The 2011 edition of the NASC Yearbook and Directory is now available. Turner Access has been selected to appear in the Yearbook with one of our innovative project stories. To view our story, click here and turn to page 56.
The NASC Yearbook and Directory provides a definitive guide to regulated scaffolding companies in the UK, ensuring a continuous high standard of scaffolding practice is provided.
Turner Access submitted a story featuring Media City in Manchester. Media City was reported to be the largest construction site in Europe, excluding the Olympic site.
Read the project story in full here:
KEY DETAILS
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
Development of the £400million Media City contract at Salford Quays Manchester was awarded to Main Contractor Bovis Lend Lease. The development will cover almost 200 acres upon completion and host new offices for the BBC and other media industry companies. The site will include commercial, retail, performing studios, hotels and production offices, as well as new research and teaching facilities for The University of Salford. Excluding the Olympic site, Media City was reported to be the largest construction site in Europe.
ACCESS & SCAFFOLDING REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROJECT
The removal of risks on construction sites is one of the biggest challenges facing major contractors. Problems occur on construction sites due to a lack of control involving the use of access equipment and, consequently, accidents happen, most commonly falls from height. Without trained NASC operatives and selection of the most appropriate equipment, accidents are likely to occur.
One of the most challenging tasks on site was accessing the ceilings for sound panel installation. The building contained a mezzanine level and required access to be progressive across the ceiling. The selection of appropriate equipment came in the form of three mobile birdcages erected with Turner’s PlusEight® System Scaffolding.
The selection of PlusEight® came via recommendation from Bovis’ Project Team at Silverburn Shopping Centre near Glasgow where the PlusEight® System was recognised for its strength, speed, versatility and built-in safety features.
Safety must be made an essential priority on every construction project. Current legislation places a heavy burden on Management Contractors, Clients and Equipment Users. Failure may expose all involved to the risk of both criminal and civil litigation. The solution is to gain control through planning, organisation and selection of appropriate equipment.
TECHNICAL DETAILS OF SOLUTION PROVIDED
The PlusEight® mobile structures were moved progressively along the ceiling as required. As soon as the birdcages reached the end of the mezzanine level, the structures were dismantled and re-erected on the opposite end of the stairwell. This then allowed a link to be formed between the mezzanine mobile and the ground level mobile, providing access over the stair. Once the stairwell was completed the link was removed and the ground mobile could continue along the remainder of the area.
The client benefited from substantial cost savings in using mobile structures. The alternative would have been a structure that spanned the whole ceiling area. The initial build took three men 1.5 days to complete.
WINNING THE CONTRACT
Turner Access was awarded the contract due to its commitment to provide safer systems of work on site. Statutory Regulations, such as the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (Reg 6:3), place hierarchical requirements to use collective protection over mitigation options. Collective Protection methodology is used throughout Turner’s contracting operations.
The PlusEight® birdcages were erected using PlusGard®, an external telescopic Advance Guardrail that prevents the risk of fall from height throughout erection, dismantle and alteration of most scaffold configurations. PlusGard® is suitable for use on System Scaffolding, Tube & Fittings, Falsework and Aluminium Towers. PlusGard® can also be used on offshore applications with the addition of a third guardrail for increased safety.
Turner Access can offer Industry a full range of Collective Protection equipment, from Low Level Access solutions to Aluminium Towers. Turner’s BetaGuard® addresses the risks associated with traditional tower assembly, offering an option that not only prevents the risk of fall from height but also compliance of other Statutory Regulations such as Manual Handling. Because of this, major contractors and their clients have specified the use of BetaGuard® on their sites. Among the specifying contractors was Bovis Lend Lease at Media City following a Worldwide Best Practice Alert distributed by the BuildSafe safety organisation. BetaGuard® has also been specified by Balfour Beatty (specification is stated in their ‘Zero Harm’ document, distributed throughout the organisation), Olympic Delivery Authority (included in “Standard 5: Health & Safety Standards for Mobile Access Towers at Work”), and ASDA WAL-MART (specified in their “Way of Working Document”).
BetaGuard® is an Integral Advance Guardrail that provides complete fall prevention during assembly, dismantle and alteration of Aluminium Towers. Additional benefits of using BetaGuard® include productivity and stock control improvements, and ease of assembly / dismantle. BetaGuard® offers the user a choice of using single decks only or fully decking at each level of the tower. Users also have the option to use traditional bracing with the BetaGuard® frame or not. This allows users to save on investment as unnecessary components, i.e. decks and braces, can be reduced. A reduction in components provides savings on labour cost, while also reducing unnecessary exposure to manual handling risk.
Another benefit to Media City site personnel is that anyone who is already industry trained and qualified is eligible to operate with BetaGuard® after completion of a short tool-box talk.
BetaGuard® was the first Integral Advance Guardrail to be established under the national recognised training scheme, having been 3rd party tested and assessed to product standard BS EN 1004 by BSI gaining the necessary kitemark.
At its peak, there were over 200 tower structures in use at Media City.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN A NUTSHELL
Turner’s achievements are providing appropriate access equipment for the removal of risks on construction sites. PlusEight® System Scaffolding is erected using Collective Protection. This ensures compliance under Statutory Regulations, not least CDM which makes both Client and Main Contractor responsible for the work practices of their sub-contractors and/or those directly employed under them. The development of BetaGuard® was also driven through the commitment to provide safer systems of work for Industry and ensure a risk free place of work. Every employee deserves the right to work in a safe environment and be provided with safe equipment for use, including those that work at height.
Joe Fitzpatrick, Media City Site Manager, Bovis Lend Lease commented: "Our adoption of the beta tower system and reviewing our practices for work at height has we believe, had a very positive impact on the number of work-at-height incidents and has helped to achieve our overriding aim of “sending everybody home safely everyday”.
Judith Hackitt, chair of the Health and Safety Executive, visited the Media City site to see the “new guardrail scaffolding system which is put up and dismantled in a way that virtually eliminates the risk of falls from height. It also uses fewer component parts than traditional scaffolding, meaning it is less likely to be used with parts missing − often a key factor in accidents”. She praised the “innovative ways of reducing risk” stating in a news release: “the scale and scope of this project is truly impressive and to have had the opportunity to go on site and see it taking shape is an experience that will stay with me.
“It was encouraging to see such commitment to health and safety and innovative ways of reducing risk. It is clear that Bovis Lend Lease is showing leadership in promoting a safety culture and one that involves workers at every level − something HSE is keen to promote.”
