VOLUME 35 ISSUE 5 - Scaffold Contractors | Scaffold ... 35 ISSUE 5 FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK The...

VOLUME 35 ISSUE 5MAY 2007

2 MAY 2007 Scaffold Industry www.scaffold.org

www.scaffold.org Scaffold Industry MAY 2007 3

ColumnMast Climbing

Scaffolding 18Quickly carry

masons and materialsto 500 ft

ColumnA Newcomers

Perspective 26SIA director of training& education weighs in

on scaffold training

TableOf Contents

5 From the President’s Desk

20 SIA Safety Regulations CD

31 Technically Speaking

39 Industry Briefs

42 Schedule of Events

44 Advertisers Index

departments

No job is too large or too small for the use of mast climbers.

66

Feature Changing Perceptions

FeatureA Part of the

Future 12Hydro Mobile hopes to lead

the way as use of mast climbing soars

M A Y> VOLUME 35 > ISSUE 5 > 2007

On the CoverDunlop Mastclimbers was assigned the project to provide equipment for the restoration of 90 West St. in Manhattan at Ground Zero, a 24-month project to repair damage to the north façade caused by the explosions from the World Trade Center.

FeatureDunlop

Mastclimbers 16The future looks

bright for mast climber use

Scaffold Industry MAY 2007 5

Scaffolds have beenused in constructionfor centuries. Artworkshowing the buildingof famous structuresover 1,000 years agoindicates the use ofcrude forms of scaffold-ing. However, moderntechnology has madenew products like

crank-up scaffolding, aerial work platforms,and most recently mast climbing work plat-forms, both a safe and productive means ofaccess. Mast climbing work platforms(MCWPs) are becoming more prevalent onjobsites throughout North America. Whilecontractors tend to think of mast climbersmostly for use on high-rise construction,more applications of mast climbers are tak-ing place on projects six stories and less.The Scaffold Industry Association years agospotted this trend and immediately formedits mast climbing council to facilitate theeducation and regulation of this new formof scaffold access.

Mast climbers made their first appear-ance in Europe in the 1970s. You may besurprised to learn that the first mast climberused in North America was imported by SIApast-president Doug Radtke of ScaffoldServices in 1982. Later in the decade, aCanadian inventor created the Hydro-Mobile, the first mast climber built in NorthAmerica. The hydraulic technology inwhich this platform was based offered amuch higher capacity while being simple in

VOLUME 35 ISSUE 5

F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T ’ S D E S K

The SIA Is Not Just About Scaffold AnymoreMast Climbers Are Here to Stay; Let's Take the Lead in Promoting Safe Use

Scaffold Industry is published monthly withan extra issue in March by the Scaffold IndustryAssociation Inc. Subscriptions are $85 for an annualsubscription / $45 for additional subscription.Postmaster: Send address changes to: ScaffoldIndustry Assocation Inc., P.O. Box 20574,Phoenix, AZ 85036- 0574

For further information, please contact the SIAoffice at:

Scaffold Industry Assocation Inc.2001 E. Campbell Ave.

Suite 101Phoenix, AZ 85016

Phone: (602) 257-1144Fax: (602) 257-1166

[email protected] • www.scaffold.org

Scaffold Industry is the official publication of theScaffold Industry Association Inc. Opinions expressedherein are those of the respective authors and do notnecessarily reflect the official view of the SIA.

The material contained in this publication is forinformational purposes only and, unless otherwisenoted, is not to be considered as the official positionof the SIA, its members or advertisers; does not con-stitute legal advice; is not to be considered as approv-ing or recommending any product or advertisementby the SIA; and the SIA does not promulgate rules orregulations governing the industry or its members.

John R. Miller owns and operates the Millstone Companies based in Upper Marlboro, Md. He can be reached at (602) 257-1144 or emailed at [email protected].

Published by:

John R. Miller

JOHN R. MILLERPresident

The Millstone Companies

BILL BREAULTPresident Elect

Breault Industrial Group, Inc.

JOHN BRASILVice President

Etobicoke Ironworks Limited

STEVE SMITHSecretary

Edge International

LIZ CALLAHANTreasurer

Power Climber

RANDY MOODYBoard AppointeeThe Brock Group

JEFF STACHOWIAKBoard Appointee

Sunbelt Rentals

CHUCK HUTCHINSONPresidential Appointee

Bil-Jax, Inc.

HOWARD SCHAPIRAImmediate Past-President

Action Equipment & Scaffold Co. Inc.

2006-2008 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

P U B L I S H E RMike Mehno

(972) 819-1460

E D I T O RNatalie Keith(561) 439-0854

M A N A G E R , D E S I G N & P R O D U C T I O N

Sandy Ursic(626) 932-6193

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mechanical design. In 1991, the Fraco plat-form was developed followed by the Bennuand EZ scaffold. Canadian manufacturersFraco, Hydro-Mobile and Klimer Manufac-turing represent a clear majority of the plat-forms utilized throughout North America.European brands Alimak/Hek (Sweden),Scanclimber (Finland), and Malmquist(Sweden) are also present in North Amer-ica but have a far greater presence inEurope. With the exception of Malmquist,all of the mast climbing firms referencedabove are active members of the SIA. Theuse of mast climbers is becoming more andmore common across all phases of the con-struction industry. In many cases, while notcreating a new market, mast climbers arereplacing other forms of scaffolding withinthe construction process because of gainsrealized in productivity and efficiency.

In 1995, while considering the additionof mast climbers to my own company’s pro-duct offerings, I had the pleasure of meet-ing Armand Rainville with Fraco inMontreal who at the time was just begin-ning to launch a major International ex-pansion. Armed with a quality product, awell researched marketing plan and unbri-dled enthusiasm, I knew then what is factnow - Armand Rainville would make Fracoan international success story. Also, whileresearching the mast climber product line,I visited Scanclimber’s largest distributorlocated in Copenhagen, Denmark andthoroughly researched the HEK product.I learned of all these fine companies

Continued on page 43


stop set-up. The wheel kit makes it pos-sible to move the mast climber with atractor or truck.

The speed of assembly and laborreduction makes it possible for a smallcrew to do the work of a crew three tofour times its size. One unit that is 72 ftlong by 40 ft high can be erected inless than an hour with two people. Theunit can also be moved by two peoplein 30 to 45 minutes.

The following is a description of

For years, mast climbers were viewed asbeing used for straight runs, high wallsand large contractors. In the past 10 to15 years, their use has grown and con-tractors are using them on all kinds ofprojects in all kinds of locations.

While mast climbers have alwaysbeen much safer and saved labor onjobs, they've also become more userfriendly over the years. Among thoseused on recent jobs is the EZ MastClimber, which can be found on both

small jobs and small contractors andlarge jobs and large contractors. The EZMast Climber is modular for the cut-upjobs, such as corners, insets and pilasters,and can be quickly and easily assembled.

In the past, the conventional think-ing with mast climbers is that they weresuitable for use on tall, straight wallswith long runs. However, they can alsobe used on small jobs. The T-Bar sys-tem allows the platform to be movedwith a 6,000-lb lift and swiveled for one

FeatureMonitoring Mast Climbers

No job is too large or too small for the use of mast climbers

Changing Perceptions

Mast climbers can be used on small jobs, as well as large jobs.


Monitoring Mast Climbers

ways in which the EZ Mast Climber wasused to address challenges on con-struction sites:

• When the Westin Memphis BealeStreet in Memphis, Tenn. was underconstruction, the structural steel hadalready been put into place before themasonry and other subcontractorsarrived on the job. With the structuralsteel in place, the platform could notbe set up close enough to the wall. TheEZ Forward Truss System was used toextend the platform out over theobstructions to the wall.

• With the construction of UnionPlaza in Denver, the anchor point forthe tower crane split the towers of themast climber. To address this chal-lenge, two platforms were installed,one below the anchor point and oneabove the anchor point.

• In the past, contractors havebeen hesitant to use mast climbers onpost-tensioning jobs believing theycould not hold sufficient weight forthe job or could not move fast enough.However, the EZ Mast Climber wasused at a post-tensioning project inFreeport, Texas. The climbing speedmade it the best choice for the multi-trade job. ■

Mast climbers can be used on post-tensioning projects.

Structural steel had already been put into place at Westin Memphis BealeStreet under construction. So the EZ Forward Truss System was used toextend the platform out over the obstructions to the wall.

During construction of Union Plaza in Denver, the anchor point for the tower crane split the towersof the mast climber. So two platforms were installed, one above and one below the anchor point.


MCWP use. New York is looking atMCWP use through its Cranes andDerricks Committee, the Center toProtect Workers Rights (CPWR) has aworking group looking at improvingsafe practices related to MCWPs andwill be publishing recommendationsthat may lead to improved regulations.It’s obvious from this activity that cur-rent MCWP legislation isn’t keepingpace with the usage of the product.

“Training and regulation is the onlyway for manufacturers to really protectthemselves from liability,” O’Shea says.“A machine that is sold to a rental com-pany, which is then rented to an enduser, who ‘loans’ it to a sub-contractoron the jobsite, who then misuses it,resulting in an accident, will appear onthe six o’clock news usually bearingonly the manufacturers’ name. Liabilityis a complicated issue, and it can be dis-proportionately and unfairly applied.”

The role of IPAF’sWorking Group 4 isto push for national legislation and train-ing initiatives. The group, due to have its

Set for Growth

Mast Climbing Work Platforms(MCWPs) have an enviable reputationin Europe as probably the safestmethod of access available. MCWPmanufacturers and users in NorthAmerica are keen to emulate this repu-tation. In the last 12 months, someinteresting foundation work hasemerged which, if it continues at itsinitial pace, could increase the per-formance of the product and signifi-cantly reduce liability for the bignames in the MCWP business.

The good news is that SIA, throughits secretariat of ANSI A92 standards,and its partnership agreement withIPAF (International Powered AccessFederation), is at the vanguard of thisforward movement.

It has been just over a year since theincident in Boston, and since that timemuch has been done to increaseMCWP regulation and training tohigher levels.

IPAF’s US subsidiary AWPT (AerialWork Platform Training) had the inau-gural meeting of Working Group 4, at

ARA in Atlanta in February, devoted tothe improvement of regulation andtraining standards in the US. The meet-ing was chaired by Kevin O’Shea, IPAFand AWPT’s MCWP coordinator inAmerica, and was attended by represen-tatives from major manufacturers, rentalcompanies, dealers and training centers.

O’Shea spoke about the aim ofWorking Group 4. “When an OSHAcompliance officer goes onto a jobsitewhere MCWPs are in use, he or shehas to ‘interpret’ legislation designedto govern scaffolding and related prod-ucts to verify that the machines arebeing used safely because there is in-sufficient advice geared specifically forMCWPs,” he said. “Similarly, the lack oflegislation leads to liability issues, andthe result can be disproportionate lev-els of blame being attached to diligent,safety conscious companies.”

Some manufacturers use structuralengineers to verify the integrity of aninstallation as a way to reduce thepotential for accidents. CaliforniaOSHA has its own guidelines on

ColumnMonitoring Mast Climbers

Mast climber use moves forward with training and legislative initiatives

Pictured are members of the CPWR Mast Scaffold Work Group at a meeting held at the Philadelphia Area OSHA office (from l to r) Chris Pan, of NIOSH; Mike Kassman, of IMI; Jim Kinateder, of Kinetader Masonry; Kevin O'Shea, of Mastclimbers LLC; Domenick Salvatore, of OSHA;Ralph Hunsinger, of SIA; Steve Martini, of IMI; Pam Susi, of CPWR; Pat Merk, of DC21; Barry Cardwell, of CPWR; Don Mays, of IUBAC;Travis Parsons, of LHSF of NA and Jim Urtz, of Laborers AGC.




first full meeting in June/July 2007 willfocus on ways to move the MCWP indus-try forward by harmonization of currentstandards and introduction of “safe use”regulations, which have been so success-ful in other countries.

O’Shea, along with SIA A92.9MCWP Committee co-chairs GregJanda and Jay Gordon, have been in-volved in the CPWR research commit-tee, which has been looking at potentialimprovements to current legislation.

“The CPWR represent the interestsof almost 10 million members, andtheir work is designed to provide safetyenhancements in traditional industrialand construction methods,” O’Sheasaid. “The committee is made up of in-terested parties ranging from LaborSafety Specialists to OSHA officials andis looking at recommendations for im-

proved MCWP regulation. It’s a valu-able source of knowledge and experi-ence that will produce much food forthought as Working Group 4 movesahead with its agenda.”

Spreading the word is an importantissue. O’Shea will be speaking at theNew Jersey State Safety Council’s MidAtlantic Safety and Loss Control Expo inTrump Plaza in Atlantic City this monthwhere companies like Bovis Lend Lease,American Society of Safety Engineersand OSHA, will all get the opportunityto hear about the recent initiatives.

O’Shea summed up the recent in-terest in MCWP guidelines, saying,“The incident in Boston has amplifiedthe need for ‘safe use’ guidelines, andhas focused experienced minds on thesubject. Training quality is both dis-parate and semi-effective. We need allNorth American manufacturers, deal-

ers and major rental entities to partici-pate in the Working Group 4 agenda,and produce comprehensive guide-lines for MCWPs. A clearly defined,well thought out, comprehensive set ofguidelines, produced by the majormotivators in the US, is the key to in-creased safety, quality and uniformtraining, and proper and proportion-ate liability placement.” ■

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Continued from page 9

As the creator of the first North Amer-ican mast climber in the mid 1980s,L’Assomption, Quebec, Canada-basedHydro Mobile Inc. has long been a partof mast climbing history. But, with themast climber market expanding as the

FeatureNew Product

construction industry seeks to meethigher productivity needs, the compa-ny is hoping to be a part of its future.“It is getting harder for contractors andsubcontractors of any size to be prof-itable and this is driving growth in the

mast climber market, as these accessequipments considerably improve pro-ductivity, safety and working condi-tions,” says Hydro Mobile presidentVincent Dequoy.

The company is hoping to meet

A Part of the FutureHydro Mobile hopes to lead the way as use of mast climbing soars


The Department of Transportation needed a safe, flexible and versatile solution to build the 435 ft pylon of the Veteran's Glass City Skyway, an 8,800-ft cable-stayed bridge over the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio.


New Product

future challenges with the develop-ment of a complete line of mastclimbing work platforms. The manu-

Hydro Mobile's engineering department met with Fru-Con, the contractor on the Maumee Riverbridge project, to develop a solution including two F-series swivel bridges and a special slidingbridge that provides access to the sides of the pylon.

facturer commercializes three linesof products: the M-series, supportingup to 20,000 lbs, most commonly

used for masonry and other façadeworks; the P-series, designed forsmaller jobs or restrained areas thatrequire a high loading capacity (upto 10,000 lbs) and the flexible F-series that offers the highest speed tocapacity ratio on the market, lifting15,500 lbs at 39 ft per minute.

“We decided to diversify our offer-ings and designed a range of mastclimbers suitable for any constructionor restoration project,” Dequoy says.“We know that the whole constructionindustry now feels the pressure from anincrease in competition, stricter timeconstraints, and workforce shortage.”

Hydro Mobile mast climbers havebeen used on recent projects, such asthe Columbian, a 49-story building at1160 South Michigan in Chicago. The507-ft tall building will become thetallest handset masonry structure inthe city. With the use of P-series plat-forms, work is moving forward at thepace of one 10,500 sq ft of concretefloor every two days.



The façade work of the Columbianpresented great technical challenges.“We originally planned to use precastfor the façade but because of the largeand complex footprint of the building,we did not have enough room for asecond crane and realized that we

needed to find another solution,” saysCeisel Masonry project manager ErwinBernhardt. “Hydro Mobile’s researchand development team came up with acustomized solution involving 20 P-series, enabling us to access the wholefaçade, up to 500 ft in height, and tolay 315,000 bricks in total.”

Whether used with single or twinmast setups, resting on the building’sconcrete base or on cantilever beams,the 20 P-series platforms carry up to

9,750 lbs each, and provide safe andstabile work as areas, says Rick James,the owner’s representative from theDavis Group LLC. “The footprint ofthe project has many offsets and cor-ners incorporated in its design andthe P-series platforms allowed us toaccess all points.”

Hydro Mobile’s F-series platformswere used on a bridge project inToledo, Ohio. The Department ofTransportation needed a safe, flexibleand versatile solution to build the 435ft pylon of the Veteran’s Glass CitySkyway, an 8,800-ft cable-stayed bridgeover the Maumee River. HydroMobile’s engineering department metwith Fru-Con, the contractor on theproject, to develop a solution includ-ing two F-series swivel bridges and a

New Product

In the aftermath of Hurricane Frances in September 2004, work on the Tiara, a 33-story condo-minium building on Singer Island, was able to progress with the use of Hydro Mobile platforms.

With six stories of exterior stucco ripped awayby Hurricane Frances, the work was expectedto take twice as long as originally planned.However, thanks to Hydro Mobile's gas-pow-ered machine which does not require electri-city, the construction crew was able to recoverresidents’ belongings and resume work assoon as the hurricane subsided.

Hydro Mobile mast climbers have been used on recent projects, such as the Columbian, a 49-story building at 1160 South Michigan Ave. in Chicago.


“We know that the whole construction industrynow feels the pressure from an increase in

competition, stricter time constraints, and workforce shortage.”


special sliding bridge that providesaccess to the sides of the pylon.

This setup, “hugging” the pylon,facilitated a variety of tasks, 400 ft highabove the water - anchoring thebridge’s cables, installing the 200-ftglass panels that will cover the foursides of the pylon and setting up the350 light emitting diodes (LEDs) thatwill shine through them.

In the aftermath of HurricaneFrances in September 2004, work onthe Tiara, a 33-story condominiumbuilding on Singer Island was able toprogress with the use of Hydro Mobileplatforms. With six stories of exterior

stucco ripped away by the storm, thework was expected to take twice aslong as originally planned. However,thanks to Hydro Mobile’s gas-poweredmachine which does not require elec-tricity, the construction crew was ableto recover resident’s belongings andresume work as soon as the hurricanesubsided. “Our F-series platform wasinitially selected by our Florida clientfor its weight and capacity,” Dequoysays. “They were overwhelmed by howproductive it was under such devastat-ing circumstances, when other accessequipment was out of order for rea-sons such as lack of power.” ■

Salesman/SalesRep Wanted

EZ Scaffold aleading manufacturerof crank-up and mast

climbing scaffold. Extensive travel

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Fax resumes to

877-381-7880

New Product

With the use of P-series platforms, work ismoving forward at the Columbian in Chicagoat the pace of one 10,500 sq ft of concretefloor every two days.


Dunlop MastclimbersThe future looks bright for mast climber use

With contractors understanding thebenefits of their use, the future formast climbers in the United States isvery positive. But the industry has along way to go to meet or exceed thecurrent mastclimber use in Europeand Asia. At Dunlop Mastclimbers wesee a double digit growth potential formany years to come.

Dunlop Mastclimbers is a designand install specialty contractor with fab-rication shops in New Hampshire andMexico. In addition to more tradition-al jobs, the company is able to makeplatforms that conform to more variedapplications. For instance, the compa-ny designed two mast climbers forBoeing Aircraft Corp. to do the inspec-tion and maintenance of the radartracking device, and more recently theN.A.S.A program have requested adesign for elevating platforms for their2009 shuttle testing facility.

Dunlop Mastclimbers has beeninstalling mast climbers since July 1984in North America. The company’s firstproject was nine mast climbers atClyde Towers, Rhode Island, with theexterior being removed and a newfaçade installed. The project took oneyear to complete.

Since then, Dunlop has done hun-dreds of projects. The more high-pro-file of those projects has been a four-year restoration project to repair alleight corners of the Empire StateBuilding. The planning and engineer-ing concept was unique, with specialsteel grillage being installed on the33rd floor setback, with the beamsbeing hoisted up the outside of the

FeatureNew Member Profile

Dunlop Mastclimbers was assigned the project to provide equipment for the restoration of 90West St. in Manhattan at Ground Zero, a 24 month project to repair damage to the north façadecaused by the explosions from the World Trade Center.


New Member Profile

building from the street level, some 330ft below, and fitted to the existing steelcolumns to support a load of #52,000.

Next, the drive units of each DunlopMastclimber were stripped down to 6 ft,so that no part weighed more than#900, and swing stage motors were at-tached, and the mast climber was hoist-ed up the outside of the building. Themast climber drive motors were theninstalled and the platform extensionsfitted to the platform. All the compo-nents, masts, extensions were designedto fit through the windows of the build-ing, and go into the service elevators.

The engineers on the job, M.R.AEngineering, designed a tie attachmentto sustain wind loads of 100 mph, with aspecial stud welder used to fasten theanchor bolts to the building and tiesbeing installed every other floor. Themast sections were similarly manufac-tured to take the additional loads.

As the work consisted of removingthe defective corner stones, Dunlopdesigned and obtained approval fromthe City of New York Department ofBuildings’ Cranes and Derricks Divi-sion to install an 8 ft cantilever returncapable of taking #1,000 of men andmaterials. The mast climbers were

then installed and built up to the 90thfloor, 550 ft from the base and 900 ftabove street level.

Dunlop then designed and instal-led the first ever twin operationalmast climber on a single mast, usingmechanical limit switches to keep thetwo mast climbers in a safe proximityand prevent them from colliding.The lower mast climber was fittedwith overhead protection and usedfor doing the demolition and lime-stone removal, and the upper mastclimber for the installation of thelimestone. The limestone was special-ly ordered from the same IndianaQuarry that provided the originalstone in the 1930s.

The contractor, Abest Contracting,completed the work one year ahead ofthe assigned schedule. More impor-tantly, there were no work delays frominjuries or accidents through the useof the equipment.

The remaining challenges were tomove the equipment on site, thismeant dismantling the equipment andmoving the equipment from one cor-ner to the other, either around the ex-terior of the building, or back throughthe windows, down the corridors, into

an empty office, and out the other side.This project was completed before

9/11 and we had access to and fromthe entire building without hindrance.It was interesting to return this year tohost the New York Mastclimbing Com-mittee meeting, and go through secu-rity checks to get to the 59th floor,when previously we came and went toand from the building, with mast sec-tions and extensions, via the windowsof an empty office.

Another high-profile project in whichDunlop Mastclimbers participated wasthe providing of equipment for therestoration of 90 West St. in Manhattan.Following the 9/11 attacks at the WorldTrade Center, the building underwent a24-month project to repair damage tothe north façade caused by the explo-sions. Dunlop used the same two-tierconcept to remove all the damaged terracotta, and then replace it with new terracotta. The contractor that used theequipment, Seaboard Waterproofing,said that they were able to complete theproject quicker and under budgetbecause of the equipment, and they hadno job delays or additional costs frompersonnel injuries and stoppages, andtheir workers said they preferred to usethe equipment over regular scaffoldframes or swing stages.

Dunlop Mastclimbers have recentlystarted supplying and installing mastclimbers in Mexico, via Construserv,the first mast climbers in the country.It is interesting that in a country wherelabor is very cheap compared to NorthAmerica - wages for construction work-ers are about $1.50 to $2 per hour forskilled craftsman - that they see thebenefits of mast climbers. These bene-fits include a safer work place and sav-ings in time compared to unmecha-nized rope swing stages that rent out at$100 per week. The building ownerswere able to inspect the building andensure that the contractors had fin-ished the exterior to agreed specifica-tions. Normally the inspectors wouldvisually inspect the exterior from theground with binoculars, as they wouldnot use suspended scaffold systems asthey considered them unsafe. ■

A Dunlop mastclimber used to clean and finish a building 100 meters high in Mexico City.


If you think a tallsteeple, chimney orskyscraper cannot bemasonry construc-tion because of scaf-fold limitations,please call me. I wel-come your chal-lenges. Every one.Scaffold engineering

creates new solutions on job after job.Hydraulic mast climbers combine

speed, safety, wider platforms andcapacity to efficiently lift both workersand materials. Height and safety arealways of the utmost concern. Whenworkers are up over 300 ft in the air,every precaution needs to be taken tokeep them safe. Toe boards, perma-nently installed, keep materials fromfalling or being accidentally kicked off.Safety railings are built in, thus alwaysthere and properly installed. Ties to thebuilding are secure but not intrusive.Anchors must be installed on a struc-ture capable of withstanding 3,000 lbsof tension or compression and 1,000 lbsof shear. Engineers lay out scaffold onthe footprint and establish safety pre-cautions for whatever height. Thestrength of the tower provides a morestable platform. Workers feel morecomfortable working at heights whenthey are assured the equipment is safeand secure. Productivity increases.

Hoisting capacities and capabilitiesallow masons to do jobs that are highand with contractors on sites that havemasonry elevations up to 360 ft. Morerecently, I was with a mason contractorin Houston that has a potential mason-ry job, an office building, that will begoing up around 500 ft. Accessingmaterials at these heights is the chal-lenge. Mast climbers are equipped with

ColumnMonitoring Mast Climbers

Mast Climbing ScaffoldingQuickly carry masons and materials to 500 ft

hoists to facilitate material handling.Mast climbers come in a variety of

configurations. They offer mobile chas-sis on their bases for faster set-ups, cor-ner bridges that allow units to have theflexibility to accommodate 90 degreesangles and swivel bridges that allowangles from zero degrees to 180 degreesfor configuration around any building,even with radiused shapes. Forwardextension allows up to 21 ft around cor-ners eliminating the need for an addi-tional tower unit, saving money andbuilding in efficiency. Mast climbers arealso much easier to anchor into thebuilding’s structure. Manufacturers’engineers have come up with methods

of going through window openings andthrough the masonry mortar jointswhich necessitates only minimal touchup when removing the anchor point. Itis also possible to weld onto steel or usea beam clamp in other situations.

General contractors and construc-tion managers see mast climbers asproblem-solving tools. Multiple tradescan work off the mast climbers with asecond deck at a different elevationand overhead protection. On largejobs, GCs are beginning to take advan-tage of one rental unit for more thanone trade, increasing efficiency. Mastclimbers are more in demand as pro-ductivity, safety and ergonomics be-

By Michael Solomon

Michael Solomon

The Ohio State University Hospital, Columbus. This job combines two different twin mast climbersinto one to solve a problem. The 5-ft bridge section is actually placed over top of an existing struc-ture. Two hoists are utilized for material access since this congested college campus has limitedspace available. The mast climber on the bottom left also has a forward extension reaching up to 21 ft in front of the deck, keeping costs down and allowing the job to be finished safely and efficiently.




come bigger priorities. Since mastclimbers mean an increase of produc-tion of up to 35% based on end usersnot only feeling safer but by actuallybeing safer and with the proven abilityof mast climbers to configure any jobsite, there should be no thought thatmasonry products cannot be used in

any application or at any height. Totalmasonry construction not only makessense for today’s needs but also for thebuilding’s longevity and overall cost tobe done right the first time. With thehelp of mast climbers, there’s not aproject that cannot be done withmasonry, no matter the size or height.

Ergonomics adds to the productivityof jobsite. Bricklayers are more efficientwhen materials are close at hand and ata comfortable working height. Stan-dard platforms of mast climbers are 7ft, deeper than 5-ft conventional framescaffolding, allowing optimum materialstorage and safe passageway. An entirecube of brick or block can be loadedanywhere on the platform. This re-duces the need for bending and liftingheavy weights which reduce long-termwear and tear on bodies and helpsreduce workers’ compensation claims.

Decks allow outriggers that give upto 5 ft of standard adjustability for work-ers. Outriggers are spread about 4 ft ocso the planks have a much safer andstronger hold, which in turn makes theworker feel safer and thus increases pro-duction. Some platforms also have amaterial outrigger built into them so if aworker is in a saw tooth configurationand must be out on the main outriggerfarther than two planks, this outriggerprovides a place to set the material be-hind him so everything is in place andeasy to reach.

Structure creates capacity. Capacityfor raw material on the decks isgreater than any other scaffold system.Lifting capacities are far greater andeasier for the end user. Mast climbershave capacities of up to 20,000 lbs and

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Tower anchored to beam through window.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Single tower, high-speed unit carries16,000 lb capacity at a speed of 33 fpm. Scaffold is cantilevered overexisting building beams.

Book Cadillac Hotel, Detroit. A twin mast hydraulic scaffold was rigged with 18-ft cantilevers in position and a material hoist to lift workers to a 360-ft height to begin to remove old masonry walls from this 82-year-old, 33-story hotel and rebuild them. The initial setup had units set on the ground over an underground tunnel shored up by the general contractor. The hoist allowedproduct being removed to be carried down from the platforms and masonry materials to be car-ried up to the workers.

Dear members,Affixed to this page, the Scaffold Industry Association is pleased to present to youthe latest regulations governing the safe use of scaffolds throughout NorthAmerica in one compact CD. The CD includes the latest U.S. andCanadian standards along with letters of interpretation, glossaryof terms and illustrations. If you make your living in thescaffold & access industry anywhere within NorthAmerica, you need this CD.

We are the Scaffold Industry Association, the voice of the scaffold & access industry.

John R. MillerScaffold Industry AssociationPresident


include a monorail system on theirdecks which can allow personnel tomove heavy loads for placement. Amason would find this useful for doingstonework or setting decorativemasonry products.

Safety is so important in today’sworkplace that general contractorsand construction managers have speci-fied mast climbers for their job sites.Another safety concern today is accessto the working area. Towers meetANSI standards for climbing and alsohave built-in access platforms. The useof fall equipment is mandatory whenclimbing or descending any towermast over 10 ft in height. Tie pointsare available on hydraulic scaffolding.Safety is so important today that thereare training classes referred to as train-ing universities held as three-day semi-nars at manufacturing locations.Numerous regional classes ensure thatcompetent people are operating thescaffolding safely. ■

Michael Solomon is field sales manager atTNT Equipment Co., where he has workedfor 17 years with a variety of scaffolding appli-cations. He can be reached at (614) 560-3898 or [email protected]. This article wasreprinted with permission from the MasonryInstitute of Michigan’s Story Pole magazine,March/April 2006.

hoisting capacities of up to 4,000 lbsfor some units that allow hoisting fullcubes of material in the air at 70 ft perminute without breaking down thecube into smaller packages.

Speeds range from 3 ft per minute to33 ft per minute. Some mast climbersare built for heavy capacities with alower speed. Others have greater speeds

and lower capacities. Mast climbers pro-vide versatility on construction sites toconform to and allow mobility to get thejob done not only at a greater speed butalso at a safer one.

Weather protection packages keepjobs moving in the winter. Contractorsuse these to their advantage for rain,even shade protection from the sun.

Mast climbers also have the ability to


Fairfield Developments, Austin, Texas. Obstacles including radiusedwalls and trees were reduced to challenges in this 140-ft tall project. A half bridge was constructed between the structure and tree so workwas not held up.

Northwest ISD Football Stadium, Dallas. A twin mast and a single mastunit were used to conform to the building sizes and shapes for layingblock backup and brick veneer.

Fox Theater, Detroit. The top of the terra cotta parapet was crumbling on this 80-year-old building.The top 4 ft of the perimeter wall was removed and repaired or replaced. Forward extension camearound the front corner of the building, allowing mason to turn the corner by 15 ft and miss signsin place below. This unit could stay in place for an extended period while the restoration processwas completed over an eight-month period.



When conducting training for custom-ers and our own employees, we fieldmany questions about the use and oper-ation of aerial lifts. When renting theequipment or during service calls, weget questions and stories that nevercease to amaze us.

Then there are the questions thatshould be asked that never are asked thatresult in those service calls, damage tothe equipment or property, unsatis-factory operation, putting the wrong fuelin the machine, not getting the equip-ment to operate (start) at all or a cata-strophic event such as an accident.

In the first article we discussed, “Whywon’t the lift start?” Now that we’ve gotthe lift started and we have the controlsoperating, let’s progress to actually driv-ing and going up, down and around.

Why won’t the lift move? If you are trying to drive the lift, then

you have to make sure the controls areactivated or turned on by activating theappropriate enable switch. Read thefirst article in this series to understandthe enable switch functions.

The drive controller joystick usuallyhas a rocker switch on top of it that isthe steer function. On most boom liftsthis drive controller joystick is foundon the right side of the control panel.On scissors it is the only joystick on thecontrol box.

Scissor-lift drive control joysticksusually have an enable switch built in,

ColumnAerial Platforms

Common Aerial Lift Questions, Part II


Finding the answers to some commonly asked questions about aerial liftsBy Jeff Stachowiak


so when you grab the joystick, youenable the joystick controller. With theadvent of computer circuitry on somemodels, you have to grab the joystickwithout moving the joystick at all, sothe enable switch is activated. If youmove the joystick at all before activat-ing the enable switch, the machine willnot respond at all.

On some electric lifts you have towait a few seconds after pulling out the

emergency stop button for the machineto “boot up” before activating any con-trols or nothing will happen.

On boom lifts you have to put yourfoot on the foot pedal to activate thecontrol panel. On some models, name-ly JLG booms, after you put your footon the foot pedal, you have about 6 to7 seconds to activate any control onthe control panel. If you do not acti-vate a control or you wait 6 secondsbetween activating controls, the pedal

will cut out and nothing will work. Youthen have to take your foot off thepedal and repress it, which is called re-setting the foot pedal.

Some boom lift joysticks might havea locking mechanism on them-usuallya ring or a trigger you have to pull upon to release the joystick so it canmove. These locking joysticks areimportant safety functions. If the lift isequipped with locking joysticks andthey are not functioning properly(locking when in neutral) then call forservice. This is a safety problem thatmust be corrected before you can safe-ly operate the lift.

On scissor lifts with pothole protec-tion, if you have raised the scissor liftup so the pothole protection has gonedown into place and then the scissorwon’t drive, the pothole protection isnot going down all the way.

Something on the floor could beblocking the pothole protection fromgoing down all the way or some scrapconstruction material may be interfer-ing with the pothole protection withinthe pothole mechanism. Even heavyextension cords may prevent the pot-hole protection from going down all theway. By the way, you will ruin an exten-sion cord by driving over it with a scissorlift equipped with pothole protection.

If you have cleared everything fromunder the pothole protection and thelift still will not drive, you may want toopen up the side panels or doors and

Aerial Platforms


These functions shouldall be checked on yourpre-start check. Thatway you are familiarwith their functionsand what to expect

when you start your work.


Aerial Platforms

inspect the pothole protection mecha-nism and see if any scrap constructionmaterial is in there. If none of thesemethods fix the problem, then call forservice from your authorized dealer orrental company.

On rough-terrain booms and scis-sors, there may be multiple drivespeeds available to use via a toggleswitch selector. If you are trying toclimb a hill, ramp or curb, begin yourtask with the lift lowered to the groundand the boom telescoped in and theboom in the travel position, with thesteer tires leading the machine. Thenselect the drive function that shows theboom lift climbing a hill. This is a high-torque, low-speed setting that appliesmore drive power to the wheels.

Drive speed is determined by the

drive-speed selector and what positionthe lift is in. For instance, the machinewill drive fast if the drive selector is inthe fast-speed drive position and thelift is in the down and retracted posi-tion. If the boom is elevated, usuallyabove the horizontal, boom parallel tothe ground, the drive speed goes intoa creep mode.

The switch or trigger for the slow-speed drive and high-speed drive isdifferent going up than going down.So if when raising the boom, themachine drops into low-speed drivewith the boom at the parallel to theground position, that does not meanit will go into high speed at the sameparallel to the ground position. Eachmachine is different.

These functions should all be

checked on your pre-start check. Thatway you are familiar with their func-tions and what to expect when youstart your work.

If for any reason something doesnot work as expected, first consult theoperator’s manual that should be onthe machine. If that does not answeryour question, call for service. Neveroperate a lift unless you are familiarwith it and what it is supposed to do orhas any safety related problems. READTHE OPERATOR’S MANUAL. ■

This article is the second in a series toappear in Scaffold Industry. Jeff Stachowiakis with Sunbelt Rentals and the SIA AerialPlatform Council. He can be reached atjs tachowiak@sunbelt renta ls .com or (866) 455-4106.

Manufacturer of Scaffolding, Shoring & Accessories

Why Rent When You Can Buy For Less?877-890-8490

281-890-6150 [email protected]

11203 Grant Road, Cypress,Texas 77429 USAwww.stvaonline.com

MEMBER OF MEMBER OF

L &T Import & Export Corp.

Building Products & SuppliesCome directly from manufacturers

By container load or pallet

• Corrugated Steel 33˝ x 10 ft & 12 ft• Debris Netting• Steel I Beam• Scaffolding Frame & Accessories• Screw Jacks• Cross Brace• Bridge Legs, Girts and Brace• Safety Ropes• Wire Ropes

L &T Import & Export Corp.24 Cokesbury Road, Unit 16Lebanon, N.J. 08833 USA

Tel. (908) 236 8806 • Fax (908) 236 8807E-Mail: [email protected]


ColumnTraining

A NewcomersPerspective

Having been in the training field forover 20 years, I have often been chal-lenged by various requests to delivereffective training. The topics I teachare typically considered to be “soft” top-

ics, such as leadership, communicationskills, diversity, conflict resolution, etc.,so when I accepted the position asdirector of training and education forthe SIA, I entered a whole new training

environment and entirely new industry.Scaffold training is much more tangi-

ble and specific than say, issues of diver-sity, and therefore requires some differ-ent approaches to facilitating technical

SIA director of training & education weighs in on scaffold training

Pictured is SIA director of training & education Maureen Orey during a training classes she recently attended. During the class she was part of ateam that had to erect a complex scaffold. Working from a design by Dave Glabe & Associates, the team had to use the various types of scaffoldingto make one structure.

By Maureen Orey


learning. In an effortto learn and under-stand the industry, Ihave attended a fewdifferent scaffoldtraining classes, fromhazard awareness, tocompetent persontraining, to a trainercourse in scaffolding

safety. I am impressed by the level ofexpertise and knowledge of the instruc-tors I have observed, as well as the care,concern and desire to learn of the par-ticipants. The most common challengein the training industry is to prove thevalue of what you do. To prove the valueof training, one must improve individ-ual and/or organizational performance,and if possible show a return on invest-ment. As I see it, the scaffold industryfaces the same challenge, and more.

There are many statistics that prove

the inherent danger of scaffoldingwork, as well as the data that puts scaf-folding on OSHA’s top 10 list of mostfrequently cited violations. The addi-tional challenge for scaffold training isnot only to improve performance byreducing citations, but to also reduceaccidents and save lives. Effective train-

ing techniques can certainly be a cata-lyst for the increased learning and re-tention of our students. The SIA has agreat network of Authorized TrainingInstitutes (ATIs) in the U.S., Canadaand Peru. These ATIs facilitate the SIATraining Program content on mostscaffold types. The SIA-TP requiresthat all of our ATIs participate in an

instructor skills workshop (or train thetrainer program). This course providesa professional education and trainingexperience for our scaffold traininginstructors, enabling each individualinstructor the opportunity to increasetheir teaching and training skills.

Facilitating the learning process

requires a knowledgeable, active andengaged instructor. As you may knowfrom experience, endless hours ofmind-numbing lecture does not domuch to facilitate learning. Activitiesand discussion that get people talkingor working together promote partici-pative learning. During one of the

Training


Maureen Orey

Facilitating the learning process requires aknowledgeable, active and engaged instructor.


classes I attended, I was part of a teamthat had to erect a complex scaffold.Working from a design by Dave Glabe& Associates, we were required to usethe various types of scaffolding tomake one structure. The design incor-porated system, frame as well as tube &clamp. This was a great exercise for a

newcomer to see how all of the differ-ent scaffolding can work together, andenabled me to learn from the expertscaffold erectors taking the class too.Working alongside experienced erec-tors motivated me to learn more andreinforced the entire learning process.

Participative learning is by far the

most effective learning process. Incor-porating activities into classes increasesthe energy of the class, gets peopleworking together and learning fromeach other, promote learning by doing,and motivates and reinforces learning.The “hands on” portion of the classes Iattended certainly increased my learn-ing about scaffolding, and gave me a

healthy respect for the professionals inthe scaffold industry. So as a newcomerto the industry, I have observed someexcellent training and also understandthe challenges in teaching this content.We live in a bricks and mortar world,and scaffold training requires bothtime and space to build an effective

learning environment.Improving individual performance

and reducing OSHA citations, scaffoldrelated injuries and death is a majorgoal for many in our industry. Thefinal challenge for the industry howev-er, is “reach.” Scaffolding remained #1on OSHA’s top 10 list for the fourthyear in a row. Clearly there needs to bemore widespread education and train-ing not only for safety reasons but forcommunication and dissemination ofthe OSHA regulations. There arethousands of scaffold erectors, usersand dismantlers in our country (andacross the world) that could benefitfrom the SIA Training Program cours-es, information and resources. ■

Maureen Orey is director of training & educationfor the Scaffold Industry Association. She can bereached at (619) 475-8397 or [email protected].

Training


Participative learning is by far the most effective learning process.


tection. Look around at what the walk-ing hardware stores are tied to. Thenyou’ll realize that 100% tie-off doesn’tmean 100% fall protection. 100% tie-off is easy; 100% fall protection isn’t.Think about it.

Self-AppointedCompetent Person

It seems that we get “competentperson” and being competent con-fused. OSHA has a definition for thecompetent person but has no defini-tion for not being competent.Basically, a competent person is anindividual who can recognize a hazardand has the authority to do somethingabout it. On the other hand, beingcompetent suggests you have abilityand qualifications. Not being the com-petent person and being incompetentare two entirely different things. Butit’s amazing to me how many peoplethink they can be competent personswhen they truly are incompetent.Take, for example, an incompetentindividual who questions the decisionof a competent person. If the incom-petent person has authority withoutability, look out. Think about it.

Look At That Guy - What an Idiot

How often have you been on a job-site and you see someone performingan unsafe act (that’s a polite way of say-ing he’s doing something stupid thatwill result in injury or death). Youshake your head and think to yourself:“Look at that guy-what an idiot.” Whydo you do that? Why haven’t you

Goals and Other NonsenseBy Dave Glabe, P.E.

Safety is My Goal

Have you evernoticed the bumpersticker on the pickup truck that roarsby you at 20 milesover the limit? It says“Safety is my Goal.”Does that make sense

to you? Kicking the football betweenthe goal posts is a goal. Leaving a jobsitewithout injury is a goal. But watch outfor the guy who says: “Safety is my goal.”To me, that suggests he plans on gettingsafe some day but just hasn’t gottenthere yet! Furthermore, how do youobtain safety? Do you buy it at the homeimprovement center on aisle 3 betweenthe paint and toilets? Or maybe you canget it from the local scaffold supplierwho has some extra safety lying around.

I don’t think so. Safety isn’t a goalbut rather a process. In the case of safe-ty, the process is ensuring that theactions of people provide the result ofno injuries or death. So, in the case ofthe speeding truck driver, while he ispresumably encouraging safety by slap-ping a bumper sticker declaring hisconcern, his actions suggest otherwise.And so it is on the jobsite. If safety isthe goal and not the process, stay away.Safety should be work habits that resultin a healthy, safe environment. Theprocess produces the result. Withoutthe process, you will never get theresult. Think about it.

OSHA ApprovedHow often have you heard this? I

want some of those OSHA approved

plank. You can only have OSHAapproved scaffold in this plant. Yeah,right. In scaffolding, OSHA doesn’tapprove anything. That’s not its job. It’syour job to comply with OSHA stan-dards. In scaffolding, this means under-standing equipment, regulations, andhow you work. There is no substituteand there is no way around it. Anothersimilar claim is that the product “com-plies with all applicable OSHA stan-dards.” For the manufacturer, this is anaccurate statement. In the case of scaf-folding, the user must ensure the prod-uct is being used safely and complieswith the applicable OSHA standards.Obviously, you rely on the manufactur-er to provide accurate information anda safe product, but the manufacturercannot control how you use the prod-uct. Therefore, it is up to you. Look atit this way: An OSHA approved plankwouldn’t prohibit you from overload-ing it so what good would be theapproval? Think about it.

100% Tie-OffHave you ever been on a jobsite

where there is a “100% tie-off policy?”You look around and everybody is tiedoff to something. All the workers arelooking good. They are wearing har-nesses and have lanyards, hooks, life-lines, retractables, and other assortedhardware. Some of these workers haveso much stuff they look like walkinghardware stores. And they’re tied off.Everybody is happy. The safety personis pleased and convinced the job is safe.The next time you go on to a jobsite,however, ask if the site has 100% fallprotection. That’s right, 100% fall pro-

David H. Glabe

ColumnTechnically Speaking

Ensuring worksite safety is a process, not a goal



ColumnLegal Issues

How Enforceable Is A Quote?Exploring whether subcontractors and suppliers can be held accountable for quotes

Scaffolding suppliers and subcontrac-tors provide quotes, both solicited andunsolicited, to contractors on a nearlydaily basis. These quotes, to a large ex-tent, represent the initiation of a busi-ness relationship on a project for thescaffolding provider.

An issue that frequently arises aftera bid is awarded to a contractor iswhether a quote provided by a subcon-tractor or supplier to a contractor isenforceable against the subcontractoror supplier. Courts have handled thisissue in different ways. This is bestexemplified by two recent cases fromlate last year and two other cases thatdealt with this issue.

Reliance Must Be Reasonable

In I&R Mech., Inc. v. Hazelton Mfg.Co., 817 N.E.2d 799 (Mass. App. 2004),a Massachusetts court was confrontedwith the issue of whether an unsolicitedquote for $88,200 for three “Mills” boil-ers provided by a wholesale supplier ofheating and cooling equipmentformed a binding offer that became abinding contract, when it was ultimatelyaccepted by a subcontractor.

In this instance, the subcontractorrelied on the quote in calculating andsubmitting its price to a contractor forwork on a public school building proj-ect. When the subcontractor later con-tacted the supplier to order the three

boilers at the quoted price, the suppli-er refused to deliver them because theoriginal quotation contained an error.

The subcontractor ultimately wasrequired to pay $140,000, instead of$88,200 for the three boilers. It thensued the supplier for the $51,800 dif-ference between the quoted price andthe actual amount that it was requiredto pay for the boilers.

The court found in favor of the sup-plier because it believed that price quo-tations generally do not constituteoffers but are instead usually consid-ered requests for offers or invitations to

negotiate. Therefore, a meeting of theminds did not occur and the unsolicit-ed quote did not create a binding offeror promise on the part of the supplier.

The court also noted a lack of reli-ance by the subcontractor on the quoteas it actively sought out a better price,and was, therefore, not bound to thequote or to buy the boilers from thesupplier. The court also found that itwas unreasonable for the subcontractorto rely on the $88,200 quote given thegreat disparity in the price of the quotes

that it received when it did not verifythe accuracy of the lowest quote.

Do Not Promise What YouWill Not Deliver

In Citiroof Corp. v. Tech Contr. Co.,860 A.2d 425 (Md. App. 2004), TechContracting, the general contractor,received a bid for $32,000 from Citi-roof for the roofing portion of the pro-ject. Citiroof’s bid was prepared basedupon information that Citiroof re-ceived from another general contrac-tor, who was another potential bidderfor the project.

However, Citiroof did not have thefull plans and specifications when itprepared its bid. Instead, it only pos-sessed specifications for the roof with-out dimensions. Tech subsequentlyreceived a second bid of $62,803 forthe roofing portion of the project andsurmised that one of the bids was“grossly” wrong.

Tech wisely contacted Citiroof, incontrast to the contractor in the I&RMech., Inc. case, and told Citiroof thatits bid was “rather low.” Citiroof then

By Rick Kalson

The subcontractor ultimately was required to pay $140,000, instead of $88,200

for the three boilers.


Legal Issues

increased its bid by $6,700 to accountfor the Davis Bacon wage scale thatexisted on the project. Tech then againasked if Citiroof was comfortable withits bid because Tech was going to usethe bid.

Citiroof confirmed that it was com-fortable with the bid, which was thenused by Tech. After Tech submitted thebid, it consulted a Means Guide and de-termined that the second bid providedby Citiroof was “fair and reasonable.”

After Tech received an award of thecontract, it provided Citiroof with astandard letter of intent. After Citiroofreceived the standard letter of intent, itrequested a full set of drawings andspecifications for the first time. Uponreviewing the full set of drawings andspecifications, Citiroof realized that theroof plan that it used for its bid was“half sized,” resulting in a $25,000shortfall in its bid.

Citiroof then provided correspon-dence to Tech indicating that it wouldnot do the work because of its allegedmistake. Tech subsequently contractedwith another subcontractor for thiswork and then sued Citiroof for thedifference between the Citiroof quoteand its actual cost. Tech prevailed in itslawsuit for the following reasons:

1. Citiroof’s bid was a clear and def-inite promise.

2. Tech told Citiroof that its price,if the lowest, would be used in its bid,and the use of the quote was support-ed by its actual bid sheet.

3. Tech did not engage in priceshopping.

4. Tech asked for Citiroof to reviewits own bid. It was not Tech’s duty toguarantee the accuracy of the subcon-tractor’s bid or to reveal the magni-

tude of the difference in two subcon-tractor’s bids, discuss the unit meas-ures with Citiroof or to disregard thelowest bid provided by Citiroof.

In B&W Glass, Inc. v. Weather ShieldMfg., Inc., 1992 U.S. App. Lexis 13503

(10th Cir.), an agent for a window sup-plier and manufacturer, Weather Shield,told a window installer that it would beable to provide custom windows for aconstruction project on which the instal-ler was planning to submit a bid, butthat the custom windows would costmore than typical windows. WeatherShield then provided an oral quote thatwas “without any exceptions.”

At trial, Weather Shield testified thatit provided the quote but that it was notfor windows meeting plans and specifi-cations, a position that the court foundto be “incredulous.” Weather Shieldfurther asserted that it was WeatherShield’s policy to produce shop draw-ings only when a contract existed.

Unfortunately for Weather Shield, itnever informed the window installer ofthis requirement but instead assuredthe installer that the shop drawingswould be produced. Based on theWeather Shield quote, the windowinstaller entered into a subcontract toinstall the windows.

Weather Shield did not inform theinstaller until the virtual eve of per-formance of the installer’s work that itwould not and could not perform theagreement it had entered into with theinstaller.

The court found that it was normalbusiness practice within the trade touse a quote in submitting a bid to acontractor and that the window in-staller’s reliance on Weather Shield’squote was reasonable. Therefore, the

court found in favor of the windowinstaller and against Weather Shield.

When Less Specific Termsare Provided, it is LessLikely That a Quote will beFound to be Enforceable

The United States Court of Appealsfor the Sixth Circuit in Dyno Constr. V.McWane, Inc., 198 F. 3d 567 (6th Cir.1999) found that a price list for coppertubing that a supplier furnished to asubcontractor in connection with thesubcontractor’s bid on a job was merelyan invitation to engage in future nego-tiations and not a binding contract.

The court found that price andprice factors quoted by suppliers tocontractors for the purposes of aidingcontractors in making bid estimates,without more specific terms, do notobligate the supplier to comply withany purchase order upon whateverterms and conditions the contractormay choose to offer at some undeter-mined date in the future.

The court further found that thesupplier did not need to actually with-draw the prices quoted, as a duty didnot exist to revoke terms, which with-out words of commitment merely statean existing price from which a contrac-tor may negotiate a purchase.

Courts have generally held that ageneral contractor may rely upon andthus enforce a subcontractor’s quote orbid. Therefore, a subcontractor or sup-plier cannot afford to carelessly providepricing information to a contractorthat it may later wish not to honor. ■

Rick Kalson is a partner in the law firm of ThorpReed & Armstrong LLP. He may be contactedat (412) 394-2369 or [email protected].

Courts have generally held that a general contractor may rely upon and thus

enforce a subcontractor's quote or bid.


ColumnLegal Issues

Accidents happen, especially byuntrained, inattentive or careless work-ers utilizing scaffold systems. In thisarticle, we provide guidance in boththe prevention and defense of claimsarising from accidents involving theuse of scaffold.

From initial prevention, to properdesign, instruction and use of scaffold,to documentation through the courseof the project, and through accidentinvestigation and the defense of scaf-fold-related claims, each of the areasdiscussed in this article offers opportu-nities for scaffold companies to protectthemselves from these claims.

While accident investigation occursafter the fact, it is what the scaffoldcompany does before the first platformis set that can help protect itself fromliability for the accident. This articlehighlights simple, but necessary, stepsthat can be taken by scaffold business-es, which will inure to their benefit anddefense in the event of litigation.

The AccidentAvoiding an accident is the respon-

sibility of both owner and employee.In fact, an injured worker whose footwas severely injured during a recentwalkthrough of a construction site wonnothing at trial based on the jury'sdetermination that the worker was atfault for causing his own injuries whena scaffold plank fell as the scaffolding

was being disassembled in a “walk theplanks off” method.

During the course of the litigation,it was learned that the injured workerwas talking on his cell phone, with hishead down focusing on the conversa-tion, oblivious to the verbal warningsthat were being yelled in his directionby the scaffold company’s employees.

As he was walking next to the scaf-folding, a plank fell and landed on hisfoot. He is lucky it did not land on hishead. Nevertheless, the injured partysued the scaffold company, claimingthat its negligence in the disassemblyof the scaffold caused his injury.

Preventing the AccidentConstruction workers trust that

their employers have taken the neces-sary care in furnishing them with asafe and secure work environment.This trust is also placed in the hands ofthe scaffold designer.

Despite the adoption of strict regu-lations regarding the design, construc-tion and use of scaffold systems, acci-dents will happen. These steps canprotect the company against claimsarising from such accidents.

First, document everything. Thiswill establish the scaffold company’sinterest in ensuring safety as a prioritythroughout the design, erection, main-tenance and dismantling of the scaf-fold system.

Second, a properly designed scaf-fold system cannot be rushed. In spiteof the need to erect scaffolds to initiateconstruction, a properly designed scaf-fold system is the company’s first lineof defense.

Third, proper instruction ofemployees assembling the scaffoldsystem is essential. Instruction isessential to ensure that the scaffoldsystem will be constructed properlyto sustain the weight and movementof workers, and finally, the disassem-bly of the system.

Fourth, offer or provide training inthe proper use of the scaffolding systemto the general contractor or subcon-tractor who will be utilizing the scaffoldsystem. It is important that written rulesgoverning the utilization of the scaffold-ing system be provided to, acceptedand acknowledged in writing by thegeneral contractor or subcontractor.

Finally, keep a careful and conciserecord of the initial, approved designof the scaffold system and any fieldchanges that are implemented. Whenthe final scaffold system is erected,obtain a record of acceptance of thescaffold system by the general contrac-tor and/or owner of the project.

Project Organization andDocumentation

Maintaining an easily accessiblecompendium of the scaffold designs

Preventing and Defending Scaffold Accident LawsuitsBy Richard H. Glucksman, Craig A. Roeb and Daniel A. Cribbs


Legal Issues

that were approved for the project willfurther benefit the scaffold company.This would include the final approvedscaffold design plans and any changeorders that were created in the field.

Also, properly secure the “signedoff” copies of these documents. Thisprovides the basis for the defense ofacceptance of the design by the gener-al contractor and/or project owner inany subsequent action. If there are dif-ferent phases to the project, calling fordifferent designs, take the time to cre-ate documentation for each phase.

This separation of phases allows foran easier review of the pertinent docu-ments in any specific area of the project.

Contract DocumentsAmong the terms of the contract,

the scaffold company should include

plain language that, once accepted,neither the general contractor nor anysubcontractors who may be using thescaffold are to alter or otherwise modi-fy the scaffold. In the event that anaccident occurs due to a change in thescaffold system, responsibility will bedeflected back to the general contrac-tor and its supervisors as opposed tothe scaffold company.

In addition, the scaffold companyshould endeavor to include languagein its contract calling for the generalcontractor to indemnify the scaffoldcompany in the event of any accidentand any litigation thereafter if thecause of the accident was a modifica-tion of the scaffold system after it waserected and accepted for use by thegeneral contractor, especially un-known or unauthorized modificationsto the system.

As for the general contractor’s“acceptance” of the scaffold system, it isrecommended that the scaffold com-pany generate an “acceptance” form or

“transfer of responsibility” form, whichserves as an acknowledgment by thegeneral contractor and/or the proper-ty owner after the assembly of the scaf-fold system of the design, constructionand limitations of the system.

If the assembly is done in phases,obtain such an acknowledgment foreach phase.

Other Job File DocumentsBeyond the contract and forms

mentioned above, there are potentiallyother relevant and critical documentsthat make up a job file. These docu-ments include bids, daily work logs,change orders, in-field meeting notesand inspection checklists.

After an accident, it is typical formemories to fade or become self-serv-ing. A well-organized and complete

job file can be invaluable in recon-structing an accident and protectingthe scaffolding company.

Another frequently requested docu-ment will be the company’s licensing.Included therewith may be the licenseof the engineer that designed the scaf-fold system. Also be sure to note whenlicenses are due to expire. If a licenseis due to expire halfway through a pro-ject be sure to keep the renewal withthe original license that was in effect atthe start of the project.

This licensing is also important inthat many liability policies may be voidif a license expired before or duringthe project. So be prepared to providethis documentation to your insurancecarriers to trigger your coverage.

A well-organized job file, with easilyaccessible pertinent documents, canbe a scaffold company’s best defense.Among the documents to considerhaving at the forefront of any file is alist of any and all insurance policiesthat might be in effect for that project.

If and when a claim is made, it isimperative that you tender your de-fense to all of these carriers as soon aspossible to avail yourself of all the ben-efits that come with having paid forthose policies, including the assign-ment of counsel to help your compa-ny’s defense.

In cases involving larger companieswho have either large deductibles, orself-insured retentions, or large premi-ums, they may choose to engage coun-sel directly in the early stages of aclaim. In those cases a frank conversa-tion between counsel and the compa-ny may lead to a decision on the neces-sity of tendering to the insurance carri-er in an effort to avoid either increas-ed premiums or cancellation of futurepolicies altogether.

Given that bodily injury claims canbe brought up for as many as twoyears, or even longer, after an acci-dent, depending upon the state inwhich the incident occurred, if physi-cal storage of a closed file is an issue,consider scanning the file to an elec-tronic source.

With the proliferation of electronicdata storage, arranging for the scan-ning of a job file solves the storageissues that plague many businesses.While maintaining the above docu-ments is enormously helpful in itself,having easy access to the more impor-tant documents can be a saving grace.Doing a simple word search on a CDcan save countless hours in searchingfor pertinent documents which mayhelp your counsel and you defendyour company.

Proper DesignEvery scaffold system must be

designed by a qualified person and inconformity with state and federalOSHA guidelines. For one, only aproperly trained designer has theknowledge of current developments inscaffold design and especially of newsafety regulations. Second, many insur-ance policies may require proper licen-sing as a condition of providing insur-ance coverage.


While there may be a well-experienced foreman fora project, it is not uncommon for temporary

employees to be hired for each project.


If it turns out that the person whodesigned the scaffold had a lapsedlicense, it may void any potential insur-ance coverage. To that end, be awareof any licensing requirements of yourinsurance coverage and be sure tokeep a copy of any pertinent licensingdocuments in your job file that will beeasily accessible for both your counseland insurance carrier.

There are three primary categoriesof scaffolds. They are:

• Supported scaffolds, which haveone or more platforms supported byrigid, load-bearing members, such aspoles, legs, frames, outriggers andthe like.

• Suspended platforms, which useropes or other nonrigid, overhead sup-port for their structure.

• Generic “other” scaffold systems,which include manlifts, personnelhoists, which are sometimes referredto as vehicle or machinery instead oftraditional scaffolding, but a scaffoldsystem nonetheless.

Each of these scaffold systems has itsown unique characteristics and inherentrisks, but there are potential hazards thatare universal to all regardless of type.

Among those are falling tools anddebris; failure and collapse of the scaf-fold system due to instability and/oroverloading; workers being injured dueto a modification or alteration of thesystem; and finally, the danger of a scaf-fold being set to close to power lines.

Standards have been established forscaffolds, and employers must adhereto these mandatory guidelines. Amongthe more important safety require-ments include:

• The system must be capable ofsupporting its own weight and, at aminimum, four times the intendedload to be applied or transferred to it.

• The system itself must be de-

signed by a qualified person and mustsupport the load intended.

• The scaffold must not be loadedbeyond its intended maximum orrated capacity, whichever is less.

In addition, all suspension scaffoldsupport devices, such as outriggerbeams, cornice hooks and parapetclamps, must rest on surfaces capableof supporting at least four times theload imposed on them. These supportdevices must be secured against move-ment by tiebacks installed at rightangles to the face of the building orstructure or by opposing angle tie-backs installed and secured to a struc-turally sound point of anchorage.

Proper TrainingProper training is often thought of

in the context of assembling the system

for use. But that training also includesthe disassembly of the scaffold system.

Training is a feeding ground forplaintiff attorneys. For plaintiff’s coun-sel, a lack of training shows a lack of re-gard for the safety of others. It shows arush to complete a project regardless ofthe level of experience of those buildingor disassembling the system in order tofulfill a contract and collect a paycheck.

For the defense, it presents an areawhere a lack of training, regardless ofits actual role in the accident’s cause,creates a potential aura of disregardand negligence on the part of the com-pany leading up to the accident.

It is necessary to ensure that all pro-ject employees are properly trained.While there may be a well-experiencedforeman for a project, it is not uncom-mon for temporary employees to behired for each project. For those em-ployees that are hired solely for a par-ticular project, verify as best as possibletheir prior experience.

The training of employees was evi-dence in the lawsuit described at the

beginning of this article. The scaffoldcompany was questioned on the appro-priateness of using the “walk the plankoff” method versus a “man-to-man”method, which could have avoided theaccident. Regardless of what method isused, it is imperative that your employ-ees understand how the scaffoldingshould be disassembled properly withthe lowest risk possible.

If there is any question as to thetemporary employee’s ability to han-dle a particular project, either don’thire that person or have a trainingprogram in place to educate the work-er about the special intricacies of thatparticular project.

Along with any job-specific training,consider preparing a basic traininghandbook regarding the basics of scaf-fold systems, the chain of command inthe field for the company and an em-ployee’s responsibilities. Finally, muchlike an employee handbook, have thetemporary employee acknowledge hisreceipt and review of that handbook,along with any job-specific informationor documents he/she is provided withto work on a project.

In addition, this training should beoffered to the developer or generalcontractor’s employees, or any othercompany who is anticipated to use thescaffold system. In the event that thistraining is not accepted, the companyshould record this by having the de-clining party sign off that the trainingwas offered and declined, and a copyof this form should be given to thatcompany and kept in your job file.

Worker NegligenceIt should also be noted that many

accidents occur after the erection ofthe scaffold system and during itseveryday use on the project. Despitetaking the necessary care outlinedabove, there remains the factor ofhuman nature. In an effort to expe-dite their work, workers and/or theiremployers may alter the scaffold inways that might speed the completionof their work, but at the cost of injur-ing themselves or their own employ-


Legal Issues

As a result, many accidents are the sole result of the injured party's own negligence.


Scaffolding work on a hot dayor in the rain is somethingpeople certainly don’t relish.With Alum-A-Pole’s Alum-A-Shade this discomfort can bevirtually a thing of the past.

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Call 1-800-421-2586 today for more information or visit our web site.www.alumapole.com

© Alum-A-Pole Corporation 2005 Scranton, PA.Patents Issued & Others Pending

ees. As a result, many accidents arethe sole result of the injured party’sown negligence.

The injured party may have ignor-ed warnings on the load restrictions ofthe scaffold or changed portions. Ifthis is the case, then the scaffold com-pany must not be shy about proclaim-ing that the accident was the injuredparty’s own fault.

The accident mentioned at the be-ginning of this article is a classic exam-ple of this. While not an employee ofthe scaffold company, the injured partywas the owner of company that formsand sells steel for construction projects.As such, the court eventually foundthat he, of all people, should be awareof the dangers of walking around aconstruction site carelessly. This care-lessness led to his own injury.

But this was only determined after atrial and after the scaffold companyhad been forced to spend consider-able time and money in proving whatotherwise appeared to be an obviousfact, which the court later likened to“strolling on a battlefield wearing‘horse blinders’ and ear-plugs.”

ConclusionThe scaffold company must make

clear to the general contractor, in thescaffold contract, that neither the gen-eral contractor nor any of its subcon-tractors may alter, modify or changethe scaffold system after it is erectedand approved by the scaffold company,unless they first advise and then securethe scaffold company’s written consent.

This will substantially assist the scaf-fold company in the shifting of any re-

sponsibility for a scaffold-related acci-dent from the scaffold company to thegeneral contractor and its supervisors,who failed to prevent any such un-known or unauthorized changes ormodifications of the scaffold.

The suggestions herein should en-courage discussion within your compa-ny concerning what steps you can taketo prevent scaffold accidents, and de-fend claims when accidents occur . ■

Richard Glucksman, Craig Roeb and DanielCribbs are attorneys with Chapman, Glucksman& Dean, a law firm with five offices throughoutnorthern, central and southern California.Glucksman and Roeb are partners with the firmand Cribbs is an associate in the firm’s LosAngeles office. Glucksman or Roeb may be con-tacted at (310) 207-7722.

Legal Issues


DepartmentIndustry Briefs

Hydek Awards Distribution to Thibodeaux

Hydek has awarded distribution author-ity to Wade Thibodeaux of WT Con-struction. Thibodeaux is in the processof establishing his new equipment salesand rental company based in BatonRouge and will service Louisiana andother Gulf Coast markets.

Thibodeaux is especially qualifiedto market Hydek, as he is a successfulsecond-generation masonry contractorwho understands the benefits of safetyenhancements and productivity in-creases associated with technologicaladvances such as mast climbers. Withextensive hands on mast climbing ex-perience, he speaks with authority re-garding the benefits to the contractor.By publication time of this article,Hydek will have completed shipmentof the first Hydek order and the prod-uct will be available for purchase andrental in Louisiana. The new Hydeksystem will be prominently showcased

on the new Books-A-Million store atthe $80 million Towne Center develop-ment in Baton Rouge.

WT Construction is changing thenature of the local masonry industrywith their large fleet of hydraulic mastclimbers. They are able to profitably bidand complete more projects with a cur-

rent fleet of over 20 Bennu power unitsand Hydek is fully compatible with theBennu product. With the wet condi-tions inherent to Louisiana, construc-tion equipment experiences a high inci-dence of rust damage during normaluse. Thibodeaux views the hot dippedgalvanized Hydek system is the best

solution for this wet environment.Thibodeaux appreciates the ability to

quickly survey and evaluate the systemto insure that his workers are operatingin a safe and healthy environment. Hepoints out that it is easier to evaluateand monitor his jobsites because the sys-tem has far fewer components than con-

ventional access methods.Hydek currently offers both single

lever and multi lever control systems toaccommodate end user preferences invarious markets. The new Hydek stringpotentiometer single lever control sys-tem is ideal for his new rental fleet be-

WT Construction is changing the nature of thelocal masonry industry with their large fleet of

hydraulic mast climbers.



cause it reduces the training time re-quired to allow other contractors tobenefit from the productivity increasesand safety enhancements associatedwith mast-climbers. Older multi-leversystems that are prevalent in the indus-try require much more operator inter-action to maintain a safe and level worksurface. Thibodeaux points out that aninexperienced or inattentive operatorcan damage wall ties if they are notextremely precise with the olderBennu three-lever system. Hydek singlelever control system takes the guess-work out of operating the machine andallows the workers to focus on complet-ing the project.

Hydek is an Atlanta, Georgia basedmanufacturer of high capacity hy-draulic mast-climber. For more infor-mation, please call Mike Reddick at404-642-5328 or visit our website atwww.hydek.com.

ConstructionMachineryExports Rise34% in 2006

Exports of U.S.-made constructionmachinery rose 34% in 2006 compar-ed to the previous year for a total of$13.7 billion, according to the Associa-tion of Equipment Manufacturers.

Exports to Central America led theway in 2006 with a 40.5% gain in 2006purchases. The region took delivery of$1.3 billion worth of U.S.-made con-struction equipment. Constructionmachinery exports to South Americaincreased almost 17% in 2006, withpurchases worth $1.9 billion.

Exports to Canada improved 22%and totaled $5 billion, with exports toAfrica gaining 34% to $640 million.Australia/Oceania took delivery of$1.4 billion in equipment form theU.S. last year, an increase of 26%.

The two work regions showing de-

clines in 2006 were Asia and Europe.Exports to Asia dropped 11% andtotaled $1.5 billion, while exports toEurope declined 12% for a total of$1.85 billion.

The 10 countries that bought themost U.S.-made construction equip-ment in 2006 were Canada, $5 billion;Australia, $1.3 billion; Mexico, $925million; Chile, $532 million; Brazil,$436 million; Belgium, $364 million;South Africa, $362 million; Singapore,$272 million; China, $266 million andColombia, $262 million.

Crook Rejoins UpRight

Gary Crook, adesign engineer re-sponsible for someof UpRight’s mostinnovative and suc-cessful products,has rejoined thecompany from JLG.

Crook returns assenior design engi-

neer. He will be responsible for creatingand developing an UpRight centre ofdesign excellence in the U.S. He willrecruit and build his own team whileworking closely with the design en-gineers already based in Vigo Centre,the company’s European headquarters.

“Appointing Gary Crook is a signifi-cant step forward in strengtheningour design and engineering capa-bilities,” says UpRight chief executiveDarren Kell. “Not only is Gary one ofthe best design engineers in the indus-try, but he also has a huge tacit knowl-edge base and level of expertise in theentire UpRight product portfolio.”

Crook originally joined UpRight inJuly 1995. His first job was to designthe AB46 self-propelled boom. Hespent a decade with the company, play-ing a key role in the birth of the SB80boom lift and the X26 ultra-narrowscissor, among others. He left to joinJLG in April 2004.

FebruaryConstructionRebounds 7%

New construction starts in Februaryadvanced 7% from the previousmonth to a seasonally adjusted rate of$609.9 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of theMcGraw-Hill Cos.

Nonresidential building regained theelevated pace that had been present formuch of 2006, following its weak amountin January. Meanwhile, residential build-ing held steady and nonbuilding con-struction (public works and electric utili-ties) settled back. For the first twomonths of 2007, total construction on anunadjusted basis came in at $83.6 billion,down 15% from the same period a yearago. Much of the year-to-date decline fortotal construction reflects diminishedactivity for single-family housing. If single-family housing is excluded, the value ofnew construction starts during the firsttwo months of 2007 is down a moremodest 3% compared to last year.

February’s data lifted the DodgeIndex to 129, up from 121 in January.“The improved activity for nonresi-dential building in February indicatesthat this sector still has the ability tomove at a good clip,” says McGraw-HillConstruction vice president of eco-nomic affairs Robert Murray. “Theconstruction start statistics during thewinter months can be volatile, and thisproved to be the case for nonresiden-tial building at the outset of 2007.”

Pilot Project forTracking RentalEquipmentCompleted

AssetPulse has completed the firstphase of its deployment to keep track


Industry Briefs

Gary Crook


of rented construction equipment atremote job sites.

AssetPulse’s solution packaged itsRFID-enabled AssetGather software forkeeping track of assets along withActive RFID tag and reader technologyfrom RF-Code to keep track of variousparts including those belonging to a150-ft tall tower crane erected at theconstruction site for the New Califor-nia Academy of Sciences Natural His-tory Museum in San Francisco’s Gol-den Gate Park.

The project was commissioned byStafford Tower Cranes as part of aneffort to keep better track of its rentalequipment that is distributed at variousjob sites across the country. High valueconstruction equipment, such as towercranes, are shipped and assembled frommany smaller parts that can easily bemisplaced and lost between jobs. “Weare excited about the capabilities of theasset tracking solution that AssetPulsehas put together,” said Stafford Cranespresident Patrick Stafford. “The abilityof the AssetGather RFID-based trackingsystem to accurately inventory and mon-itor rental equipment and parts as theymove across job sites will be a key com-petitive advantage for us.”

RentalEquipmentIndustry Reporton Sale

The American Rental Association’slandmark study, the “2006 State of theEquipment Rental Industry” is avail-able for purchase. The 100-page re-port is the most comprehensive studyand analysis of the equipment rentalindustry to date.

“This is a defining moment in ren-tal industry history,” says ARA execu-tive vice president and CEO ChristineWehrman. “It is very much a landmarkresearch report for the industry.”

ARA also commissioned an initial

study in 2005 with Lexington, Mass.-based partner Global Insight, but the2006 report is more extensive, utilizingmore data sources and Global Insight’seconometric modeling to assess therental industry in the United Statesand Canada.

Among key findings of the study arethe total size of the U.S. rental marketwas $32.8 billion in 2006. The rentalmarket has grown substantially since1998, at a compound annual growthrate of 7.4%, significantly outpacinggeneral economic activity and pricelevel changes.

The construction and industrialequipment segment represents thegreatest share of the rental marketwith 68.6% of total rental revenues.Rental penetration for the construc-tion equipment market has increasedsignificantly, having doubled in the lastdecade to its current level of 27.5%.

The report is available to ARA gen-eral and associate members for $1,500and to prospective and non-membersfor $7,500. To purchase a copy of thereport, call ARA member services rep-resentative Sheila Jamieson at (800)334-2177, ext. 245.

Rise in Sales PromptsStrategic Moves for STVA

Due to strong sales activity, Houston-based STVA Scaffold has made somestrategic moves, including the expan-sion of its worldwide shipping opera-tions with the addition of freight carri-ers and the hiring of sales and manage-ment expert John Moran.

The shipping operations expansionis a strategic customer-oriented proj-ect geared towards ensuring thatcustomers receive products within areasonable and acceptable timeframe. The company also expandedits workforce and delivery pipe byadding another delivery driver for the

Houston metro area in March.With a degree in business admin-

istration from the University ofHouston, Moran has a distinguishedrecord in sales and management.Moran has begun the STVA Scaf-folding training program to becomeknowledgeable in the company’sproducts and accessories. He willalso attend an OSHA course to be-come certified as an “OSHA Compe-tent Person.” He will also attend“Design & Loading,” “Hands-On,”and “Train-the-Trainer” classes.

Work Force Crisis to Be Explored June 5-6

McGraw-Hill Construction, En-gineering News Record and CURT willhold an event called “Crisis in Con-struction: Help Wanted” to explorework force issues June 5-6 at RoyalSonesta Hotel In New Orleans.

The event will include a June 5 bustour of damage zones by DuaneGapinski, who was in charge of thedewatering of New Orleans for theCorp. of Engineers.

According to statistics, one millionnew workers will be needed by 2012.In addition natural disasters are onthe rise, increasing employmentneeds. McGraw-Hill Construction,ENR and CURT are involved in thework force crisis and finding solu-tions. CURT developed a work forcewhite paper and McGraw-Hill Con-struction and ENR developed, “Ideasfor Action” which was created froman event held last fall. ■

Industry Briefs


ScheduleOf Events

Industry EventsMay 22-25NPRAReliability & MaintenanceConference & ExhibitionGeorge R. Brown Convention CenterHouston, Texas

June 24-26Safety 2007 ExpositionASSEOrange County Convention CenterOrlando, Fla.

SIA EventsJune 8SIA Southwest Chapter Golf TournamentThe Battleground at Deer ParkDeer Park, Texas

July 15-2135th Annual Convention & ExpoHyatt Regency Long Beach and Long Beach Convention CenterLong Beach, Calif.


The SIA Is Not Just About Scaffold Anymore

with Kevin O’Shea, of Mastclimbers,Inc., a regular contributor to thismagazine on all topics related tomast climbing expertise, it seems ourguys did most of the educating. Theyhave been invited back for furtherdialogue and inquired about futureparticipation in the SIA events.

Embracing access, and not justscaffolding, we are the Scaffold In-dustry Association, the voice of thescaffold & access industry.

What’s next! ■

John R. MillerPresidentScaffold Industry Association

through my involvement in the SIA.Today, the SIA Mast Climbing

Council consistently attracts the lar-gest turnout during both CommitteeWeek and the convention. The coun-cil has taken the lead to promotetraining and education of the prod-uct in an effort to self regulate. Re-cently, council chairmen Greg Janda,of Alimak/HEK, and Jay Gordon, ofKlimer Manufacturing, representedthe SIA at the first ever mast climbingsummit held in Orlando, Florida.Sponsored by the Center to ProtectWorkers Rights, the summit was heldto develop an action plan for address-ing the recent rash of mast climberaccidents in the United States. Along


S I A N E W M E M B E R SBar Industries Inc.Box 7961Bonnyville, Alberta, Canada T9N2J3(780) 207-1278Contact: Robert Hollasch

Barlow Marketing Group127 West Berry St., Suite 900Fort Wayne, IN 46802(260) 422-7100www.barlowmktg.comContact: Brian Barlow

CLAC Alberta Training Centres14920-118 AvenueEdmonton, Alberta, CanadaT5V1B8(780) 454-6181www.clac.caContact: Frank Zee

Cobra Maintenance141 2nd Ave. EastCochrane, Alberta, Canada T0M0S0www.cobragroup.netContact: Rod Skelton

Custom Equipment2720 E Progress DriveWest Bend, WI 53095(262) 334-0756www.customequipmentlifts.comContact: Steve Kissinger

ENTECPedro Santacilla 261Mexico City, Mexico 03520www.entec.com.mxContact: Cesar Moreno

Glenn's Building Services, Inc.144 Rivercrest Ave.Toledo, OH 43605(419) 697-9274Contact: Glenn Pegler

I.A.T.S.E Local 802520 West Olive Ave.Burbank, CA 91505(818) 526-0700Contact: Kent Jorgensen

J&W Caulking Applicators, Inc.154 Enterprise DriveNew Oxford, PA 17350(717) 624-9360www.jwcaulking.comContact: Autumn Staub

KPL Scaffold14655 Firestone BlvdLa Mirada, CA 90638(714) 994-0111Contact: Wayne Nelson

Nisin Group, Inc.2110 39th Ave.Long Island City, NY 11101(718) 786-0500Contact: Yugnik Singh

Pacific Wood ProductsLLC8805 148th Ave. NERedmond, WA 98052(206) 459-2030Contact: Michael Goodrich

Specialty Claims Services1001 Craig Road, Suite 330St. Louis, MO 63146(314) 569-9841Contact: Eric Ruhl

T-Brace1350 Manufacturing St. #109Dallas, TX 75207(214) 507-4139www.t-brace.comContact: Todd Ryan

Technically Speaking

stopped and talked him into stoppinghis unsafe act? Be polite. Don’t tellhim he’s an idiot, especially if he’s big-ger than you. You just might see himdo another unsafe act! But seriously,this guy is another human being, justlike you, with family and friends. Justbecause you don’t know him doesn’tmean you don’t have to care. The dayeverybody starts thinking about theirfellow workers in a concerned way willbe the day the safety process takes agreat leap forward and provides aresult that will be awesome. And youdon’t even have to think about that! ■

Dave Glabe, P.E., is president of D.H. Glabe& Associates Inc. of Denver. Glabe also servesas the SIA’s liaison to OSHA. E-mail him [email protected].


The Oil Resources Development Co.Suite 20, Plot 320Port Harcourt, Nigeria 23484www.tordcoltd.comContact: Henry Omoregie

Titan Equipment Services6190 Clyde Park Ave.Byron Center, MI 49315(616) 530-2233www.titaneq.comContact: Eric Kleynenberg

Valco Scaffold Inc.7801 FreedomN. Canton, OH 44720(800) 245-5528www.valcoscaffold.comContact: Ray Valentine

Waco Scaffolding & Equipment3515 Losee RoadLas Vegas, NV 89030(703) 399-3516www.wacoscaf.comContact: Bronson Faher


Advertiser’sIndex

27 Action Scaffold Mfg.actionscaffold.com

8 Alimak Hekalimakhek.us

37 Alum-A-Pole Corp.alumapole.com

15 American - AS Mast Climbers

4 Bennu Parts & Servicesbennuparts.com

28 Direct Scaffold Supplydirectscaffoldsupply.com

29 Eagle Industrieseagleenclosure.com

10 EZ Scaffoldezscaffold.com

15 EZ Scaffoldezscaffold.com

13 Falcon Ladderfalconladder.com

2 HYDEKhydek.com.com

IBC Hydro-Mobile, Inc.hydro-mobile.com

30 Klimer Mfg.klimer.com

25 L & T Import & Export

1 1 Scaffolding Today, Inc.scaffoldingtoday.com

42 Scaffold Industry, Asso.scaffold.org

44 Scaffold Industry, Asso.scaffold.org

22 SIA Insurancencisltd.com

OBC Strong Man Building Prod.strongman.com

25 STVA Scaffoldstvaonline.com

1 ThyssenKrupp Safwaysafway.com

IFC Universal Mfg.universalscaffold.com

To order your copies, visit our website at www.scaffold.org.For any questions, please contact Aimee Siems via email at [email protected].

Now AvailableManuals of Responsibilities for Aerial Work PlatformsThe Scaffold Industry Association announces

now available2006 Manuals of ResponsibilitiesANSI/SIA A92.5 Boom Supported Elevating Work Platforms

ANSI/SIA A92.3 Manually Propelled Elevating Aerial Platforms

For Dealers, Owners, Users and Operators, Lessors and Lessees.

Section 5.2.2 of the standard (A92.3 2006 & A92.5 2006)The current Manual of Responsibilities for dealers, owners, users, operators, lessors,

lessees and brokers . . . . shall be provided and stored in the weather resistant storage compartment.

WIN ON ALL LEVELS

The completely redesigned F-Series is the ultimate in adaptability. It features threemodels that offer different levels of performance to accommodate unique projectneeds and budget considerations. Moreover, it adapts to a wide range of building

shapes and independent platforms can operate at different levels on a single or twinmast set-up. All of which contribute to an estimated 30% increase in productivity.

For more information on the F-Series or to locate your nearest distributor, call us now or visit our Web site.

1.888.484.9376 | www.hydro-mobile.com

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