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Balfour Beatty in H and S Paradise with Scafftag

One of the largest city centre regeneration schemes in Europe is leading the industry in delivering health and safety best practice thanks to a collaboration between Balfour Beatty and Scafftag.

The prestigious Liverpool city centre Paradise project, by developer Grosvenor, has been subject to a far reaching health and safety audit since work began in earlier this year. An ongoing monitoring and equipment inspection programme implemented by main contractor Balfour Beatty Construction, with industry specialist Scafftag, has delivered a spotless health and safety record, which they are working hard to keep.

As part of the process, Balfour Beatty has taken responsibility for safely delivering 15 buildings including over 50 new retail units, 160 apartments and three commercial buildings, together with 550 car parking spaces and the comprehensive refurbishment of other buildings, including Liverpool’s oldest Grade II-listed warehouse, for retail use.

Ongoing on-site health and safety advice and equipment tags have been provided by Scafftag on the large-scale 42 acre project, which forms part of a city wide renaissance. The culmination of this will see Liverpool crowned the European Capital of Culture in 2008 and all eyes are on the regeneration scheme as it takes shape.

Like any city centre development where there are members of the public in the near vicinity of the project, with plenty of site visitors and many contractors operating in tandem, health and safety is of primary concern.

Balfour Beatty, has a long term relationship with Scafftag and though the construction company initially used the inspection tags for access scaffolds, temporary structures and mobile platforms, it has gradually expanded its demand for tagging on other site equipment, such as power tools.

Balfour Beatty Construction’s Regional Health & Safety Advisor, Steve Cottrell, explains that the company’s health and safety manual sets a requirement that companies tendering for work must comply with its stringent standards.

”By demonstrating heath and safety best practice at our sites, we can play a major role in influencing the rest of the construction industry to take these matters more seriously”, he says.

Balfour Beatty recently commissioned a tower crane tag from Scafftag for trial at the Paradise Project and a Scafftag product demonstration board has recently been implemented by Scafftag to assist new employees in familiarising themselves with the inspection process, which complements the existing Balfour Beatty’s induction process.

Scafftag Regional Sales Manager, Mel Olsson, says: “Only by engaging staff in health and safety practice, as Balfour Beatty is doing, will industry standards really improve. Here at Scafftag, we are at the forefront of driving good construction practise and are keen to work with customers to extend the equipment status tagging approach.

“Health and safety is of utmost concern to all those involved in the construction industry. Performance in this area is playing an increasingly important role in the award of contracts and being able to demonstrate best practice using solutions such as Scafftag’s makes good business sense.”

Balfour Beatty is involved in several other high profile projects in the North West region, including the Houndshill Shopping Centre in Blackpool and Knowsley Building Schools for the Metropolitan Borough Council’s future PPP project.