Aqueduct Designed scaffold

Work on the designed project on the Colne water Aqueduct has begun

Getting approval with all the agencies involved has been quite a lengthy process many factors to be addressed to ensure SAFETY was maintained throughout the project.

With the Scaffold Design in place Monday 20th of October Saw:  the security guards arrive, welfare cabin, National Grid, The Environmental Agency, Mitchell’s Scaffolding and the Repair contractors all arrive on site.

Given the distance the scaffold equipment needs to be transported to reach the erection site from where we could off load the wagons Mitchell's hired in a Quad and Trailer reducing the manual handling, this has been addressed in the site specific Risk Assessment and Method Statements, Specialist clothing has also been purchased  to keep the Mitchell's Operatives protected.

The project will see 3 individual drop scaffolds installed at key points on the Aqueduct giving the contractors access to the areas of the mains gas pipe and the now eroded concrete plinth.  

The Designed Scaffold installed,.  had a no point to put any pressure on the walls of the viaduct. The scaffold had therefore to incorporate a set amount of kentledge that would allow for the scaffold to be constructed on the tow path this included a caged storage area constructed within the scaffold to allow for the weights required. To act as a counterbalance for the scaffolds awoking platforms. The scaffold in itself rose to span the bridge walls  before dropping over the wall towards the river below. With the working platform then put in place, work on the repairs could then begin.

The whole working process saw men from National Grid overseeing Mitchell's Advanced scaffolders during the erection period and then roles  reversed and the scaffolders remained on site while National grid undertook the required works. The corrosion on the joints  was in such a bad state of repair and called for further specialists to undertake a portion of the works, once these men were brought in work began in earnest on the repairs, to ensure the home owners and residents of Colne had constant gas throughout the winter months and indeed for the coming years.

28th of October saw the final day for the repair works, scaffold is now being removed. The skill and speed with which all agency operatives undertook their works was Impressive. Given the lengthy processes required to get to the actual repair stage the whole project took a little over 6 months though the scaffold only needed to be in place for a total of 3 weeks