It might be very easy to dismiss a mast climber simply because it’s not the means of vertical access you have used throughout your construction career; it’s an unknown.
It might also be easy to dismiss a mast climber because you think it’ll be more costly and therefore have an impact on your budget. Learning how to operate new machinery might also slow down the process of the project and this is time you can’t afford to lose.
That’s not the case though and mast climbers can actually help on both accounts.
We’ve previously discussed how a mast climber or MCWP (mast climbing work platform) can save you money over the course of the project, but they can also make you more efficient.
Let’s look at how.
Mast Climbers: Solving The Productivity Challenge
There’s no hiding the fact that construction suffers from some of the lowest levels of productivity growth in the UK.
Compared with manufacturing and the UK total, the gap continues to grow. One of the key contributors to this is the adoption of new technologies and additional investment. Sectors such as manufacturing have benefitted from the likes of robotic automation and continued developments in OEE software (overall equipment effectiveness) to improve productivity.
Construction on the other hand is well behind with very little change in the form of technological development.
With an ageing workforce, a post-Brexit shift in the amount of migrant labour available and the government’s ambitious construction targets of 300,000 new homes by 2025, productivity is going to continue to wane without appropriate investment.
Utilising new technologies and modern methods of construction are options that need to be considered by decision-makers like you. Something as simple as opting for a mast climber as part of your vertical access can help construction begin to close the productivity gap.
Mast Climbers Reduce Days On-Site
Saving money goes hand-in-hand with creating greater efficiency.
So, a feature of a mast climber that helps reduce cost also means you’re going to be working far more productively.
Take the installation and dismantling comparison. We’ve previously discussed this as a cost-saving benefit as less time erecting scaffolding on-site means less is being spent on labour. However, it goes beyond financial savings, too.
Because a mast climber can be assembled much quicker than scaffolding, it means your project can start far sooner. Projects that start sooner can conclude sooner and before you know it, you’ll be specified for your next project.
For building heights of between 12-14 floors, a mast climber can be ready in as little as two days. Scaffolding on the other hand will take closer to two weeks. This gulf indifference is a key determiner in creating a project that is far more efficient.
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MCWP: Vertical Access That Lets You See The Work
Once the mast climber is installed, it continues to help improve overall project efficiency. This comes down to its design and how a mast climber differs from scaffolding.
Because scaffolding fully encloses the building, it’s not clear to see the work that is being completed and it’s common for the trades to ‘hide behind the debris netting. When project managers turn up on-site, it can be difficult to check work progress from the ground floor.
As a mast climber is a single platform that ascends as work progresses, it’s much easier to track progress and see exactly what is being done. It goes beyond just the visibility component though and there is psychological evidence that states people are more motivated and work harder when they know they are being watched, too.
In using a mast climbing work platform, not only is it easier for you to see the work that’s being completed, but evidence also suggests it will get completed more efficiently and to a higher standard.
Make Your Next Project More Efficient With A Mast Climber
It’s important to note that the choice between scaffolding or a mast climber isn’t binary.
A mast climbing work platform should be the option for your vertical access and the means by which your trades complete their work, while scaffolding is perfect for public protection, forming tunnels and gantries for pedestrians at ground level.
Regardless of the vertical access option you go for, it’s clear to see that not only does a mast climber help save you money, but it also makes the work you do far more efficient.
It doesn’t stop at the above features either. Mast climbers allow trades to work at the right height at all times, getting the work completed much quicker, and allowing for materials to get into position much quicker.
Everything points towards increasing your project’s efficiency.
If it sounds like something you’d like to discuss in more detail for your next project, speak to our expert vertical access team and create a bespoke mast climber for your individual requirements.