In response to a high demand from industry, the NASC (National Access & Scaffolding Confederation) has launched a free specification document intended to provide guidance for all organisations (or individuals) who are responsible for appointing, monitoring or managing scaffolding contractors.
Produced specifically for Clients, Site/Project Managers, Agents, Surveyors, CDM Coordinators, Estimators, Planners and Designers the document provides detailed industry requirements on the current best practice for scaffolding contractors prior to working on site and what expectations are required once work has commenced. This document would also be suitable as a protocol template for all scaffolding works and could be used to accompany any Tender or Pre-Qualification document.
The risk of an accident or injury to either operatives or the general public can be greatly reduced by factually knowing what to demand from your scaffolding contractor at every stage of the process.
Gerry Cooper, NASC President states:
“Non-regulated scaffolding contractors could get away with anything, if you let them! This guidance arms those responsible for using scaffolders with the facts and allows them to insist on latest best practice”
The 15 pages of criteria are intended to improve the quality of all scaffold structures erected on any site and in accordance with current legislation, guidance and protocol. The content includes…
Scaffold types
Regulations, codes of practice and best practice
Competence
Scaffolders Safety and PPE
Scaffolding design
Minimum scaffold requirements
Scaffold handover and statutory inspections
Risk assessments and method statements
Summary of Scaffolder cards
Scaffold inspection reporting
The NASC encourage anybody not using a regulated scaffolding contractor to adopt this guidance as soon as possible in an attempt to move all scaffolding companies up to a position of current best practice, legislation and safety standards.
The guidance is provided in an editable Microsoft Word document format allowing the user to add any local variations their particular organisation may have.
The guidance document is available on request from the NASC, via [email protected]
A FORMER South Tyneside scaffolding boss has filed for bankruptcy, with estimated debts of £1.3m.John Robertson attended a three-hour hearing at Sunderland County Court.
Mr Robertson, 44, of York Avenue, Jarrow, said: “I’m gutted about being declared bankrupt after being in business for 15 years.
“It was horrendous to appear before a bankruptcy court, but given the size of my debts, I felt I had no other choice.
“I put myself forward voluntarily for bankruptcy because I have outstanding debts of around £1.3m, involving the Inland Revenue, Barclays Bank and mortgages.”
Mr Robertson is also due to appear at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court this week on a charge of criminal damage.
He is accused of smashing his 22ft truck into Strathmore House, the headquarters of South Tyneside Homes, at Jarrow’s Viking Industrial Estate on March 20.
It is claimed he caused damage totalling almost £160,000.
Untily recently, Mr Robertson employed 20 staff at Robertson Scaffolding at Wagonway Industrial Estate, Hebburn.
But he later became embroiled in a contractual dispute with South Tyneside Homes.
His business has now been dissolved.
He added: “I’m used to being my own boss and working 18 hours a day, so to be declared bankrupt and have no business is really hard.”
But despite his problems, Mr Robertson said he is “heartened” by support from friends and business associates in the community.
And after receiving 767 votes after standing as an Independent candidate for the Primrose ward in Jarrow in the recent local elections, Mr Robertson revealed he plans to continue pressing for a seat on South Tyneside Council.
The emergency services performed a daring rescue at 170ft as crowds gathered at one of Islington’s most famous gig venues to witness the dramatic incident.Fire, ambulance and police crews were called to the Union Chapel, in Compton Avenue, Islington, at around 11.30am on Friday after a 50-year-old man was found unconscious at the top of scaffolding surrounding the old chapel.
A hazardous area response team rushed to the scene and ladders were sent to the top of the spire to bring the man down.
He was then treated at the scene, before being rushed to the University College Hospital in Euston as a priority.
Leon Shoben, 55, who works at the Elfrida Society, an educational facility in nearby Islington Park Street, said: “I was walking back from Highbury and Islington station with a class and I saw a lot of people looking up at the ladders and the fire engines.
“I thought the scaffolding had collapsed at the top, it looked like the people up there were moving a lot of stuff around. There were a lot of ambulances there.”
Daniela Sbrisny, duty manager at the Union Chapel, said: “We were the last ones to find out. One of our colleagues was outside and told us that someone had collapsed on the scaffolding.
“We ran outside to see if there was anything we could do, but by that time they were bringing him down on the big fire ladder.”
A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said: “We were called to reports of a person taken unwell on scaffolding at the Union Chapel. We sent a motorcycle paramedic, an ambulance crew and our specialist hazardous area response team. The patient, reported to be a 50-year-old man, was unconscious at the top of the scaffolding.
“Our crews climbed ladders and scaffolding to reach him at the top of the spire which is 170 feet tall. They helped move him to a fire brigade platform where they treated him before he was lowered to the ground. He was taken to University College Hospital as a priority.”
NORTH West scaffolding and industrial services firm NSG UK has won a raft of contracts at multi-million pound projects across the region.
The Deeside-based company has won five contracts, including a £100,000 deal to work on Merepark’s Central Village development in Liverpool city centre, and a £139,000 contract for Wates Construction at Liverpool John Moores University’s £37m Mount Pleasant Campus Redevelopment.
Six NSG UK staff are now working on the Merepark project, erecting scaffolding for enabling works for the future refurbishment and redevelopment of the famous Lewis’s building.
The firm is also providing scaffolding for the new six-floor LJMU building, which will be home to the Faculty for Business and Law, the Liverpool Screen School and the University’s new Professional Centre.
NSG UK has also been awarded two contracts to work on social housing stock in Sefton and Liverpool, erecting scaffolding for refurbishment and renovation projects.
A WISHAW family were left terrified when three-storey scaffolding erected around their home came crashing down during Monday’s high winds.The scaffolding – which had been in place at the property of Charles Felvus in Dimsdale Road since early last week – was to enable repair work to be done to the chimney.
According to Mr Felvus, this work has yet to be completed.
Now the collapse of the scaffolding has resulted in considerably more damage to the property – including a large hole in the roof which means rain has been getting into the loft.
In addition, the gas box outside Mr Felvus’ front door has been wrecked by falling scaffolding as has a large section of the fence between his home and his next door neighbour.
A shaken Mr Felvus said: “It was like something out of a disaster movie.
“One minute the scaffolding was in place, the next it was crashing down around us. It’s just lucky that no-one was outside when it happened.
“There’s a young girl lives next door and if it had fallen on her I dread to think what could have happened. You can see by the way it smashed through the fence the force it came down with.”
He went on to question the safety of the scaffolding installation and the length of time it had been in position with no apparent repair work being carried out.
He continued: “As far as I’m concerned that scaffolding had never been secured. If it had, no amount of wind would have brought it down.
“It was very dangerous and could so easily have had catastrophic consequences as well as the significant structural damage that has occurred.
“There’s meant to be an inspector who comes round. That never happened. And anyway, why was the scaffolding in place for so long? Surely six days is more than adequate to repair a chimney.”
He added: “I certainly don’t want to be waiting as long for the hole in my roof to be sorted out now.”
Joe Brady, planned and voids manager for the council’s housing and social work, said:
“All scaffolding erected by the council’s contractors must receive a safety certificate to ensure it complies with all relevant health and safety regulations. However, we experienced exceptionally high winds last night. The council will reinstate all damage caused as a result.”
Workers who lost their jobs at Vivergo’s Saltend site that include Scaffolders and other trades have until Wednesday evening to decide whether to accept a compensation package.Almost 400 workers lost their jobs in March, when Vivergo terminated its contract with Redhall Engineering Services Ltd.
Through mediation group ACAS, Vivergo has offered almost £4,000 to each worker.
By accepting the offer, know as a COT3 agreement, workers will give up the right to bring further claims against the employer.
Les Dobbs, GMB union senior organiser, said: “We have told members we will support those who accept the compensation agreement, but we will also back those who wishing to continue to campaign to have their jobs back.”
The protests, which began in March, have caused severe traffic delays on several occasions, when workers blocked Hedon Road.
THIS is the dramatic scene as a blazing lorry brought one of the major roads into Bristol to a standstill.
Gloucester Road in Horfield was closed as firefighters fought the fire, on a scaffolding lorry.
The driver was alerted to flames from the rear of his cab by other motorists.
He stopped near the junction of Muller Road and dialled 999.
Firefighters using a hose reel and foam dealt with the blaze, which seriously damaged the cab of the vehicle.
No one was hurt, and it is believed the fire was caused by an electrical fault.
It promised to be a highlight of this year’s Health & Safety Expo, and so it proved – six of the UK’s leading health and safety organisations coming together for the first time ever to discuss and debate how to eradicate falls from height in the workplace.
The holy grail panel at this years Health & Safety ExpoTheir conclusion? The need for more cooperation, better coordination, further education and improved long term planning.
Chaired by David Thomas, safety, health and environment director at William Hare Ltd, the panel consisted of:
Peter Bennett, chairman of the Access Industry Forum (AIF)
Joy Jones from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Nigel Bryson OBE from the British Safety Council (BSC)
Barry Holt from the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM)
John Holden from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
Roger Bibbings MBE from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
Key themes to emerge included better leadership; the need to engage the workforce more directly in safety issues; the avoidance of a ‘tick box’ approach to training; improved targeting, especially of small to medium sized firms in the construction sector, but, above all, the necessity to pool and synchronise resources, knowledge and information.
Roger Bibbings urged all the organisations taking part in the discussion to work together to help fill the void created by the cuts in the HSE’s budget.
Two other AIF-sponsored discussions also attracted capacity audiences and sparked lively question and answer sessions: ‘Successful planning techniques for working at height’ and ‘Maintaining effective work at height policies in a tough economic climate’.
Comments Peter Bennett for the Forum:
“The Holy Grail panel discussion was a ground breaking event which, I am sure, will have positive, long term consequences for the work at height sector in general. The spirit evident in Birmingham augers well for a high degree of cooperation between all the organisations taking part, with a view to reducing the number of deaths and injuries resulting from falls from height.”
Jason Anker
Also making a huge and memorable contribution to the 2011 Knowledge Base programme was motivational speaker, Jason Anker.
Jason was paralysed from the waist down as the result of an avoidable accident while working at height.
Each day he delivered a raw, powerful presentation designed to warn everyone of the life shattering consequences of a fall.
The panel discussions and individual presentations by AIF member organisations IPAF, NASC, PASMA and the Ladder Association, and Jason Anker,
will shortly be available to watch again via online video on the Forum’s website www.accessindustryforum.org.uk
Following its earlier success in providing a bespoke scaffolding and access system for renovation work at Gare Du Nord railway station in Paris, Harsco Infrastructure has now almost completed a second project, at the city’s Gare Saint-Lazare station.Impressed by the capabilities and expertise which Harsco had shown on the first project, main contractor Spie SCGPM asked the company to repeat the process at Gare Saint-Lazare.
The large-scale renovation work on the main station canopy required Harsco to design and construct a 220-ton, 18-metre high MODEX scaffolding structure which covered an area of 3,840 m².
The modular nature of the overall scaffold system allows it to accommodate any shape, ground plan or height requirements with ease. This was particularly beneficial in creating the irregularly spaced walkways which were required by the site workforce.
To counter the confined nature of the site Harsco provided mobile cranes to lift-in the required materials. The complex nature of the various works also required Harsco to adhere to a detailed work schedule, so that all the necessary requirements for safety, minimising noise pollution and reducing disruption to the surrounding area could be satisfied.
One stage of the project required the use of specially skilled workers who were able to access the overhanging sections of the canopy to carry out the renovation work. The canopy renovation was carried out concurrently with other work to refurbish the building main structure, and the construction of a new shopping mall located within the station complex.
Up to 50 Harsco Scaffolders could be made redundant within the next 90 days at TATA Steel Works in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire.
Rumors have been circulating since Friday after the shock announcement that 1,500 jobs are to go at TATA Steel, 1,200 at Scunthorpe and 300 at the Teeside plant which is due to the down turn in the demand for structural steel.
Parts of the Scunthorpe plant have also been proposed to be mothballed including the Bloom and Billet Mill and the Queen Bess blast furnace.
Demand for structural steel in the UK is only two-thirds of the 2007 level and is not expected to fully recover within the next five years.
The Scaffolders work for Harsco Corporation who supply the scaffolding workforce on the plant and operate in 39 countries and provide construction and industrial maintenance services.
A spokesman for Harsco told ScaffMag that “Following a standard review process which was recently undertaken, Harsco are in discussions with employees and unions regarding the future operating structure.”
“This process is required to bring our operating capacity in line with current production levels and requirements at the plant.”
Produced specifically for Clients, Site/Project Managers, Agents, Surveyors, CDM Coordinators, Estimators, Planners and Designers the document provides detailed industry requirements on the current best practice for scaffolding contractors prior to working on site and what expectations are required once work has commenced. This document would also be suitable as a protocol template for all scaffolding works and could be used to accompany any Tender or Pre-Qualification document.
The risk of an accident or injury to either operatives or the general public can be greatly reduced by factually knowing what to demand from your scaffolding contractor at every stage of the process.
Gerry Cooper, NASC President states:
John Robertson attended a three-hour hearing at Sunderland County Court.
Mr Robertson, 44, of York Avenue, Jarrow, said: “I’m gutted about being declared bankrupt after being in business for 15 years.
“It was horrendous to appear before a bankruptcy court, but given the size of my debts, I felt I had no other choice.
“I put myself forward voluntarily for bankruptcy because I have outstanding debts of around £1.3m, involving the Inland Revenue, Barclays Bank and mortgages.”
Mr Robertson is also due to appear at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court this week on a charge of criminal damage.
He is accused of smashing his 22ft truck into Strathmore House, the headquarters of South Tyneside Homes, at Jarrow’s Viking Industrial Estate on March 20.
It is claimed he caused damage totalling almost £160,000.
Untily recently, Mr Robertson employed 20 staff at Robertson Scaffolding at Wagonway Industrial Estate, Hebburn.
But he later became embroiled in a contractual dispute with South Tyneside Homes.
His business has now been dissolved.
He added: “I’m used to being my own boss and working 18 hours a day, so to be declared bankrupt and have no business is really hard.”
But despite his problems, Mr Robertson said he is “heartened” by support from friends and business associates in the community.
And after receiving 767 votes after standing as an Independent candidate for the Primrose ward in Jarrow in the recent local elections, Mr Robertson revealed he plans to continue pressing for a seat on South Tyneside Council.
Fire, ambulance and police crews were called to the Union Chapel, in Compton Avenue, Islington, at around 11.30am on Friday after a 50-year-old man was found unconscious at the top of scaffolding surrounding the old chapel.
A hazardous area response team rushed to the scene and ladders were sent to the top of the spire to bring the man down.
He was then treated at the scene, before being rushed to the University College Hospital in Euston as a priority.
Leon Shoben, 55, who works at the Elfrida Society, an educational facility in nearby Islington Park Street, said: “I was walking back from Highbury and Islington station with a class and I saw a lot of people looking up at the ladders and the fire engines.
“I thought the scaffolding had collapsed at the top, it looked like the people up there were moving a lot of stuff around. There were a lot of ambulances there.”
Daniela Sbrisny, duty manager at the Union Chapel, said: “We were the last ones to find out. One of our colleagues was outside and told us that someone had collapsed on the scaffolding.
“We ran outside to see if there was anything we could do, but by that time they were bringing him down on the big fire ladder.”
A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said: “We were called to reports of a person taken unwell on scaffolding at the Union Chapel. We sent a motorcycle paramedic, an ambulance crew and our specialist hazardous area response team. The patient, reported to be a 50-year-old man, was unconscious at the top of the scaffolding.
“Our crews climbed ladders and scaffolding to reach him at the top of the spire which is 170 feet tall. They helped move him to a fire brigade platform where they treated him before he was lowered to the ground. He was taken to University College Hospital as a priority.”
The Deeside-based company has won five contracts, including a £100,000 deal to work on Merepark’s Central Village development in Liverpool city centre, and a £139,000 contract for Wates Construction at Liverpool John Moores University’s £37m Mount Pleasant Campus Redevelopment.
Six NSG UK staff are now working on the Merepark project, erecting scaffolding for enabling works for the future refurbishment and redevelopment of the famous Lewis’s building.
The firm is also providing scaffolding for the new six-floor LJMU building, which will be home to the Faculty for Business and Law, the Liverpool Screen School and the University’s new Professional Centre.
NSG UK has also been awarded two contracts to work on social housing stock in Sefton and Liverpool, erecting scaffolding for refurbishment and renovation projects.
The scaffolding – which had been in place at the property of Charles Felvus in Dimsdale Road since early last week – was to enable repair work to be done to the chimney.
According to Mr Felvus, this work has yet to be completed.
Now the collapse of the scaffolding has resulted in considerably more damage to the property – including a large hole in the roof which means rain has been getting into the loft.
In addition, the gas box outside Mr Felvus’ front door has been wrecked by falling scaffolding as has a large section of the fence between his home and his next door neighbour.
A shaken Mr Felvus said: “It was like something out of a disaster movie.
“One minute the scaffolding was in place, the next it was crashing down around us. It’s just lucky that no-one was outside when it happened.
“There’s a young girl lives next door and if it had fallen on her I dread to think what could have happened. You can see by the way it smashed through the fence the force it came down with.”
He went on to question the safety of the scaffolding installation and the length of time it had been in position with no apparent repair work being carried out.
He continued: “As far as I’m concerned that scaffolding had never been secured. If it had, no amount of wind would have brought it down.
“It was very dangerous and could so easily have had catastrophic consequences as well as the significant structural damage that has occurred.
“There’s meant to be an inspector who comes round. That never happened. And anyway, why was the scaffolding in place for so long? Surely six days is more than adequate to repair a chimney.”
He added: “I certainly don’t want to be waiting as long for the hole in my roof to be sorted out now.”
Joe Brady, planned and voids manager for the council’s housing and social work, said:
Almost 400 workers lost their jobs in March, when Vivergo terminated its contract with Redhall Engineering Services Ltd.
Through mediation group ACAS, Vivergo has offered almost £4,000 to each worker.
By accepting the offer, know as a COT3 agreement, workers will give up the right to bring further claims against the employer.
Les Dobbs, GMB union senior organiser, said: “We have told members we will support those who accept the compensation agreement, but we will also back those who wishing to continue to campaign to have their jobs back.”
The protests, which began in March, have caused severe traffic delays on several occasions, when workers blocked Hedon Road.
The driver was alerted to flames from the rear of his cab by other motorists.
He stopped near the junction of Muller Road and dialled 999.
Firefighters using a hose reel and foam dealt with the blaze, which seriously damaged the cab of the vehicle.
No one was hurt, and it is believed the fire was caused by an electrical fault.
Impressed by the capabilities and expertise which Harsco had shown on the first project, main contractor Spie SCGPM asked the company to repeat the process at Gare Saint-Lazare.
The large-scale renovation work on the main station canopy required Harsco to design and construct a 220-ton, 18-metre high MODEX scaffolding structure which covered an area of 3,840 m².
The modular nature of the overall scaffold system allows it to accommodate any shape, ground plan or height requirements with ease. This was particularly beneficial in creating the irregularly spaced walkways which were required by the site workforce.
To counter the confined nature of the site Harsco provided mobile cranes to lift-in the required materials. The complex nature of the various works also required Harsco to adhere to a detailed work schedule, so that all the necessary requirements for safety, minimising noise pollution and reducing disruption to the surrounding area could be satisfied.
One stage of the project required the use of specially skilled workers who were able to access the overhanging sections of the canopy to carry out the renovation work. The canopy renovation was carried out concurrently with other work to refurbish the building main structure, and the construction of a new shopping mall located within the station complex.
Rumors have been circulating since Friday after the shock announcement that 1,500 jobs are to go at TATA Steel, 1,200 at Scunthorpe and 300 at the Teeside plant which is due to the down turn in the demand for structural steel.
Parts of the Scunthorpe plant have also been proposed to be mothballed including the Bloom and Billet Mill and the Queen Bess blast furnace.
Demand for structural steel in the UK is only two-thirds of the 2007 level and is not expected to fully recover within the next five years.
The Scaffolders work for