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AUGUST 2016 | 51 Scaold PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CANADA SCAFFOLD SUPPLY CO. I Regulations and new systems bring big changes to the scaffolding sector by ROBIN BRUNET It's hardly news that the first element of the construc- tion sector vulnerable to economic slowdowns as well as intense growth spurts is safety; either because cer- tain procedures are too time consuming and costly, or because work is coming so hot and heavy that every- thing must be finished in a rush. But as far as Roger Marsland, the new president of the Scaffold Industry Association of Canada (SIAC), is concerned, the overall commitment to safety remains strong in 2016. Stressing that "a well-engineered and quality manufactured scaffold system, safe practices, qualified scaffold erectors and training in the scaffold- ing trade go hand-in-hand," Marsland says his associa- tion's board of directors "have been pushing forward the dialogue between our industry and the regulatory bodies through an active and much needed participa- tion on regional labour management health and safety committees, and other forums. "Our dialogue focus is based on shedding light on practical aspects of business practices in our industry, conflicting areas as it relates to new legislative propos- als. At the same time, we devise alternative propos- als for the legal bodies to consider and review prior to releasing legislation." Marsland adds that he is satisfied with progress to date: "Through this negotiation process, government can make the most informed and balanced conclusions, which in turn will certainly drive more response and results for improving safety." He says that in Ontario alone, "overall workplace injury rate has decreased over 40 per cent since 2003, and it should be the same for the construction industry." Paul Tomei, principal at Bogdonov Pao Associates Ltd., believes that "in general the industry has achieved a good record of safety and awareness, but recent developments on the regulatory front seem to contradict the true spirit of the safety culture, which is based on behaviour." Specifically, the federal government has proposed increasing the tolerances of scaffolding. "Putting it sim- ply, they want an increase from 2-to-1 to 4-to-1, mean- ing if you have a structure that can support 100 pounds, 2-to-1 means its tolerance is 200 pounds and 4-to-1 means 400 pounds," says Tomei. While at first glance this seems commendable, Tomei points out, "there's nothing wrong with safety equipment that would justify this increase, and the proposal seems to imply that on site behaviour can be addressed by new equipment regulations." Some of the suppliers Tomei has talked to suggest that the proposed regulations were endorsed by big equipment manufacturers, in the hopes small equip- ment providers would be squeezed out of the market. "Whatever is the case, our response to the feds is that there should be a focus instead on good engineering practices with regards to scaffold construction, plus good documentation and a review of changes in scaf- folding construction as well as approval by qualified engineers," says Tomei. "As of this spring, we're unsure if or when the regulations will be adopted." Experts who manufacture or supply scaffolding know that their equipment is only as good as the peo- ple behind it – which is why at Canada Scaffold Supply Co. Ltd., – which offers sales, rental and installation of top quality scaffolding systems and structural steel packages across B.C. – the focus of late has been to attract and retain the best talent. "Quality labour is the industry's biggest problem, so our company has built a daycare, a research and development depart- ment to test our own equipment, a health and well- ness centre, and has undertaken various initiatives in order to provide our staff with the very best working conditions," says general manager Christopher Jones. "Already we're seeing a turnaround in the number of people who want to work for us." The initiatives are no surprise to anyone acquainted with progressively-minded Canada Scaffold Supply Co. Ltd., the only company in Western Canada currently using the Advance Guardrail system, which prevents falls during scaffolding erection and dismantling. Its prefixed guardrail is set at working height before the scaffolder enters the working platform to install per- manent guardrails. ULMA is a firm believer that while technology goes a long way in keeping workers safe, collaboration is the key to a safe work site. Accordingly, the manufac- turer and supplier of formwork and scaffolding sys- tems works alongside its customers from the very beginning so that it can "incubate the design solution together" and evolve it throughout the construction process, with ULMA engineers analyzing the optimal way to move forward together. ULMA provides modu- lar and beam-based formwork, climbing systems, civil engineering systems, shoring and propping systems, along with facade scaffolding. One only has to examine recent projects to appreci- ate the care and complexity that characterizes the best safety systems. For example, PERI Formwork Systems Inc., one of the leading international companies in the formwork, scaffolding and engineering sector, collabo- rated with Ledcor in Fort McMurray to construct two 34-metre diameter circular froth tanks; concrete for the two structures was poured simultaneously, and a CB 240 Climbing System supported the wall formwork for the upper pours, providing a safe working platform for site personnel. One advantage of this system is that once the platform is built, it can be lifted in conjunction with the wallform. Paul Whitman, civil superintendent for the project, says, "Having a system that can simply be raised and OnHigherGround reset for each subsequent concrete pour means the bulk of the work is completed at the front end of the project. This enabled accurate scheduling, safe effi- cient production and a decreased crew size compared to conventional forming system." Of course, a company of PERI Formwork Systems Inc.'s capabilities is able to provide clients with multiple solutions for a single project, for shoring and formwork as well as for safety. For the parkade of the Edmonton ICE District mixed-use development, Skydeck in con- junction with the Skydeck drophead and prophead allowed for quick erection and striking of the material, resulting in quick turnaround times for each slab sec- tion pour. For foundation walls, shear walls and small columns, Trio provided a versatile solution where mate- rial could be cycled between various elements of the project allowing high system reuse. In the hockey arena, large columns were cast using Vario column panels. Scafom North America is proof that no matter how large a company is, it doesn't need to be at the expense of the one-on-one relationships and ability to custom- ize that are so vital to ensuring a safe workplace. Scafom is unique in each of the markets it serves, with customized products and services maximizing customer value at each juncture of a project. Scafom provides a full contracting service to the industrial and commercial markets in Eastern Canada, work- ing in unison with a suspended access team that leads the market with innovative, modern products driv- ing meaningful solutions. In Western Canada and the U.S., Scafom supports its rental and sales equipment through site management, engineering and safety sup- port services, again, making Scafom a one-of-a-kind partner for access support needs. Another company highly respected for the integ- rity of its solutions is Tractel, which designs, manufac- tures and markets lifting and handling material, load measurement devices, temporary and permanent access solutions, and anti-fall safety equipment. Part of Tractel's prominence (it has become one of the leading international providers of solutions in the segment of working at great heights as well as fall arrest) is due to a long history of innovation and constant presence on job sites, which has enabled the company to develop a large product range including harnesses, fall arresters, anchors, safety ropes and ladders with fall arrest rails. In a similar vein, Skyway Canada Limited is a sin- gle-source solution for access, shoring and safety sys- tems in a wide variety of commercial construction, restoration and production applications. Skyway can engineer and supply systems expertly tailored to any job, and one of its more spectacular projects that Vancouverites will remember well is its work on the Lions Gate Bridge restoration, which required a sys- tem scaffold structure and containment for blasting and painting (the system was erected 300 feet above Vancouver harbour), and an aluminum truss and shor- ing supported platform to give protection above side- walks, bicycle paths and traffic lanes at all times. While 2016 is a productive year for systems man- ufacturers and suppliers, associations such as Roger Marsland's are vigilant in making safety the focus of everyone's daily routine, which in turn ensures that the systems will be installed and utilized to their full- est potential. "Due to heightened awareness and cost of injuries on financial statements, safety has gone beyond the right thing to do and become a customary condi- tion," he says. "It's all good news for scaffolders and other trades in our industry, as devoted members will continue to table concerns on critical issues, and work and promote new initiatives laid out by government." A The Advance Guardrail system. 10:19 AM

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