CPA Bulletin

www.cpa.uk.net CPA Bulletin > August 2023 41 I am involved in several committees and working groups, including the IPAF UK and Ireland MCWP/Hoist Working Group and the British Standards Committee MHE/6 for Construction Hoists, as well as being Chair of the CPA’s Construction Hoist Interest Group (CHIG) and a CPA Council Member. I’m also a ‘Women in Construction’ Ambassador and, above all (I hope) a source for help within the industry wearing one of my many hats! In just the 30 years I have been in the industry, I have seen the market has expanded incredibly. Large building projects and new builds were not plentiful, and health and safety was of little importance, certainly not a priority. The major factor in renting equipment for sites were the costs involved and, to keep these as low as possible, often this meant dangerous methods for lifting materials which also gave rise to construction accidents. It can still be seen in other countries, just by looking on the web, but thankfully the UK has been a powerhouse in putting the emphasis on health and safety. I remember the days of diesel powered and rope driven hoists, sometimes with open platforms and the absence of a brake system. The UK has seen the need for more equipment on sites, from small house builders to entire villages and regeneration of areas. The need to provide safe methods and ease of distribution, not only for materials but for personnel too has been a terrific influence on the manufacturers, who have embraced suggestions from the rental market. In the last 15 years there has been an increase in new builds for student accommodation, and refurbishment of older buildings creating new uses and restoration of iconic buildings. Over the years this in turn has led to the development of hoist models to suit our market, working with manufacturers to understand the customer needs and legislation to provide suitable equipment with safety at the forefront. This leads me on to the main topic - The Construction Hoist Interest Group, or as we call it CHIG. In 1996, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) introduced a new piece of legislation regarding the interlocking of landing gates - to prevent the risk of falls from open areas on scaffolding/buildings. At the time, whilst we all agreed with the principle and the added safety this would bring, we were given a short time to comply. This presented several issues to rental companies and manufacturers, not just from the cost perspective, but many machines in UK fleets were not designed or capable of implementing the systems. Although we are competitors, we shared the same problem and started to discuss the issue between ourselves as to how we SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS: 2 Providing a Safer Environment for All by Kirsty Archbold-Laming, Director of Southern Hoist services and Chair of the Construction Hoist Interest Group (CHIG) In April I was invited to be a guest speaker at the IPAF Summit in Berlin on the subject of hoists and health and safety in the UK. I have worked in the UK rental market for 30 years now, specialising in construction hoists and growing our company Southern Hoist Services.