PROJECT BRIEF 

Initially the project brief was to install outside terraces within triangular opening on the building that involved the removal of the brie soleil for cleaning on bays 3 and 4 of 7No bays in total. Our brief was to design and build a scaffold system at high level that could support lifting equipment to allow the brie soleil to be lowered to ground and taking away for cleaning and also include central lifting rails within the void to assist in raising the steels for the terraces. 

It quickly became apparent that the further 5No bays brie soleil would also require removal and cleaning, so the scaffold now extended for the whole length of the building along with the installation of gantries at low level over an extremely busy public footpath down to the Thames.  

SCAFFOLD SOLUTIONS 

After numerous approaches we opted for a rear scaffold on the roof tied to the cradle track that allowed for 750 modular beams to span out to the outside main steel that supported the vertical brie soleil. We would then run a 2.00m frame at the end to allow trimmer beams to sail out over the edge and give our operatives access to fit the Niko track safely from behind a protected platform. 

The main issue with this method was safely getting the beam to span from the rear cradle track out over the void to the outside steel. With the full input of the team erecting the scaffold we devised a system where we erected temporary bridges across the void at roof level giving us a safe central platform to work from.  

This project has proved challenging in many respects as we needed to deal with mobile cranes to access materials to the roof along with working over a very busy location. Our team have been extremely collaborative during the works so far allowing us to address issues as they arrive. 

CURRENT PROGRESS 

We are currently in the process of completing around 75% of the brie soleil lifting frame and are now beginning to start carrying out internal works. One more night gantry to go on bays 1 and 2!