Change is a word that terrifies some people and excites others. There are three general approaches to it. Some try to reject it, some accept it, and some instigate it. Whenever something new comes along in industry, the initial reaction is often to baulk against it for a variety of reasons, often unfounded. Issues of safety may be bandied about, or of cost, or of a lack of available evidence as to its success - the list goes on.
People that say this are usually the same people that don’t want anything to change. The construction industry is a great example of things carrying on as normal, with a lack of appetite for change.
Construction Industry: The Facts
When it comes to market share for access activity and different equipment options in construction, scaffolding takes up 80% of the market. Around £3.1billion is spent on scaffolding every year despite the other options available in this regard, including MEWPs, suspended access and mastclimbing.
MEWPs are great to manoeuvre but struggle at height and with loads that are too heavy. Suspended access is great at height but can be complex and is capable of carrying only limited loads.
Mastclimbing, however, fits the bill as a great alternative. The taller a building is, the more cost-effective it is, and mastclimbing is capable of handling heavy weight. With just 0.5% of market share, how does it make sense that more construction projects don’t opt for this safer, cheaper option?
A Viable Alternative?
There are several advantages when it comes to mastclimbing, and none are more important than safety.
There are significantly fewer accidents and injuries when construction workers use a Mast Climber Work Platform (MCWP). There is also less handling of equipment and materials and a minimal fire risk.
For workers themselves, muscular-skeletal injuries are less likely to happen because they can work at an ideal height rather than stooping over all the time. When platforms are not in use, would-be thieves cannot climb up them to access high-rise flats, which means the security risk to tenants is significantly reduced. There are also several efficiency savings that come about through mast climbing.
This Includes:
- Speed to erect / dismantle measured in days not weeks, which reduces the amount of time for a project to be completed
- Full visibility to façade which can increase productivity and accountability
- Fewer components so reduced impact on logistics and the environment, minimising noise levels due to fewer lorries being required
- Less visual pollution for high-rise tower blocks
Mastclimbing also works when you think about value for money. For buildings over six storeys, it is significantly cheaper than scaffolding. Additional savings can also be made when the programme manager plans the job according to MCWP usage.
It is clear to see that when time is money, mast climbing can save a project manager both. When looking at it in these terms, it is clear that change would be beneficial for the industry, and mastclimbing can provide that critical change that is needed.
