Specialist focus: Access & Scaffolding: System scaffold

Thought to be the largest project in the region to be constructed using system scaffold, a £26m learning and living centre for international students has been completed in Brighton. Conrad Jowell reports.

The versatility of system scaffolding has made a significant contribution to the build efficiency of a vast residential and educational facility in Brighton. Believed to be the largest use of such scaffolding in the South East, the £26m project under the management of Balfour Beatty has seen the erection of a five-storey complex, which includes 375 bedrooms for students, 62 classrooms, a library, exam hall and cafeteria.

The work has been undertaken for Study Group International, an organisation that educates and places international students, which believes the development will set a new standard for facilities provided for overseas scholars. Through its relationship with Brighton University, many students will live and study at the centre before taking on a degree course at the institution.

System approach

To promote the smooth running of the project, Balfour Beatty required its scaffolding supplier to employ a system approach for the façade to ensure a clear working environment for the various trades requiring access. D&R Scaffolding won the contract, offering Layher's Allround system.

The company offers both system and tube and fitting, but D&R branch manager Arthur Parsons says it is now increasingly being asked to provide a system solution. "Balfour Beatty wanted to use system scaffolding and we had some Layher in the yard so we took that along. It was between us with this modular system, and another system manufacturer," he explains. "The decision was taken to choose us with Layher so our chairman, George Henderson, saw the opportunity to invest further in Layher's system."

While the use of system is well established on the Continent, its use still lags behind that of tube and fitting in the traditional UK market. But Sean Pike, managing director at Layher UK, says the introduction of European standards has driven its uptake as main contractors begin to realise its speed and safety benefits. "System is still growing both ourselves and our competitors are increasing turnover year-on-year," he says. "The South East is now one of the biggest areas for system. Some large scaffolding firms have taken it on and others have seen the success they've had and followed suit. It's also a better long-term investment as steel obviously has a longer life than wooden planks."

At the Study Group project, a series of individual blocks and a central atrium were fitted out with the façade scaffold. A combination of 2.57m and 2.07m bays were created which, combined with the absence of cross bracing with the Allround system, provided unhindered access to all areas of the build. Inside the development D&R Scaffolding supplied tube and fitting to surround the central atrium and the loading bays.

Significantly, as Parsons explains, the system employed on the exterior offered a particular advantage during the installation of the cladding materials. "We were able to erect the Allround scaffolding to stand off the building wall by 0.39m with an internal deck and handrail built directly off the console brackets," he says. "This meant that an important gap was created that could be used by the wall-cladding teams enabling the process to proceed as efficiently as possible. The structure was tied-in to the building at each standard, with Layher's corner plates also utilised to fill in open areas at the internal corners.

"The overall result was a scaffold erected up to a total of nine lifts that enabled the various works involved in the overall project to gain unhindered access - impacting directly on the speed and effectiveness of the overall operation," he adds. It is believed to be the largest use of system scaffolding ever seen in the south coast town and its effectiveness has already identified further opportunities where Layher's equipment and D&R Scaffolding's expertise can be deployed in the future, including contracts to supply scaffolding for Wimbledon's Centre Court and a large residential job in Hove for Barratt.

The Layher system centres on the company's rosette connector welded onto the upright components. It accommodates eight individual components, allowing multiple alignment angles to be achieved with the scaffold framework onto which the steel decks are placed. Developed for one-man assembly, scaffolds can be assembled in three dimensions from each rosette. The design allows ledgers or transoms to be connected at right angles with additional components, then fixed at variable angles with each stage automatically centred.

"Our modular system offers eight bay sizes, which means you can go round anything," adds Pike. "The beauty of the rosette is that it allows the user to add and remove sections individually and manoeuvre round obstacles quickly. It is used extensively on refineries that have convoluted pipework everywhere, so it's got proven flexibility."

Safety features

The scaffolding was also quicker to erect and offered more safety features than tube and fitting, explains Parsons. "It features built-in ladders with trap doors that allow safe movement between levels, unlike tube and fitting, which you have to add handrails to," he says. "It's certainly faster to put up - I'd say it takes half the time in some cases. It's also simple to adapt and move, making life on site easier."

Indeed Parsons reports that both Balfour Beatty and his own company are pleased to have invested in system. "I was brought up on tube and fitting, but now there is more and more system being used," he continues. "You can see why on this project it's been quicker and safer, and beyond this it's opened up new opportunities for us."