Amazon UK Services East Midlands Gateway, Derby

CASE STUDY: Access scaffolding and edge protection systems

Project team
Client: Amazon UK Services
Fit-out contractor: TGW Logistics Scaffolding contractor: Portway Scaffolding


Client specification:
To provide access scaffolding and edge protection systems during fit out of a new 6 million square feet warehouse.
Solution offered:
To engineer and install a range of free-standing access scaffolds, lay down platforms and edge protection handrails to varying machinery and mezzanine floor areas. This required a team of scaffolders led by our on-site supervisors to erect, dismantle, move and re-erect scaffolds keeping pace with the engineering teams carrying out the installation works.
Operation:
Before commencing the project, our contracts management and engineering team worked alongside the client to identify the types of scaffolds and guardrails that would be required. Drawings were produced for each type of operation (some being repetitive). Each day's operations were pre-planned the day before. At the beginning of each day, scaffold teams were briefed on each operation, permit to work requirements and design drawings.
Scaffold team:
Portway provided a mix of advanced and basic scaffolders with experience in the erection for the scaffold type. Some of the scaffold team qualified in MEWP operation, which were used for access to some areas to enable erection of guardrail systems.


Plant:
MEWPs with tyre covers were used to prevent marking of the floors. Client provided fork lift equipment and we provided electric pump trucks for the moving materials. Scaffold tube lengths kept to a maximum of 4.0m to enable ease of access between machines. Some of the scaffold materials used were Futuro system, giving us ability to erect scaffolds up to 60% faster than traditional tube.
PPE:
PPE includes safety helmet with 4-point harness, hi-visibility clothing, cleated lace up safety boots, safety gloves, full body safety harness with twin fall arrest lanyard for use during all scaffolding operations and 1.0m fall restraint fixed lanyards
(MEWP only), IKAR inertia rescue reels (working on open areas), tool tethers.
Methodology:
Scaffold storage areas were strategically located around the warehouse, to minimise time moving materials. The storage areas moved down the warehouse as works were completed. Works commenced to the furthest point away from the main access doors and continued down through the warehouse with the last operation being the loading of our LGV's to clear the site.
Scaffold teams were assigned to individual engineering teams, with the engineering supervisor responsible for requesting the scaffolds as agreed on the daily programme. Scaffold tasks completed and handed over by senior scaffolders of each team to the engineering supervisors.
Delivery:
25 week total programme
Delivered and cleared in 23