Denholm Industrial Services Ltd., working with TRAD UK, has utilised PLETTAC METRIX system scaffolding and ALTRIX alloy beam range to enable work on the complex structure.
The northern approach viaducts to the Forth Rail Bridge are part of an UNESCO World Heritage site, and any refurbishment must be carried out with sensitivity to the structure and to the local community. So when Denholm Industrial Services was appointed to blast and paint the steelwork to preserve the structural integrity, the company knew that the scaffolding for such a complex and intricate structure would require thought and preparation.
âWe wanted to use system scaffolding,â explains Jim Collier, Denholm Industrial Servicesâ Project Manager for the refurbishment. âFor such an iconic structure, most companies would have chosen traditional tube and fitting, but we recognised that the PLETTAC METRIX system would give us several benefits â the reduction in componentry required, along with the lower component weight, reduces the overall load on the bridge when compared to more traditional methods, while the advantage of metric divisibility allows us to manage some of the complex areas of the viaduct and reduce both the time and cost associated with managing the scaffolding. The reduced componentry also minimises residual risk, which heavily influenced our choice.â
As the steel work on the approach is so old, drawings from the original design do not necessarily relate to what is actually there, and repairs have been made in the past which are undocumented, all of which adds to the difficulty in designing a scaffold which âfitsâ.
âPLETTAC METRIX is proven to be faster to use than traditional tube and fittings,â says Alan Slater, Head of Technical and Product Support at TRAD UK. âHowever, it can be a challenge to make the required changes to suit such an unpredictable structure. The expertise of Denholmâs design and site teams, along with our collaboration and support has made it completely possible.â
Nick Clark, Denholm Industrial Servicesâ principal design engineer, has designed a suspended structure using TRAD UKâs PLETTAC METRIX system on either side of the bridge. Between these structures, aluminium ALTRIX beams span underneath the bridge connecting either side. The suspended structures and ALTRIX Beams are connected to one another longitudinally using PLETTAC METRIX componentry and aluminium ALTRIX bracing elements. Supported by the beams and the suspended scaffold, an interconnected birdcage-type scaffold has been constructed using PLETTAC METRIX throughout the bridge to allow access to the steelwork.
The seamless integration of PLETTAC METRIX and ALTRIX, along with their metric sizing, which allows for much greater flexibility and adaptability, has been a major factor in the ability of the project to be completed in system.
âThroughout the project, we worked closely with Balfour Beatty and Network Rail to come up with a system of work that allowed us to proceed,â says Jim Collier. âUsing THE PLETTAC METRIX and ALTRIX ranges has and will save us a significant amount of labour hours over the course of the project. Like all new approaches, we needed time at the beginning to train our teams and work out the best way to do things. But now we know what the challenges are and how to meet them, the scaffold is going up very quickly.â
 
 
âTRAD UK has been fantastic. We have a great working relationship, so whenever we have had challenges they have been able to give us immediate support, including site visits, so they have been a great partner in this approach. We believe in adopting new technologies that improve project outcomes â if you donât evolve and invest, your business doesnât move forward â and the industry needs that innovation to deliver complex projects like this one.â
**PROJECT UPDATE**
TRAD UK would like to offer their congratulations to Denholm Industrial Services Ltd. on their winning of the NASC’s Project of the Year Award (ÂŁ5m+), at the 2021 annual awards at Celtic Manor, for their work on the Forth Rail Bridge, it was a pleasure to be involved.
It is a well deserved recognition for an extremely challenging project, the NASC Awards Judges commented:
âDenholm Industrial Services demonstrated their competence in delivering a technically complex scaffolding solution, overcoming site specific challenges through bespoke design, pioneering techniques and stakeholder teamwork. The judges saw a commitment to providing safe methods of working, access and protection to the workforce and public which they felt were truly commendable and only possible through utilising the highest levels of expertise in the industry. This is why Denholm Industrial Services are the winners of the 2021 NASC Project of the Year.â
The NASC is recognised as the national trade body for access and scaffolding in the UK, producing a wide range of industry guidance for scaffolding contractors, their operatives and their clients. Members of the NASC are strictly regulated to ensure a continuous high standard of scaffolding practice.
The Scaffolding Association is the largest trade organisation in the UK scaffolding and access sector, campaigning to raise standards of safety, quality and workforce skills.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents – actively involved in the promotion of safety and the prevention of accidents in all areas, demonstrating our commitment to safety and providing us with operational guidelines.
ISO 9001 is the internationally recognized Quality Management System (QMS) standard that can benefit any size of organization and is designed to be a powerful business improvement tool.
TRAD UK have been audited by BSi and are accredited to ISO 9001:2015.
POLICY STATEMENT
TRAD UK are established market leaders in the scaffolding hire and sales / fall prevention solutions market sector. The company has developed plans for continued organic growth for increasing market share and a commitment to continually improve the service we provide to our loyal customers. This will be achieved by our fully trained and professional teams supplying the highest quality products and delivering the highest quality service.
TRAD UK recognises the importance of the quality of our products, operations and service to achieving our company quality objectives. Our quality objectives have been planned and established with quantified, measurable goals that drive improvement and focus on maintaining and improving customer satisfaction. TRAD UKâs Senior Management have provided the resources and funds necessary to implement this policy and to achieve its quality objectives. It is, therefore, our policy to operate a Quality Management System that fully complies with the requirements of ISO9001:2015. This policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure its relevance to the strategic direction of the organisation.
The TRAD UK Top Management Team have shown commitment to satisfying all applicable requirements and compliance with customer, regulatory and statutory requirements, with industry codes of practice and relevant product standards (BS and EN). We also commit to continually improve our Quality Management System for sustained customer satisfaction and to continually meet the requirements of all interested parties.
This policy will be communicated to all employees and organisations working for and on behalf of TRAD UK and will be made available to all interested parties upon request.
The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is a voluntary accreditation scheme for fleet operators which aims to raise the level of quality within fleet operations, and to demonstrate which operators are achieving exemplary levels of best practice in safety, efficiency, and environmental protection.
CHAS is established as the market leader for health and safety pre-qualification in the UK. It is available to suppliers (those who provide goods and services) and to organisations (buyers) looking for suitably competent suppliers.
Constructionline is the UK’s largest Government-owned register of contractors and consultants for the construction industry. Constructionline standards are high, all suppliers are pre-qualified to the official Government pre-qualified standard.
BuildingConfidence is recognised as the standard for supplier excellence within the industry. Major contractors are using the service to evaluate their supply chains, drive up performance and forge longer lasting relationships with key suppliers.
BM TRADA membership and subsequent annual Scaffold Board grading accreditation allows TRAD to inspect the quality of their scaffold boards both new and in service. This ensures that the quality of their scaffold boards are always measured and comply with the current BS2482 â 2009 standard.
Alcumus is trusted by the worldâs most respected organisations to help them create better, more sustainable workplaces.
The Alcumus SafeContractor scheme is a market-leading health & safety accreditation system, helping contractors and organisations become healthier and safer, and gaining SafeContractor status demonstrates an organisation’s compliance with increasingly stringent legislation.
This SafeContractor certificate has been awarded for the following services…
Work Categories:
Fall Protection Safety Systems: Fall Protection Safety Systems
Supplier & Service Provider: Access Equipment Hire Provider
Industry Roles:
Construction Contractor, Supplier
Category Related Activities:
Ladders / Step Ladders, Selection & Control of Subcontractors, Working at Height
