Autumn Edition | 2019
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AUTUMN EDITION | 2019 NATIONAL ACCESS AND SCAFFOLDING CONFEDERATION SCAFFOLDING MATTERS CONTENTS Reports from the Regions .................... 4 4 Technical ....................... 6 6 President’s Health and Safety .......... 8 Current Affairs ..............10 Welcome Welcome to the inaugural edition of committees. All content has been Scaffolding Matters magazine. designed to be easily digestible and focused on educating, informing and This latest NASC title is intended empowering members. to provide members with a greater understanding of the work the We hope the information displayed on NATIONAL ACCESS AND confederation and its committees are the following pages will be useful to SCAFFOLDING CONFEDERATION undertaking on their behalf. you and encourage you to share this Hire, Sales title with your colleagues. One of the five core member-focused & Manufacturing ...........12 objectives of the NASC is “to provide Any feedback on this magazine essential services to assist members gratefully received. Contracts ......................14 in the successful running of their businesses”. Marketing .....................16 Through this biannual magazine – published in January and September of every year – we hope to provide evidence in black and white on how SETTING THE STANDARD FOR SCAFFOLDING we’re achieving this goal. Des Moore NASC President NASC full contracting members operating across are highly skilled, professional and reliable. For Each edition will contain news from the five NASC regions and updates the UK are audited and accredited every year more information and to find an NASC scaffolding 16 – so you can rest assured that their operatives contractor visit www.nasc.org.uk from each of the eight standing Audit & Membership .....18 www.nasc.org.uk ASITO ............................... 20 Any Other Business ......... 22 Front cover image credit: IBN Scaffold Access ltd 2 3 SOUTH WEST & S. WALES David Anderson REPORTS FROM Allen & Foxworthy Ltd I’d like to focus on three major projects in the South West & South Wales region THE REGIONS – one in the planning stage, another which has just begun and the last one which has hit its biggest milestone to date – and all of which require considerable scaffolding and access SCOTLAND & N. IRELAND MIDLANDS NORTHERN & N. WALES provision. Kevin Fitzpatrick Phil Heffernan Wayne Connolly The first project is Dragon Energy Brand Energy Infrastructure Scaffold Erection Services Ltd Connolly Scaffolding Ltd Island, a renewable energy development Services UK Ltd T/A SGB earmarked for Swansea Bay. The The West Midlands has the highest Brexit and government instability of detailed studies, designs and joint Led by the Construction Wales tidal lagoon island would have giant The performance of the construction forecasted growth rate in construction is having an effect on our industry working between world leading marine, Innovation Centre (CWIC) in partnership underwater turbines as well as floating industry in Scotland has deteriorated output across the 2019 to 2023 without a doubt, not being able to coastal and railway engineering experts. with Construction Industry Training modular homes, an underwater data during quarter one of this year and forecast, with annual average growth concentrate on the future with a Lastly on the project news front, Hinkley Board Wales (CITB), The new facility centre, a solar farm and the production future outlook shows a mixed picture. of 2.3% compared to the UK average clear objective is a real issue. The Point C’s base for the first reactor, means that students based in Wales of pure hydrogen and pure oxygen on of 1.3 per cent. This growth is not construction industry and new known as J-zero, has been completed. wishing to gain extensive scaffolding site for storage or sale. particularly matched in the East projects are despite this buoyant, This means that the construction of the training will no longer have to travel to Midlands as the West is supported with the housing market leading the Construction could start in 2021, with nuclear buildings above ground can now England or beyond to acquire a full set by ramping up of works on the way, with pockets of exceptions in the Dragon Energy Island potentially begin in earnest. of skills. HS2 scheme, preparations for the Manchester as an example, where the operational by the end of 2026. The final 9,000m³ of concrete was the Secondly, Wales is set to receive £3.6m Commonwealth Games and a range of city is littered with tower cranes In terms of a project now underway, largest concrete pour in the UK, beating construction investment to attract, train works to the M6 motorway. It has to be Network Rail has started work on a a record set by the Shard in London. and retain new talent. said though that early 2019 has seen In a market that seems to be holding new bigger sea wall at Dawlish, Devon, Reinforced with 5,000 tonnes of Welsh steel, some difficulty in trading conditions in its own (for now), materials in short CITB Wales’ partnerships director which will provide greater protection the base has been under construction by scaffolding and access and it is hard supply and a low unemployment rate Mark Bodger said: “This investment to the railway and the town from rising the UK-French joint venture of Bouygues- The housing business remains strong, to assess the Brexit impact. We hope you would think end user prices would is great news for Welsh construction. especially in the social sector, helped rise, however this doesn’t seem to be sea levels and extreme weather for Laing O’Rourke for six months. Employers have told us that a lack that this uncertainty will eventually generations to come. by public investment. The Scottish ease if the final date of 31st October is happening in our area. Maybe it’s the In terms of training, there are two of on-site experience is a barrier to Government has committed to build achieved. instability, maybe the Brexit excuse, The news comes less than a month updates. Work has commenced on recruitment; CITB’s Onsite Experience 50,000 affordable homes by March maybe just maybe it’s our own fault for after Network Rail awarded the contract South Wales’ only comprehensive Commission will address that concern 2021 and during the school holidays It is expected that Birmingham’s Clean putting ourselves in this situation, and for the first phase of construction scaffolding training facility. The new and help ensure the next generation of checks are being carried to determine Air Zone will come into operation on 1 by not capitalising on it. As a simple to BAM Nuttall. The upgrade, which centre will be located at a purpose construction workers in Wales will have how much ACM cladding requires January 2020. It will operate 24 hours “supply and demand” model would started on 1 June, will take nine developed facility on Fabian Way in the training needed to become site and replacement in the local authority a day, 365 days a year. The charges demonstrate, demand on materials + months to complete and follows years Swansea Bay. work-ready.” school estate. will be applied daily. Cars will be £8 demand on labour = increased price. and HGV £50. A non-compliant vehicle The private sector has seen a driving in the CAZ will pay once for the The Government’s northern agenda LONDON & SOUTH EAST downturn with the economic is ‘fizzling out’ exactly five years after day, and then may drive in the CAZ Lee Rowswell uncertainty, although contrarily, George Osborne announced it in area without limit on that day. GKR Scaffolding Ltd house prices in the Aberdeen area Manchester, Andy Burnham, Mayor not take on projects carrying too much Additionally, labour costs increase are rising again leading to increased Clean Air Zone charges are based on for Greater Manchester, has warned. London and the South East are feeling risk. This is a strategy we all need to as the availability of skilled labour activity. The repair and maintenance the vehicle and not the person driving June 23 marked the anniversary the effects of an industry slowdown. adopt to avoid chasing lower margin, decreases in the region. The market sector remains strong and is a good or any passengers or goods being of the then-Chancellor’s ‘northern The region is expecting only nominal high risk works and driving the sector downturn may help to rebalance provider of work for mechanical work carried. Charges depend on the type powerhouse’ speech at Manchester growth at roughly one per cent, driven downwards. this to a certain extent, but the platforms. of vehicle and what sort of engine it Science and Industry Museum, but the by infrastructure projects such as fundamental issue is that we are not has. mayor said many of its promises have those relating to HS2 station upgrades Our businesses, however, face The continuing expansion of university attracting and retaining enough good been broken. He said the region must and airport expansions. many other challenges despite the facilities and student accommodation To avoid paying to drive in the Clean skilled operatives in our industry. now be ‘at the very front of the queue’ economy. London is now subject to offsets a contraction in workload Air Zone your vehicle will need to meet Many of us are working with a number of government priorities for the next Commercial builds have been hit the Low Emission Charges of £100 per from the commercial, industrial and certain criteria, depending on the fuel of industry bodies to proactively 25 years. Will the next government act hardest due to investor and developer day for lorries entering the capital if infrastructure sectors. type. Updates are available at improve this. on the promises given to the North uncertainly while residential still not Euro 6 compliant. Communication www.birmingham.gov.uk and provide more funding? shows potential growth of around two The main reasons again for the about this has been poor with many Despite this, the region will per cent.