Worker dies as cherry picker hits power line
A man has been killed in an incident involving a cherry picker at the Willand Biogas site near Cullompton, Devon. The workman aged 34, was working from the platform along with a workmate on Monday when they came into contact with an overhead power line. The man died at the scene from injuries suffered from the electric shock, while his...
Trade Body Launches Scaffolding Design Membership Category
The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has launched a new Design Membership category focused exclusively on scaffolding design. The new membership is open to UK-based scaffold designers and if minimum NASC requirements are met businesses can attain membership. NASC has said these requirements relate to competence that includes a combination of qualifications and experience. Previous to the new category many design...
Latest Site Operating Procedures place ‘workers at risk’ warns Unite
Construction union Unite has sent an open letter to the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), warning that the organisation’s site operating procedures (SOP) are placing workers at risk. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began the various versions of the CLC’s operating procedures have acted as a template for safe site operation with the latest version of the SOP, (version 4) published last...
HAKI BIM Design Tool Available For Free
HAKI is offering a free trial period of its advanced design tool, HAKI BIM, until July 2020. New users will be able to experience and benefit from the software completely free of charge during May and June. The HAKI BIM plugin to Autodesk Revit® has been specifically developed for scaffold designers and engineers, to speed up the temporary access design...
HSE Restarts Site Inspections
The Health and Safety Executive has announced it's resuming with construction site inspections. As the construction industry in England begins to return to work after lockdown the HSE has announced its resuming site inspections. The regulator has said it's adjusting the focus of its activities including visits to business premises and sites which will be conducted in line with social distancing...
Safety & Access Set To Restart Training
Safety & Access is poised to reopen after implementing a raft of COVID-19 safety measures at its UK centres. The Nottingham and Immingham based scaffolding training provider has developed strict procedures for training including regular temperature checks for all candidates as well as clear guidelines on social distancing, hygiene, and welfare requirements. The training firm has said it will be taking...
Caspian Receives Support With £1M Barclays Loan
Scaffolding and access equipment supplier Caspian Group has received £1M in funding to help support the business through the COVID-19 crisis. The Scunthorpe based scaffolding hire and sales business today announced it has received support from Barclays through the Government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme (CBILS) in order to maintain the ability to trade through the COVID-19 crisis. Established in 1992, Caspian...
Scaffolding Training Set To Resume
Scaffolding training provider Simian is set to re-open its centres on the 1st of June with a pilot week aimed at testing the water before looking at a full delivery of their services. According to Simian, Their plan is to have one course running each day during that week to check the arrangements they have implemented with eventual full function...
SEC Group submit evidence to House of Commons into the impact of Covid-19
The Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group (SEC) which includes the Scaffolding Association as a member organisation, has submitted evidence to the House of Commons business select committee’s inquiry into the impact of Covid-19 on businesses and workers. The SEC Group has asked the select committee to recommend the following actions to support small businesses and revive construction: (1) Working with the Local Government...
George Roberts NW Secures £1M Loan To Help Them Through Lockdown
One of the UK’s largest independent suppliers of scaffolding and access equipment, George Roberts NW Ltd, has secured £1M from Barclays. The Government-backed loan via the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), will ensure that the business can get through a difficult time for the construction industry. Based in Liverpool, for over 28 years George Roberts NW Ltd has been supporting...