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A Teesside rope access scaffolder has spoken out about his near-fatal steroid addiction, which cost him more than £35,000 and left him in a medically-induced coma for seven days.Zak Wilkinson, 32, from Middlesbrough, spent over two years abusing performance-enhancing drugs whilst preparing for bodybuilding competitions. The rope access scaffolder was injecting steroids up to three times daily, spending more than £750 each month on substances including Anavar, Masteron and Equipoise.
His extreme regime included six meals a day consisting of just five foods – broccoli, chicken, rice, egg whites and steak – alongside at least 45 minutes of daily cardio. He meticulously tracked every aspect of his diet and exercise, weighing even the syrups in his coffee and salt on his food. His Apple Watch constantly monitored his steps and calories burnt, whilst a notepad recorded his meals and morning weight.
On 23 March, Wilkinson’s brutal routine caught up with him when he began having seizures, vomiting and sweating profusely. His sister, Chelsea, 37, put him in the recovery position and called an ambulance.
He was rushed to the ICU unit at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where doctors initially suspected meningitis. They soon realised his symptoms resulted from steroid use combined with fat loss tablets.
Medical staff placed him in a medically induced coma and advised his family to prepare for the worst. He was diagnosed with “likely provoked seizures in the context of multiple drugs”.
Credit: Teesside Live
After a gruelling week, Wilkinson pulled through, though he remained non-verbal for three days. Doctors described it as miraculous that he avoided neurological damage. However, he has had to relearn how to walk and initially lacked the strength to lift his three-year-old son, Saint.
Wilkinson has recently appeared as a guest on The View with Vertex podcast, where he shared his story in detail with the aim of deterring other young people from following the same dangerous path.
Speaking about his addiction, he said: “They get a grip of you. When you’re on them you’re training a lot harder and more frequently. That’s when addiction can start becoming involved. For me, focusing and concentrating even more on myself meant I lost myself in the process. You get to a stage where it almost cost me my life.”
He explained that the addiction can go far beyond the physical effects. The steroid use can affect your libido, cause erectile dysfunction and lead to severe mood swings. “If you’re someone who suffered from mood swings it’s who you take them out on and you can become snappy,” he said.
The financial burden was equally significant. “The financial side as well – mine was high as I was injecting multiple times a day,” Wilkinson added. “When taking steroids you’re taking different hormones too whether it’s peptides or a growth hormone. I was taking fat loss tablets with it to accelerate weight loss.”
The combination of substances created a vicious cycle. “I was having more caffeine as I found myself tired more. For me everything was noted. I had a notepad with me tracking my meals, my weight on a morning. I had my Apple watch on me checking steps and checking calories burnt. It’s a very strict regime.”
Wilkinson’s story comes as former Great British Bake Off contestant John Whaite has also opened up about his struggles with steroids, revealing they led him to contemplate ending his life. Whaite began using the drugs after looking in the mirror and feeling hatred for his reflection.
“I can resonate,” said Wilkinson, who maintained a similarly strict diet to the Strictly star. “In this day and age now people are wanting to take things to make things look better facially and physically look huge. People are taking them to look good in a photo or a seven-day, 10 day holiday, whatever it may be. The sad effects are coming after it.”
Now recovered, Wilkinson hopes his experience will serve as a stark warning to others in the bodybuilding community and beyond about the devastating consequences of steroid abuse.
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Scaffplan has appointed former Footprint WFM Managing Director Ciaran Boyd as its Sales Director, strengthening its leadership team as the company prepares for global expansion.The move comes as demand increases for ScaffPlan’s scaffold design tools and as major partnerships progress, including its worldwide reseller agreement with Trimble.
Boyd joins the business with a strong background in construction software. He previously served as Managing Director of Footprint WFM, where he oversaw commercial growth across the UK, Europe and wider international markets.
Ben Beaumont, Director at ScaffPlan, said Boyd’s appointment marks an important step in the company’s plans to scale.
He said the company is entering “a new chapter” and added that expanding into multiple regions requires greater structure across its commercial teams. “Ciaran brings the energy, experience and commercial strength we need for the next phase of our growth,” Beaumont said.
Ben Beaumont and Ciaran Boyd, Credit: Scaffplan“We’re not just growing, we intend to lead the industry,” Beaumont adds. “To do that, we need structure and leadership across the sales function. Ciaran brings the energy, experience and commercial strength we need for the next phase of our growth.”“We’re not just growing, we intend to lead the industry,” Beaumont adds. “To do that, we need structure and leadership across the sales function. Ciaran brings the energy, experience and commercial strength we need for the next phase of our growth.”
In his role, Boyd will oversee ScaffPlan’s global sales strategy across its expanding product range. This includes ScaffPlan’s core design platform, its Tekla integration, the new SketchUp workflow and the upcoming BOSS system, which is set to broaden the company’s digital offering.
Boyd said he is joining the company at a time of strong momentum. “The product offering is best-in-class and the pace here is remarkable. I’m ready to help take the growth to the next level,” he said.
ScaffPlan’s decision to appoint a dedicated Sales Director reflects its intention to scale internationally while continuing to invest in new tools for scaffolders, designers and temporary works professionals.
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Leading construction and scaffolding safety specialist SIMIAN has marked 20 years of trading since its establishment in November 2005.
The Warrington-based organisation has grown from a small team of industry experts to become one of the UK’s foremost training and consultancy organisations, now operating three core training centres and three satellite locations across the country.
SIMIAN runs facilities in Warrington, the London Academy of Sustainable Construction (LASC), and SOMAX in Weston-Super-Mare, with additional satellite centres in Menai, Kent, and Letchworth.
The company has broadened its offering beyond scaffolding in recent years, opening a dedicated roofing training centre at its Warrington headquarters. The move came in response to growing demand for specialist roofing training.
Throughout its two decades in business, SIMIAN has stuck to a clear mission: raising standards, improving safety, and ensuring construction workers are skilled, confident, and compliant. The organisation works with businesses of all sizes across multiple sectors.
Simon Hughes, managing director at SIMIAN, said: “Reaching 20 years in business is an incredible achievement and a proud moment for our entire team. From our very first day, our focus has been on ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient working practices for the UK construction industry.“Over the years, our team has grown, our training centres have expanded, and our services have evolved, but our commitment to excellence has never wavered. We look forward to continuing to support and develop the workforce for the next 20 years and beyond.”
The company started with a single training centre in Warrington and has since built a network of facilities serving different regions across the UK. This geographical spread has allowed SIMIAN to deliver training programmes to a much wider area.
SIMIAN’s services cover scaffolding safety, roofing work, and broader construction industry requirements, including both training delivery and consultancy work for construction businesses.
The company says it will continue developing its training and safety services for the construction sector, maintaining its position as a key provider of safety training and compliance support for UK construction businesses.
SIMIAN thanked its clients, delegates, partners, and team members for their support over the past 20 years, acknowledging that their collaboration has helped establish the company as a recognised name in construction safety and training.
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Construction supply chain firms are warning that potential tax increases in next week’s Autumn Budget could derail the sector’s fragile recovery, with material costs and project delays likely to increase.Terry Paterson, commercial director at EPD, an aftermarket parts supplier for construction machinery, said the industry is already struggling with high input prices, rising energy and transport costs, and supply chain disruption.
“If tax rises go ahead, those pressures will compound: margins will shrink, material orders may be delayed or cancelled, and that will feed upstream into manufacturing and suppliers,” he said.
The Construction Products Association has sharply downgraded its output forecasts for the sector. Total construction output is now expected to grow by just 1.1 per cent in 2025 and 2.8 per cent in 2026, down from earlier projections of 1.9 per cent and 3.7 per cent.
Private housing has seen the steepest downgrade, with output now forecast to rise by 2.0 per cent in 2025 and 4.0 per cent in 2026, compared with previous forecasts of 4.0 per cent and 7.0 per cent.
UK construction activity fell sharply in October, with the S&P Global UK Construction PMI dropping to 44.1 from 46.2 in September. It was the tenth consecutive month below the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction, marking the longest continuous downturn since the financial crisis.
Paterson said EPD’s customers are reporting stagnant business, with some seeing activity down by 20 per cent. “If taxes go up, this already weak situation could collapse further,” he said.
He called for clear signalling of tax policy so suppliers and contractors can budget and plan, along with supply chain resilience support, including backing for UK manufacturing of construction products.
“The Autumn Budget is a pivotal moment for our industry,” Paterson said. “We understand the need for financial discipline, but if the government introduces policies that make houses more expensive or discourage buyers, it could derail the fragile recovery in homebuilding.”
The Budget is scheduled for 26 November.
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The Scaffolding Association Australia has appointed two non-executive board members and expanded the role of an existing director as the organisation strengthens its governance structure.
Tina Wieczorek and Erryn O’Brien have joined the board as non-executive members, while executive director Jordy Adshead has taken on the additional role of secretary. The appointments sit alongside the continued leadership of chair Robert Thiess and vice chair Danny Zarb.
Wieczorek brings senior experience from New Zealand’s scaffolding, rigging and specialist trades sectors. She is the former chief executive of Scaffolding, Access and Rigging New Zealand and currently chairs the New Zealand Specialist Trade Contractors Federation.
She has worked on regulatory reform, licensing frameworks and vocational education policy and helped establish formal agreements between SARNZ, the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation in the UK and the SAA.
“It was a privilege to meet so many passionate members in Sydney and hear firsthand about the challenges, innovation and pride that drive this sector forward,” Wieczorek said. “The camaraderie and professionalism across the room reminded me how strong this community truly is.”
O’Brien, the association’s general manager, has more than 16 years’ experience in the industry. She led the Scaffolding Association Queensland before its transition into the national SAA and has managed strategy, campaigns, events and communications.
Adshead, who is director of growth and sustainability at Base Industries, has taken on the secretary role in addition to his existing board position. He developed the concept and structure of SAA’s Stop Scaffold Tampering campaign, which has reached thousands of workers and principal contractors nationwide.
The SAA said the appointments add depth to the leadership group as the sector responds to rising regulatory expectations, skills demands and national collaboration efforts.
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A 32-year-old worker has died following an incident on an offshore drilling rig in the North Sea. Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive have opened a joint investigation.Lee Hulse, from Torry, died on Friday morning while working on the Valaris 121 jackup drilling rig, located about 140 miles east of Aberdeen. He had celebrated his birthday just days earlier.
Lee Hulse – Credit: Gofundme
It is understood he fell from a crane during the early hours. Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious.
The HSE and Police Scotland deployed staff to the rig following the incident.
Valaris confirmed the fatality and said operations on the installation had been paused. In a statement, the company said it was supporting Mr Hulse’s family and that all other personnel on board had been accounted for.
The rig was drilling on the Shearwater field, operated by Shell. A Shell spokesperson said the company was “deeply saddened” by the death and was supporting Valaris.
A report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
A fundraising page set up in Mr Hulse’s memory has raised more than £18,000. The organisers described him as someone who “always looked after his family and friends”, adding that money raised would go towards funeral costs and supporting his daughter.
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A major shift in the UK equipment hire market has moved forward after the Competition and Markets Authority approved a new commercial agreement between HSS ProService Marketplace and Speedy Hire.The deal allows Speedy to join the HSS ProService Marketplace as a core supplier and shareholder. It brings together HSS ProService’s digital procurement platform with Speedy’s national fleet and operational network, creating what the companies describe as a fully integrated online marketplace for equipment, fuel and related services.
Speedy will replace The Hire Service Company on the platform. HSS ProService said the change will offer customers improved availability, clearer pricing and stronger control over procurement.
As part of the agreement, Speedy has taken a 10 per cent stake in HSS ProService Marketplace. The company will supply most core hire equipment, provide testing services, and transfer staff into the ProService business to increase operational capacity. HSS ProService Marketplace will also take on Speedy’s rehire business.
The move supports HSS ProService’s shift to an asset-light hybrid model, built around digital ordering and data-driven procurement tools. The company said the partnership will open new opportunities for suppliers linked to the platform.
Tom Shorten, CEO of HSS ProService Marketplace, said contractors want certainty and efficiency at a time when project margins are under pressure.
He said the partnership will give users a deeper fleet, a wider footprint and a simpler digital workflow. According to Shorten, the focus is on reducing phone calls, cutting administration and improving visibility of hire spend.
HSS ProService Marketplace is already one of Europe’s largest digital platforms for equipment hire. The company says closer collaboration with Speedy signals a wider shift towards online procurement models in the building services and maintenance sector.
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Australia’s top scaffolding projects have been named at this year’s Australia’s Best Scaffolding Projects Awards.
The event, held during Scaff25, drew a record thirty nominations from across the country. Organisers say the strong field reflects continued growth and technical capability within the sector.
The awards highlight engineering precision, safety performance and innovation across industrial, civil and commercial environments.
Craneable scaffold takes top prize
Ausgroup Industrial Services won the year’s two major awards. Innovation in Scaffolding and Australia’s Best Scaffolding Project of the Year.
The company was recognised for a craneable scaffold delivered at the Hail Creek site in Queensland. The project addressed the risks of working inside confined Run of Mill bins by reversing the traditional approach.
The entire scaffold was pre-assembled inside a custom steel frame and lowered into position in one controlled lift.
The method removed almost all confined-space exposure. It reduced installation time and allowed millimetre-level placement in a high-risk environment. Engineers designed the structure to withstand vibration, dynamic forces and the irregular geometry of the bin.
Suspended scaffold recognised for work over water
Central Scaffolding & Rigging Services won Best Industrial Scaffolding Project of the Year. The company installed a suspended scaffold at a live operational wharf, where tidal movement and restricted access prevented any build from below.
Using Layher Allround, Flex Beam and tube-and-coupler systems, the team produced a balanced platform over open water. The design accounted for corrosion risks, tidal clearance and structural loading. Judges described it as a strong example of industrial planning and safe working near marine environments.
Civil award highlights heritage restrictions at Merri Creek
APS Industrial Services received Best Civil Scaffolding Project of the Year for its access system beneath the 1867 Merri Creek Bridge in Victoria. With no ability to fix into the bluestone structure or touch the waterway, APS developed a custom anchoring system mounted under the bridge deck.
The restricted location required rope access support and detailed environmental controls. Traffic above remained open throughout the works.
Granted Access won Best Commercial Scaffolding Project of the Year. The company wrapped a 40-metre heritage chimney in Collingwood, where only 700mm of space separated the structure from nearby apartment balconies.
A freestanding scaffold supported by a 10-kPa suspended gantry deck allowed remedial works without touching the fragile brickwork. The design followed two years of planning with structural engineers.
Small-scale award recognises suspended aluminium design
AN-CO Australia won Best Small-Scale Scaffolding Project of the Year for its access solution at Liberty Place in Sydney. The team delivered a fully suspended aluminium scaffold reinforced with steel and hung from lattice beams above the roofline. Rope access methods were used to install and remove the system. The work preserved the heritage facade and avoided drill fixings.
Tank swing-stage innovation earns ScafWest dual recognition
ScafWest received Best Aluminium and Swing Stage Project of the Year for its platform inside a fertiliser tank. The team assembled an 11-metre circular swing stage from curved aluminium trusses, with all components carried through a small manhole.
A multi-hoist lifting system allowed full 360-degree access inside the tank. The design was fully mocked up and load-tested before deployment.
Digital modelling approach secures design award
Scaffold Studio won Best Scaffold Design Project of the Year for its work at Reflections by the Sea. Using 3D laser scanning and ScaffPlan modelling, the team produced a digital twin of the site. This allowed load analysis and clash detection before installation.
The final solution was a cantilevered scaffold suspended above pools, balconies and public walkways. Counterweights, lifting rigs and tie systems formed part of the design.
Advanced mast climber system recognised at Collins Arch
Standard Access won Best Mast Climber Project of the Year for its work on Melbourne’s Collins Arch reclad programme. The hybrid system combined mast climbers, swing stages and tilting platforms to follow curved and negative-angle façades. The project was completed while the hotel and offices inside remained in use. Noise and privacy management formed part of the staging.
Sector marks year of technical progress
Organisers say this year’s awards highlight a high standard of work across the scaffolding sector. The projects span heritage protection, industrial access, digital engineering and complex façade works.
The Scaffolding Association Australia thanked entrants, judges and attendees for recognising the people and teams leading the industry forward.
GKR Scaffolding has completed a large temporary roof structure at HS2’s Euston site.
The installation sits beside the live station and supports enclosed works that are expected to continue for the next 12 months.
Project overview
Roof span: 32 metres
Apex height: 9.5 metres
Roof length: 76 metres
Track length: 130 metres
Weight: 98.4 tonnes
Build time: eight weeks
The structure provides a controlled and fully screened environment for complex activities on the Euston project. It has been designed so it can move as works progress, allowing teams to maintain activity without affecting nearby piling operations.
A key element of the project is the use of a rebar-free foundation system. The bases can be removed and reused as the encapsulation moves along Cardington Street. This is intended to support a faster programme once follow-on works begin.
GKR delivered the installation in collaboration with the MDJV project team, temporary works specialists and Network Rail.
The images will show the scale of the roof, the encapsulation detail and the track system used to relocate the structure as construction advances.
Construction output in Great Britain rose by only 0.1% in the third quarter of 2025, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. The industry also grew by 0.2% in September.The ONS said the picture remains uncertain. It has revised its earlier estimates for both July and August. August output was first thought to have fallen by 0.3%. It has now been revised to a sharper fall of 0.5%. July was first reported as 0.2% growth, then downgraded to zero, and has now been revised again back to 0.2% growth.
Across the quarter, new work fell by 0.2% while repair and maintenance rose by 0.6%. Four of the nine construction sectors grew. The strongest performer was private housing repair and maintenance, up 2.9%. The weakest was private new housing, down 1.9%.
In September, all monthly growth came from new work, which increased by 0.7%. Repair and maintenance fell by 0.5%.
New orders rose sharply in the quarter. They increased by 9.8%, worth an extra £1.08bn. Most of this came from private commercial and private industrial projects.
Construction is still performing slightly better than the wider economy. UK GDP fell by 0.1% in September and showed no growth in August. It also fell by 0.1% in July. GDP for the third quarter as a whole rose by 0.1%, matching construction.
Clive Docwra, managing director at McBains, said the figures offer limited reassurance. He said the market remains “a mixed bag”. He highlighted the fall in private housing and the drop in new orders over the quarter, which he described as worrying signs.
He said the industry faces a difficult winter. He called for the government to use the upcoming budget to support infrastructure investment and help stabilise the economic outlook. He also said that scrapping stamp duty could give a useful boost to housebuilding.
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The company started with a single training centre in Warrington and has since built a network of facilities serving different regions across the UK. This geographical spread has allowed SIMIAN to deliver training programmes to a much wider area.
SIMIAN’s services cover scaffolding safety, roofing work, and broader construction industry requirements, including both training delivery and consultancy work for construction businesses.
The company says it will continue developing its training and safety services for the construction sector, maintaining its position as a key provider of safety training and compliance support for UK construction businesses.
SIMIAN thanked its clients, delegates, partners, and team members for their support over the past 20 years, acknowledging that their collaboration has helped establish the company as a recognised name in construction safety and training.
Tom Shorten, CEO of HSS ProService Marketplace, said contractors want certainty and efficiency at a time when project margins are under pressure.
He said the partnership will give users a deeper fleet, a wider footprint and a simpler digital workflow. According to Shorten, the focus is on reducing phone calls, cutting administration and improving visibility of hire spend.
HSS ProService Marketplace is already one of Europe’s largest digital platforms for equipment hire. The company says closer collaboration with Speedy signals a wider shift towards online procurement models in the building services and maintenance sector.
Central Scaffolding & Rigging Services won Best Industrial Scaffolding Project of the Year. The company installed a suspended scaffold at a live operational wharf, where tidal movement and restricted access prevented any build from below.
Using Layher Allround, Flex Beam and tube-and-coupler systems, the team produced a balanced platform over open water. The design accounted for corrosion risks, tidal clearance and structural loading. Judges described it as a strong example of industrial planning and safe working near marine environments.
APS Industrial Services received Best Civil Scaffolding Project of the Year for its access system beneath the 1867 Merri Creek Bridge in Victoria. With no ability to fix into the bluestone structure or touch the waterway, APS developed a custom anchoring system mounted under the bridge deck.
The restricted location required rope access support and detailed environmental controls. Traffic above remained open throughout the works.
A freestanding scaffold supported by a 10-kPa suspended gantry deck allowed remedial works without touching the fragile brickwork. The design followed two years of planning with structural engineers.
