Working above a busy city-centre pavement changes things.
Dane Architectural Systems were carrying out extensive glazing repairs at St Vincent Street Plaza in Glasgow, with engineers working from a suspended cradle high above street level.
M8 Scaffolding was brought in to protect the people below.
The main scaffold was built as a crash deck, creating a protected route beneath the work area in case a tool or piece of equipment was accidentally dropped from the cradle.
Not something you want landing nearby.
Because of the location, the scaffold had to do more than simply provide overhead protection. The crash deck was double-boarded for extra strength and also gave the glazing team a secure platform where the suspended cradle could be stored when it wasn’t in use.
Access was another important part of the job.
The main entrance to St Vincent Street Plaza had to remain open around the clock, as did the emergency exit, so both areas were carefully worked into the scaffold layout rather than being blocked off.
Roof beams were used over these access points, with rubber membranes added to give further protection below.
The outside of the working area was then secured with Heras fencing to stop unauthorised access.
It’s the sort of job where the scaffold has to work quietly in the background.
People still need to enter the building. Engineers still need somewhere safe to work. Pedestrians still need to pass below.
And all of it has to happen at the same time.
