Safety Platforms: Safety First

The Environment Agency has recognised the need for safety platforms on guillotine sluice gates and similar structures. It is no longer acceptable that a worker can simply lean his ladder against the structure to carry out service work or repairs.

CW Engineering of King’s Lynn has completed a number of these projects including two guillotine sluice gate maintenance platforms at Broom near Biggleswade and Thornborough near Stony Stratford.

The challenge was to design, manufacture and complete installation with the minimum disturbance to local nature, site tranquillity and, in residential areas, the neighbours. These factors and the often limited site access rule out the use of a crane and other construction equipment. The only option therefore is skilled workers, scaffolding and the observance and implementation of best practise re. health and safety.

The platforms were totally manufactured within CW’s workshop significantly reducing any environmental impact from construction equipment.  CAD design ensured that the components were accurate to achieve efficient installation.

The walkway schemes received regular visits and checks throughout the installation from the Environment Agency who have communicated their high levels of satisfaction to CW Engineering regarding the company’s trained staff, site tidiness and safety. Similarly the residents at Thornborough Mill were happy that they were not disturbed or left with an untidy site.

“Both projects were completed like a dream resulting in our client congratulating us on a job well done” said Dickey Dye of CW Engineering. “There are many stories of Health & Safety, some make us smile, some exasperate us but overall, in our business, Health & Safety for our operatives and client personnel is extremely important to us. It’s at the same level of importance as engineering principles.

“We have been working with the EA for many years on numerous water management systems, consequently safety and environmental procedures are part and parcel of our ethos and we have come to recognise that there are real benefits to be gained from their implementation. HSE procedures do actually help us with the planning and execution of these projects in remote areas where we do not want heavy plant disturbing the environment.  We work to HS & E considerations on all our projects, our customers appreciate it… and so do we”.