Brogan wins Manchester student accommodation access package

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Brogan wins Manchester student accommodation access package

Brogan Group has secured the powered access package for a student accommodation building in Manchester.

The access specialist will provide several passenger and goods hoists on the project, giving site teams access up to 46 metres high.

The machines will support remedial works to the existing structure, including the replacement of cladding, glazing and brickwork.

The package adds to Brogan’s recent activity in the student accommodation sector, following other powered access appointments on residential and mixed-use schemes.

It also comes shortly after Brogan expanded its regional coverage across the Midlands and North of England, including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle.

That expansion followed the group’s acquisition of Sunbelt Rentals’ UK hoist division last year, which added more hoists, operational sites and technical staff to Brogan’s UK network. Brogan said at the time the deal would strengthen its ability to support projects across major northern cities, including Manchester.

Brogan Group provides scaffolding, hoists, mast climbers, crane decks and other access services across the UK, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the USA.

The company said the Manchester hoist package will support the safe movement of workers and materials as façade works progress on the building.

‘Not every scaffolder is ok’: Alan Osborn backs mental health campaign at ScaffChamp

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‘Not every scaffolder is ok’: Alan Osborn backs mental health campaign at ScaffChamp

Alan Osborn is set to shave his head at ScaffChamp 2026 as part of a campaign to raise £5,000 for men’s mental health and rehabilitation support.

The fundraising effort is centred on a simple message: not every scaffolder is ok.

Osborn, a well-known scaffolding and safety consultant and NASC committee member, said the campaign is aimed at highlighting the pressures many workers in the trade face, including long hours, financial stress, time away from family and the strain that can build up in silence.

Half of the money raised will go to Movember, which supports men’s mental health, suicide prevention and wellbeing. The other half will go to Free People Ukraine, the nominated charity of Scaffolding Heroes, which is helping fund a rehabilitation retreat for injured soldiers, veterans and their families affected by war.

In a statement to Scaffmag, Osborn said the campaign was shaped by both personal experience and wider concerns about mental health across construction.

He said: “I’ve been through my own rough periods with mental health, like a lot of lads in this industry, and I know how easy it is to keep it bottled up.

Alan Osborn

“Not every scaffolder is ok. The reality is, construction has one of the highest suicide rates in the UK. We’re losing people at a rate that should never be acceptable, with workers several times more at risk than the average.

“This isn’t just a campaign, it’s something that needs real change. The head shave is about starting conversations, breaking that silence, and showing lads it’s alright to speak up.

“Alongside this, I’m launching the Mensana Collective, a non-profit focused on men’s mental health in scaffolding and construction, because we need proper support, not just awareness. If this gets even one person talking or reaching out, then it’s worth it.”

Osborn has described the fundraiser as “scaffolders supporting scaffolders”, with the aim of standing beside people facing mental and physical challenges, whether on site or beyond the workplace.

The campaign will be carried out during ScaffChamp 2026, the international scaffolding competition which brings together teams from across the sector. Osborn said the event’s focus on skill, safety and solidarity made it the right place to make a public statement and encourage more open conversations around men’s mental health.

You can donate to the campaign by visiting Alan’s Just Giving Page here

Baton opens early adopter programme for scaffolding contractors

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Baton opens early adopter programme for scaffolding contractors

Baton has opened applications for its Early Adopter Programme, giving scaffolding contractors early access to a software platform designed specifically for construction subcontractors.

The company said the system had been built to help scaffold firms gain better control over operations, compliance and commercial performance by bringing key workflows into one connected platform.

Baton describes the system as being built around what it calls the Four Pillars of Control, Efficiency, Compliance and Site Accounting.

The launch follows a beta phase in which Baton worked with scaffolding businesses to test and refine the platform. The company said feedback from those firms helped improve workflows and shape the support model now being offered through the early adopter programme.

Scaffolding is the first trade to be served by the platform, which Baton said reflects its roots in the sector and its focus on the operational and commercial pressures facing scaffold contractors as they grow.

According to Baton, the system is designed to give firms clearer visibility over what is happening on site, what jobs are costing and where margins are being made or lost. The aim is to help leadership teams make earlier and better-informed decisions using more connected data across the business.

Contractors joining the programme will receive structured onboarding, up to five hours of training, direct support from the Baton team and operational consultancy intended to help improve internal processes. The package also includes training led by co-founder Matthew Loddy and the chance to speak directly with industry figure Des Moore.

Baton said early adopters will also be able to influence future product development and secure preferential pricing for an initial period, including a lifetime discount that could reduce costs over the long term.

Des Moore

Des Moore, chief business development officer at Baton, said: “Scaffolding contractors have been underserved for years when it comes to joined-up systems that reflect how the business actually works.

“Too many firms are still relying on spreadsheets, paperwork and separate tools that leave gaps between site activity and commercial performance. Baton changes that. It gives subcontractors one connected operating system built around the Four Pillars of Control, Efficiency, Compliance and Site Accounting.”

He added: “The Early Adopter Programme is about much more than getting early access to the platform. It gives firms hands-on onboarding, training, support and operational consultancy, as well as the opportunity to help shape the product as it develops.

“We are opening applications now, places are limited, and onboarding can begin immediately.”

Baton said it plans to roll out the platform to other construction subcontractor trades in the future.

SCA joins Coriant in move to widen access and industrial services capability

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SCA joins Coriant in move to widen access and industrial services capability

Coriant has announced the acquisition of specialist contractor SCA, in a move that further expands the group’s capabilities in access, temporary containment and industrial support services.

The deal strengthens Coriant’s position in defence, marine and infrastructure, adding a business with a long track record in complex and safety-critical environments, particularly in naval, ship repair and dockside work.

SCA, founded in 1996, provides access scaffolding, temporary containment and industrial support services across the UK. The company is known for delivering tailored solutions on technically demanding projects where time, safety and reliability are critical.

The acquisition is the latest step in the growth of Coriant, the industrial and infrastructure maintenance services group backed by H.I.G. Capital. Coriant was recently formed by bringing together Rainham, Zenith, TEi and Control Valve Services under one group structure, while allowing each business to continue operating under its own established brand.

Coriant said the addition of SCA supports its strategy to build a scaled service offering across the maintenance, repair and optimisation of critical infrastructure assets.

Maxine Mayhew, chief executive of Coriant, said: “Bringing SCA into Coriant marks another important step in building a scaled, differentiated industrial services platform.

“SCA’s proven expertise in specialist access and its strong presence in the defence, marine and infrastructure markets significantly enhances our ability to support customers across the full lifecycle of critical assets.”

Justin Cooper, group managing director of SCA, said joining Coriant would help the business accelerate its next phase of growth.

He said: “We have built our business on delivering high-quality, safe, and reliable access solutions in some of the most demanding environments and becoming part of Coriant allows us to accelerate that growth journey.”

Adam Taylor, non-executive director of Coriant and principal at H.I.G., said SCA was a strong strategic fit and added complementary capabilities to the group.

The deal underlines continued consolidation across the wider industrial services market, as groups look to broaden technical capability and offer clients more joined-up support across major infrastructure and asset maintenance programmes.

Robot named Douglas begins work on Tilbury Douglas site

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Robot named Douglas begins work on Tilbury Douglas site

Tilbury Douglas has begun using a humanoid robot to carry out administrative and data-collection tasks on a live construction site. The contractor says the deployment is a UK first among tier one firms.

The robot, named Douglas, navigates the site autonomously. It captures 360-degree imagery and compiles progress reports, with the data also used to support health and safety monitoring.

The company estimates the robot will save around 40 hours of staff time each month by handling routine reporting work.

Mark Buckle, Technical Director at Tilbury Douglas, said the move was a response to workforce pressure. “The construction industry continues to face a skills shortage and ongoing resource challenges,” he said. Automating admin tasks, he added, would allow site teams to focus on technical and operational work.

Tilbury Douglas is a UK building, infrastructure, engineering and fit-out contractor. The firm works across sectors including health, education, defence, justice, commercial, and aviation, delivering projects for public and private clients.

The deployment forms part of Tilbury Douglas’ wider digital transformation programme.

HAKI reports sharp UK sales drop as construction starts stall

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HAKI reports sharp UK sales drop as construction starts stall

The Swedish-listed scaffolding and access safety group said UK revenues fell to SEK 52 million (£4.2 million) in the three months to 31 March, down from SEK 76 million (£6.2 million) in the same quarter a year earlier. That is a drop of nearly a third.

Publishing its Q1 2026 interim report today (21 April), HAKI Safety said the decline was driven by an unusually low level of activity in the UK property sector.

The group pointed directly to the Building Safety Regulator, which oversees fire safety approvals for high-rise buildings and healthcare facilities. HAKI said extended processing times at the regulator had contributed to major delays to the commencement of construction work.

The impact was felt most sharply in the company’s Work Zone Safety division, which supplies catchfans, barrier systems and access platforms under the HAKI, Semmco and Newbow Aerospace brands. Divisional sales fell 2.3% to SEK 85 million (£6.9 million), and adjusted EBITA halved to SEK 6 million (roughly £490,000) from SEK 12 million (roughly £970,000) a year earlier.

The UK is HAKI Safety’s single largest market for work zone safety products, accounting for 42% of divisional sales on a rolling 12-month basis. It also represents 16% of the company’s scaffolding systems revenue.

HAKI Safety CEO Sverker Lindberg said the company remained “well-positioned in the UK market when the turnaround comes.” The group said it has introduced cost-saving measures in response to the UK weakness and is prepared to take further action.

It described the decline as temporary and said it expects processing times at the Building Safety Regulator to improve over time.

Despite the UK setback, the group reported 9% organic growth at a global level, with net sales rising to SEK 286 million (£23.1 million). Adjusted EBITA rose to SEK 10 million (around £810,000) from SEK 6 million a year earlier, supported by a recovery in Norway and Denmark.

Its Scaffolding Systems division, which includes the HAKI and EKRO brands, returned to profit after a loss in Q1 2025. Sales in that division rose 16.3% to SEK 143 million (£11.6 million). HAKI Safety also confirmed it completed the acquisition of Redditch-based Newbow Aerospace in January. Newbow manufactures ground support equipment for aircraft maintenance. The deal, worth an initial £2.3 million with an estimated £1 million earnout, gives the group a second UK manufacturing base alongside Semmco.

The results point to continued pressure on UK scaffolding and access contractors working on high-rise residential and healthcare projects, where Building Safety Regulator approvals remain a key bottleneck.

CISRS appoints Kathryn Bowe after delay to quality committee reforms

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CISRS appoints Kathryn Bowe after delay to quality committee reforms

CISRS has appointed Kathryn Bowe as full-time Chair of its Quality Assurance Committee, months after the organisation was forced to restart recruitment for the role following the withdrawal of its previous appointee.

The appointment gives CISRS a permanent lead for one of the central pillars of its governance reforms, after the scheme said in December that an interim chair had been brought in to keep the committee’s work on track while a replacement was found.

CISRS announced Bowe’s appointment last week, describing it as a significant step in the continued development of the scheme’s governance and oversight framework. The Quality Assurance Committee plays a central role in maintaining the integrity and consistency of CISRS training and assessment standards in the UK and overseas.

Bowe brings more than 25 years of senior and executive-level HR leadership experience across sectors including hospitality, FMCG, health, financial services, housing and City & Guilds. CISRS said she has extensive experience working in regulated environments in both UK and global organisations.

Her appointment also appears to close a gap that had left an important part of the CISRS reform structure without a permanent chair at a sensitive time for the scheme. That is the clearest wider significance here. CISRS has recently been pushing major changes across governance, digital systems and training standards, including a review proposing phased reform of the Overseas Scaffolder Training Scheme through to 2028.

Kathryn Bowe said: “I am delighted to be taking on this role at such an important time for CISRS and the wider scaffolding and access sector.” She added that quality assurance was fundamental to the credibility of any training and competence scheme and said she looked forward to working with the committee and wider CISRS team to maintain and improve standards.

Clive Dickin, Group CEO of NASC and CISRS, said the creation of a full-time chair role reflected the organisation’s commitment to governance and to the integrity of the CISRS scheme. He said Bowe brought the focus and dedication the role required as CISRS continued to strengthen the scheme for the wider industry.

NASC throws support behind first International Scaffolding and Access Day

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NASC throws support behind first International Scaffolding and Access Day

NASC has thrown its support behind the first International Scaffolding and Access Day, as the UK industry prepares to join a new annual campaign aimed at raising the profile of the profession worldwide.

The event will take place on 14 May 2026 and has been established by the International Access and Scaffolding Association, better known as IASA, as a yearly day of recognition for the scaffolding and access sector. NASC said the initiative reflects many of the same issues already facing firms and training bodies in the UK, including recruitment, standards, innovation and compliance.

This year’s theme is “Recognising the industry. Supporting its people. Shaping its future.” According to IASA, the day will focus on five long-term priorities, improving the image of scaffolding, developing global talent, driving innovation, strengthening compliance and standardising training.

Those themes closely mirror the work already being pushed by NASC and CISRS in the UK as the sector continues to respond to skills shortages and growing demands around competence and safety.

The move also underlines the growing international reach of IASA, which was formally launched in September 2025. The body now says it has 10 member organisations representing 11 countries, with a combined population of more than 2 billion people and a combined GDP of more than $65tn. It has also written to presidents and prime ministers around the world to highlight the contribution scaffolding and access makes to construction, infrastructure, safety and economic development.

David Brown, chairman of IASA and chairman and president of NASC, said the new day marked an important moment for the sector.

He said: “Scaffolding and Access professionals across the world have a dedicated day to stand together, celebrate and promote what they do and look ahead to the future they are building.”

Brown took over as IASA chairman earlier this year following the death of former chair Wayne Connolly.

NASC is now encouraging members, operatives and suppliers across the UK to mark 14 May by sharing stories, images and messages on social media that show pride in the industry.

Women completing construction apprenticeships triple since 2018, says CITB

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Women completing construction apprenticeships triple since 2018, says CITB

The number of women completing construction apprenticeships has more than tripled since 2018, according to new figures from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

CITB said the number of women starting construction apprenticeships rose from 1,450 in 2018 to 2,410 in 2025.

Over the same period, the number completing an apprenticeship increased from 340 to 910.

The training body said the figures were a sign of progress, but warned that more needed to be done to ensure women stayed in the industry after training.

CITB said this included improving access to training, creating clearer progression routes and supporting workplace cultures that help people build long-term careers.

The figures come as construction continues to face a major skills shortage. CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook has said the industry needs 47,000 additional workers each year to meet demand.

CITB said it was supporting training and work placements through its Onsite Experience hubs, which are designed to connect local people with construction employers.

As part of that work, The Skills Centre has trained 182 women through its Onsite Experience hub programme to help them secure jobs in the industry, CITB said.

The latest figures also come amid wider calls for action to improve gender equality in construction. A recent report by the Women and Work All-Party Parliamentary Group looked at ways to remove barriers for women entering the sector.

Deb Madden, Executive Director for Customer Engagement and Operations at CITB, said: “It’s really encouraging to see the continued increase of women starting and completing construction apprenticeships.

“It’s important that, as an industry, we retain these women and ensure their apprenticeships translate into long-term, secure job opportunities.”

She added: “Across the industry, we need to establish a culture that ensures it seeks to understand and meet the needs of people of all backgrounds.

“We need employers to establish clear and accessible pathways for a diverse range of candidates to learn and progress, making it more attractive for them to stay in the industry, and ensure all employees have a good work-life balance.”

Pilosio brings UK scaffolding safety model into Italian conference spotlight

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Pilosio brings UK scaffolding safety model into Italian conference spotlight

Pilosio is set to use its presence at GIC Piacenza, a major construction trade event in northern Italy, this week to push a broader message on safety, training and temporary structural engineering, alongside the launch of a wide range of new and existing systems.

The Italian manufacturer will exhibit from 16 to 18 April with two stands at the event, while also organising a two-day conference focused on infrastructure repair, digital change and construction site safety.

Rather than treating the exhibition as a standard product showcase, Pilosio is positioning its appearance around the role temporary works can play in improving both safety and efficiency on complex projects.

A key part of that approach will be the conference, The Frontiers of Concrete 7.0: From Historic Infrastructure to Data Centres, which brings together academics, engineers and contractors to discuss material degradation, restoration in harsh environments, data centre construction and high-altitude rehabilitation works.

For UK readers, the most notable part of the programme will be a dedicated safety session on 17 April featuring Clive Dickin, chief executive of NASC and CISRS. Pilosio says the session will present the British scaffolding training and audit model to an Italian audience as part of a wider discussion on reducing accidents and raising standards on site.

The company is also using the event to promote its “Pilosio Experience Week”, which will take selected visitors beyond the exhibition hall and onto live infrastructure sites. The aim is to show how temporary works, suspended access and protection systems are used in real conditions.

Alongside that wider message, Pilosio will present 21 products across scaffolding, suspended access and formwork. These include the FlyDeck suspended platform system, Flash 2.2.1 aluminium scaffolding, the IXI Truss modular beam, the Dynamo Trailer mobile platform and new aluminium formwork systems.

Pilosio said its aim at GIC is to combine product innovation with a stronger focus on technical knowledge, site safety and practical training.

The event will give visitors a chance to see that approach both on the exhibition floor and through the conference programme running across 16 and 17 April.

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