M R Scaffolding Services has been named Access & Scaffolding Specialist of the Year at the 2026 Construction News Specialists Awards.
The company took the top scaffolding honour at the awards ceremony in London on Thursday night, seeing off competition from Allen & Foxworthy, Brand Access Solutions, Chris Sedgeman Scaffolding, PHD Access and Spencer Bridge Engineering.
Judges praised M R Scaffolding for its clear business strategy, investment in its workforce, approach to social value and innovation, as well as a health and safety culture they said was both personal and embedded throughout the business.
The award marks a significant achievement for the Hertfordshire-based contractor, which delivers scaffolding and access services across a range of commercial and complex projects.
Safety culture stands out
Health and safety was a particularly strong element of M R Scaffolding’s entry.
The company has placed considerable emphasis on creating an environment where workers are encouraged to report near misses and speak openly about safety, with Managing Director John Trayfoot drawing on his own experience of a serious fall earlier in his career.
That approach has increasingly become central to the company’s wider culture, alongside investment in people, training and operational improvement.
M R Scaffolding’s 5 Aldermanbury Square project was also shortlisted for Project of the Year in the £1.5m to £3m category.
Blenheim Palace project takes top award
There was further recognition for the scaffolding industry on the night, with Allen & Foxworthy winning Project of the Year, £1.5m–£3m, for its work on the Blenheim Palace roof restoration.
The judges highlighted the innovative scaffolding design used on the historic project and the challenges involved in delivering complex access while the World Heritage Site remained open to visitors.
The entry was also recognised for its approach to skills transfer and a bespoke drainage solution developed as part of the temporary works.
The result adds another major industry accolade to a project that has required extensive temporary access to support one of the most significant restoration programmes undertaken at Blenheim Palace.
Elsewhere, Chris Sedgeman Scaffolding was shortlisted in the Project of the Year under £1.5m category for its Poldhu Project – Storm Goretti.
The Construction News Specialists Awards recognise specialist contractors across the UK construction industry, with categories covering individual trades, projects, innovation, sustainability and business performance.
This year’s ceremony was held at the London Hilton on Park Lane on 3 September.
