lincoln, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(b)(ii) of the same Regulations and was fined £4,000 with costs of £5,500.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Linda-Jane Rigby said:

“Unless a scaffold is a basic configuration described in recognised guidance it should be designed by calculation, by a competent person, to ensure it will have adequate strength and suitability. The design information should describe the sequence and methods to be adopted when erecting, dismantling and altering the scaffold. That did not happen in this case.

“Persimmon accepted handover of the scaffold and subsequently overloaded it, causing it to collapse.”

Midlands Trainee Scaffolder Wins Apprentice Of The Year

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Midlands Trainee Scaffolder Wins Apprentice Of The Year

Charlie Holloway

A trainee scaffolder from Kidderminster is celebrating after winning apprentice of the year for the midlands region by the National Construction College (NCC).

Charlie Holloway was named apprentice of the year for the midlands and winner of scaffolding year two category for his continued work at GMK Scaff-Form, a family-run business based in Charlie’s home town of Kidderminster. Talking to local media, The Kidderminster Shuttle Charlie said:
 “I am absolutely delighted to get these awards. My apprenticeship has been a lot of hard work but it has been worth it. “I have learnt so much during the course but I am eager to keep on learning and to get better all the time. “I am looking forward to working my way through the ranks at GMK while also completing the NCC’s advanced scaffolding course. “I could not have won these awards without the support and training of the college and my employer.”
GMK Scaff-Form director Darren Keen said:
 “Charlie has achieved so much in such a short amount of time and it proves that apprenticeships can work if the young people involved have the right attitudes. “GMK is really proud of Charlie’s success and he has performed his duties with us admirably.”
The National Construction College awards are run each year to recognise and to celebrate the hard work of apprentices from around the United Kingdom.

Innovations: The ProView Dragonfly Scaffolders Level

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Innovations: The ProView Dragonfly Scaffolders Level
The ProView Dragonfly is the first Product to be launched by X-Pro Tools and it introduces the Multi-Award Winning and Patented Innovation, the ‘ProView’ Safety Viewing Feature. Paul A Sparrow, the Inventor, is a Professional UK Tradesman with over 27 years of experience on the tools, where he used ‘Spirit Levels’ all day every day in his own Trade working as a self-employed Window Fitter on both domestic and commercial installations. He came up with the idea whilst fitting a Window; without thinking he leaned in to view the bubble on his level and impaled his lower eyelid onto a painted nail sticking out of the Wall. Coming so close to what could easily have been a very serious life changing incident he immediately realised that having strategically placed mirrors installed into the level would prevent the user from having to get into such awkward and risky positions in the first place. Also due to the way conventional levels have to be viewed it makes it virtually impossible if the user is wearing a Hard Hat or Glasses. ProView takes that awkwardness out of the product. The Dragonfly, along with all other X-Pro Spirit Level Designs now incorporate Paul’s new ProView Technology, which in this case will provide two extra and unique viewing features. xprotools The ProView Dragonfly has been specifically designed for the Scaffolding Industry at the request of Professional Scaffolders that had seen the earlier ‘Proof of Concept’ CNC Machined ProView Torpedo version at various Tradeshows. Paul set about designing one and over time received a lot of feedback about what was needed.  
  1. It had to have the same accuracy as the traditional Stabila, which although originally designed for Brickies, had also been adopted by the Worldwide Scaffolding Industry.
  2. It had to have High Impact Strength as they often get dropped.
  3. It had to have 2 Powerful Neodymium Magnets so as not to drop off a Tube.
  4. It had to be 250mm long as they are used to measure the drop for lower Handrails.
  5. It had to fit Existing Standard Frogs and have Good Grip in the Wet.
With these points in mind it went through several design iterations before ending up at the Dragonfly design currently being launched, and this design has come about in Consultation with Professional Scaffolders who now have a Level specifically designed for their Trade. The ProView Dragonfly can be purchased online via our own Website at; www.x-protools.com where it is currently still available at the ‘Pre-Order’ price of £29.95 + Shipping. Alternatively it will be going ‘Live’ in the Toolstation Online Store as of 1st August 2014 where it will be available at the full Retail price of £39.90 + Shipping. At which time the X-Pro website will increase their price to match the Toolstation price. Follow; www.facebook.com/XProTools and/or @Octopeye on Twitter for more updates. The first Production Run is just waiting on packaging before being shipped from the factory, so people will get one quicker if they buy from Toolstation as of the 1st August, as shipping normally takes about 6 weeks on the water before reaching a UK Port, so anyone wanting to buy at the reduced price from the X-Pro website will actually have to wait longer to receive it. As a Personal Note; ProView was actually conceived in 1986 and it was finally filed for ‘Patent’ in 2006 and since then even having Won the coveted title of British Invention of the Year in 2009, it has constantly been refused funding from all sources approached on the grounds that it always fell outside of their eligibility criteria. Essentially it was stuck in a ‘Catch 22’.

The ‘Catch22’ explained;

Banks and Investors all refuse to lend until a Project can show actual Orders placed for its products (Proof of Income). Buyers demand sight of Actual Production Samples before they can place those Orders (Proof of Quality). This creates the proverbial ‘Catch 22’ scenario because the Projects need the Funds <> to make the Tooling – to get the Samples the Buyer demands – before they can place the Orders the Bank demands – before providing the Funds (Go back to <>). As you can see, once a Project falls into this trap there is rarely a way out!!!… As a result in 2013 I resurrected an old ‘Fundraising’ idea I’d previously had way back in 1993 whilst pursuing another Project, I renamed it BizKit-Tin and asked my Customers to ‘Pre-Order’ the Dragonfly to help raise the funding needed to put it into production. Therefore I would especially like to thank everyone that placed a ‘Pre-Order’ via BizKit-Tin for their support as without them this great project may never have seen the light of day!.. Thank you!!!… Paul A Sparrow. Founder of 4octopus.com and Inventor of ProView. NOTE; (It has recently come to light that this 1993 Fundraising Project may potentially be the first ‘Recorded’ Modern Day Crowdfunding Project (As we now know them) to exist.

The F-Board Wins ‘Best Recycled Product’ Award 2014

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The F-Board Wins ‘Best Recycled Product’ Award 2014
Fboardwins

The innovative F-Board has won the ‘Best Recycled Product’ award at the 2014 National Recycling Awards.

The Judges commented:
“The winning product has lots of potential in terms of take up and wide usage. The product it was replacing had a short life span, but this product offered great benefits through end of life take back and replacement.”
The awards, which took place at the Hilton Hotel, London, on Thursday, 3rd July, are considered to be the most prestigious and coveted awards in the waste and recycling annual calendar, and is the biggest networking event within the recycling industry with more than 700 industry leaders from across the nation attending. Organised by MRW magazine, the awards celebrate achievements and products from within the recycling fraternity. The ‘Best Recycled Product’ award exemplifies the best of sustainability, with careful consideration of resources and with recycling and reusing in mind through the use of recycled content. F-Board is very proud to announce that they have won the ‘Best Recycled Product’ category with our innovative and forward-thinking scaffolding board. The board, which is made from recycled UPVC, has captured the attention of the scaffolding and recycling industries with its financial and environmental attributes – as well as being extremely safe to use. The recycling loop of buying back the F-Board at the end of its lifespan also shows great innovation. Ticking every box, it was of no surprise that F-Board has won this category at the 2014 National Recycling Awards, and F-Board would like to thank the judges and the recycling community for this prestigious award. For more information about F Board please visit our Website www.fboard.co.uk or call 0121 505 2360.  

Advanced Guard Easy Fit System Is Reaching New Heights

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Advanced Guard Easy Fit System Is Reaching New Heights

Advanced Guard, Project Scaffolding

Advanced Guard has successfully piloted its advanced guardrail system with Middlesbrough scaffolding firm Project Scaffolding.

We originally brought Advanced Guard to your attention back in November 2012  with our innovations article. Speaking to a local paper the firm is now hoping its innovative SG4:10 compliant guardrail system can be rolled out on construction sites across the UK. Advanced Guard’s Easy-Fit system now takes 14 minutes to install compared to around three hours for traditional system. The brainchild behind the system is Health and Safety adviser Keith Alexander who has designed the system. Keith said:
“I first came up with the idea about four years ago. I’m a health and safety adviser and been in construction for 14 years but didn’t do anything with it for a while. “Legislation on fall prevention changed in 2010, and they said scaffolding should be put up from underneath; that’s when I started production.”
advancedg1 Advanced Guard have said that several companies are already using the system but it has now caught the attention of a larger firm. Project Scaffolding based in Middlesbrough has 178 employees and a turnover of around £9M a year has began testing the advanced guard rail system on real construction projects. Mark Jeavens of Project Scaffolding said: 
 “This is a far quicker method. We are impressed with it. “There’s no need for the scaffolder to climb up and expose himself to the risk of a fall. “Other methods take a lot longer, and the guys don’t like doing it.”

Technical Design Draughtsman Required At 48.3

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Technical Design Draughtsman Required At 48.3

43 48.3 Scaffold Design Office Reigate1

48.3 are Recruiting… Again!

48.3 Scaffold Design are experts in providing specialist scaffolding and temporary works design.

Formed in 2010 by Managing Director and Principal Engineer Ben Beaumont, 48.3 have gone from strength to strength becoming the UK’s leading Scaffold Design Company. Providing designs for projects for Network Rail, London Underground, The Olympic Games, Thameslink, Crossrail, Gatwick Airport re-development, Heathrow Terminal 2B, English Heritage, Thames Water, National Grid and many other commercial and industrial sites.

48.3 are a young and vibrant company offering a great environment in which to work. They have continued to grow each year since forming in 2010 and have a fantastic team dedicated to providing the best service our industry has to offer.

48.3 are looking for TWO permanent full-time, Technical Design Draughtsmen to join their dedicated team of Scaffold Design Engineers. This is a unique opportunity, as previous experience in design or engineering isn’t necessarily needed.  48.3 offer a tailored and structured training and development program, however to be successful, you must meet the basic academic requirements and have the dedication and motivation to study part-time to attain the required qualifications.

Most importantly the successful candidate will have a fantastic attitude, a willingness to learn and a personal desire, motivation and commitment to their career.

You think you have what it takes?

If you want to find out more details and see the full job specification please visit the 48.3 website www.483scaffolddesign.com/join us

All applicants must send in their CV, a covering letter and a brief statement (less than 250 words) outlining their suitability for the position to [email protected]

Cambridge Training Provider Receives CISRS Accreditation

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Cambridge Training Provider Receives CISRS Accreditation

wata

West Anglia Training Association (WATA) of Huntingdon, Cambridge has become the latest training provider to gain Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) accreditation.

Following successful completion of their CISRS accreditation audit which took place in early June, WATA can now offer the following courses: CISRS Part 1 Scaffolding, CISRS Operative Training Scheme (COTS), Basic Scaffold Inspection Training Scheme (SITS), and they are also looking to offer several System product courses in the near future.

A brand new purpose built practical training area has been erected at their site at Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. It is fitted out to the highest specification using what the experienced staff at WATA feel are the most effective and efficient ideas for layout, training structures etc. that they had witnessed whilst visiting or working at other approved training providers.

Dave Mosley CISRS Scheme Manager said:

“WATA’s commitment to the CISRS scheme is reflected in the investment and drive they put into producing this high quality facility. Only six months ago on my first visit to the proposed site it was just a field with a few rabbits running around, in the very short time since that visit they now have an excellent centre in which to deliver CISRS training.”

The other facilities within the campus are of equally high quality, the classrooms, on site canteen and welfare provision will all make for a very conducive atmosphere for learning.

WATA will also offer Scaffolding Apprenticeships, which will be welcomed by the industry as there has been very high demand for apprentice places of late.

The Centre has managed to secure some additional funding and as such are currently able to offer CISRS training at a subsided rate. For more details on this you should contact the centre directly tel. 01480 435544 or email [email protected]

Chief Executive Officer Nigel Donohue said:

“We are delighted to have gained our initial CISRS accreditation at WATA, we have a great facility here and very experienced staff and it is our intention to add to the suite of CISRS courses we offer with Part 2 and Advanced Scaffolding as soon as the scheme rules allow.”

Scaffolding Firm In Court After Trainee Falls Through Roof Light

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Scaffolding Firm In Court After Trainee Falls Through Roof Light

A Carlisle scaffolding firm has been fined £15,000 after an employee was seriously injured when he fell more than six metres through a roof light.

Contract Scaffolding Services Limited was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident at a factory in Dalston, Cumbria, on 22 February 2013.

Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard the company had been sub-contracted to fit edge protection around the roof of a building, to allow its removal ahead of the building’s demolition.HSE

The 23-year-old trainee scaffolder, from Carlisle, who does not want to be named, was part of a four-strong team carrying out the work. He was wearing a harness, but this was not clipped onto anything at the time of the incident.

He was working on the roof and as he tried to walk past one of his colleagues, he stepped onto a roof light which gave way, causing him to fall through it.

As he fell, he struck parts of the internal steel structure of the building, causing severe cuts to his face and head, before hitting the concrete floor more than six and a half metres below and shattering his knee cap into 12 pieces. As a result of his injuries, he is no longer able to carry out manual work.

The court was told that although Contract Scaffolding Services Ltd had prepared a scaffolding plan, method statement and risk assessment prior to starting the work, it did not mention the presence of the fragile roof lights.

The scaffolding plan stated that workers would initially work from a cherry picker or scissor lift and that once a single handrail was installed they would gain access onto the roof.

This would prevent falls from the edge but offered no protection from a fall through the roof lights, which ran at four metre intervals and left less than half a metre of usable space where the scaffolders were working.

The plan made no mention of the need to wear a harness when working on the roof and the court heard that although the injured worker was issued with a harness, at five feet the lanyard was so long that even if it had been clipped onto the scaffolding it would not have stopped him falling through the roof lights due to their position.

Contract Scaffolding Services Limited, of Carleton Depot, London Road, Carlisle, was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £920 costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulation 9(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 on 18 June 2014.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Martin Paren said:

“A worker at Contract Scaffolding Services Ltd has suffered injuries that could affect him from the rest of his life purely because the company failed to make sure its employees were safe.

“The risk of falling through fragile roof lights is well known in the industry but the risk assessment carried out by the company in this case failed to highlight their presence and to ensure a safe system of work was in place to prevent falls.

“A fall from a height of more than six metres could have been fatal. As it is, this young man has suffered serious injuries which could have easily been avoided because his employer failed in its duty to ensure his safety.”

Source: HSE

NASC Publishes 2014 Scaffolding Safety Report

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NASC Publishes 2014 Scaffolding Safety Report

NASC Safety Report 2014

The NASC has launched its 2014 Safety Report which documents the statistics for scaffolding accidents for all (201) NASC full contracting member companies in 2013, covering some 13,749 operatives (estimated to be around 75% of the UK’s total scaffolding operatives).

The report is being distributed from the NASC stand at the UK’s largest health and safety event, the S&H Expo at London ExCeL, from June 17-19. The report is also available for download from www.nasc.org.uk/safety_reports and hard copies are being sent out to all NASC full and information members and construction industry contacts.

All NASC full contracting members are required to submit a completed annual accident return form as part of the NASC membership criteria. The NASC Safety Report is based on data generated by this exercise:

  • Injuries and fatalities to operatives, members of the public and third parties
  • Accident causes and types
  • Detailed analysis of accidents
  • Comparison of HSE/NASC accident statistics
  • What the NASC does to support safe scaffolding practice

In line with current HSE reporting procedures, the 2014 Safety Report now reports on 7 day incidents only. As such, the 2014 report appears to show a marked reduction in incidents, when compared with 3 day reporting, as detailed in the 2013 Safety Report, and previous years.

There were no fatalities to operatives in 2013, although 30 major injuries were reported, and the total number of 7-day injuries was 66.

The 2014 NASC Safety Report showed that there were 15 falls from height in 2013, with the highest reported fall being from 5m. Six reported falls were from scaffolds or working platforms, five of which were from under 4m, with one fall at 4m or above.

The report also highlights that slips, trips and falls (STF) on the same level were the major cause of accidents in 2013, followed by manual handling, falls from height, and falls of materials. This is the tenth consecutive year that STF accidents have been the major cause of injury, amounting to nearly 43% of all injuries reported.

Manual handling injuries have increased from 9 in 2012 to 17 in 2013, which is an increase of nearly 89%. The NASC is keen to reduce this trend, in line with its guidance ‘SG6:10 Manual Handling In the Scaffolding Industry’ and associated publications ‘SG6 training DVD’ & ‘SG6 User Guide’ (both published by NASC in 2013).

When incident and accident figures are analysed by grade of operative, scaffolders suffered the largest number of accidents across all age ranges, totalling 46 (48%). This was followed by trainees 22, labourers 14, advanced scaffolders 7, supervisors 1, drivers 3 and managers 3.

The NASC has identified an increase in the number of 7 day incidents involving trainees in 2013. This is currently under investigation by the NASC Health & Safety Committee.

The highest number of accidents occurred in the 21-30 age group (42%), followed by the 31- 40 age group (18%) which means that these two groups accounted for nearly 60% of all accidents.

Overall the most common injury was a fracture of the hand, fingers and wrists(13%), followed by a fracture of the feet, toes & ankles (10%), sprain to the feet, toes & ankles (8%) and strain to the back.

NASC President, Kevin Ward said:

“It is without doubt welcome news that the long term trend of NASC member companies in terms of standards of safety performance continues to show improvement. This fact backed up by data collated in the NASC annual safety reports is the overriding factor that translates to the coalface, resulting in year on year reductions in not only minor & major accidents but also unnecessary fatalities of scaffolder operatives, third party labour utilising scaffolding structures, and other parties such as members of the public who can also be affected by the activities of scaffolding contractors.”

Adrian Rooney, Chairman of the NASC Health and Safety Committee, said:

“The NASC Safety Report shows yet again that the efforts and commitment shown by its member companies, and above all those who work on NASC committees and groups to produce safety guidance, training and associated literature, are succeeding.

“We have, once again, seen a fall in overall figures for accidents/incidents, despite an increase in the number of operatives. But most heartening is the correlation between member figures and those for our industry as a whole, which shows that NASC members continue to outperform the industry.

“The NASC Health and Safety Committee works tirelessly to produce best practice guidance for the industry which is accepted as a major contribution towards making our industry safer for all.”

NASC Managing Director, Robin James added:

“Once again, the annual NASC Safety Report has revealed interesting and positive statistics and provided engaging analysis, which can be used to help raise standards and levels of safety in the scaffolding and access industry. The rise in manual handling injuries and injuries to trainees is being looked at closely, and we will be encouraging members to work towards reducing these figures immediately.”

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