Brighton General Hospital
- Client: NHS
- Contractor: Pattenden Construction
- Location: Block F, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, BN2 3EW.
- Project Type: Full independent wrap of building + weather protection.
- Timescale: 24 weeks
- Site manager: Tommy Pattenden
Scaffolding Requirements
The NHS saw fit to provide some general maintenance to Block F. This building had been untouched for many years.
Scaffolding erected on site was a full independent wrap which included external birdcages, a small temporary roof covering the independent only, with cladding choice being a full shrink wrap.
Means of access was through a HAKI staircase which included a safety fence on the base lift. There were numerous ladder exists through all lifts to ground level in case of emergency on site.
How we approached this project
1. Planning and Safety Considerations: Before any works started, many pre-site meetings to calculate all the risks had taken place.
We were aware the building was to be kept open on erection and dismantle of the block. Therefor fire exists and doorways had to be kept safe when scaffolding works were taking place.
Site specific RAMS were provided by our H&S team to ensure the building could be live.
Our team were only to work behind barriered off areas which included plenty of signage.
We stuck to a schedule when erecting and dismantling scaffolding per elevation to ensure we wouldn’t affect all areas of the building when working.
2. Engineering and Scaffold Design:
Upon our first survey our surveying team had taken all the building measurements. This was then sent to an independent design company who also attended a site visit.
Our team working alongside the SDL team then discussed and produced the design, load calculations and risk assessment for this project.
The majority of the scaffolding was basic. The main factor to take into consideration here was the wind speeds, it being on the top of a hill only a few miles from the seafront.
Key design elements include:
- Building survey – The engineer was not given any building documents. Therefor a day’s work was required to survey the full ins and outs of the building.
- Structure safety – Anchor ties were the tie of choice on site here. The engineer included over 100 ties on site. Ties were pull tested with certificate evidence. The engineer had to take weather conditions into consideration here. As the area is so close to the seafront.
- Platform size – The basic independent was always going to be 4 boards wide with X2 inside boards. But there were birdcage scaffolds included, some of which 20 boards wide.
- Additional structures – A small temporary roof was erected over the top lift of the scaffolding. Due to render works being carried out and a tight schedule to follow the client did not want any hold ups.
3. Installation of scaffold on site (The installation process was as follows):
- Making safe working areas
- Adding barriers and signage
- Erection of the independent scaffold
- Erection of birdcage scaffolds
- Complete elevations in site required order
- Erection temporary roof over independent
- Adding ties required by design
- Pull testing 5% of ties
- Installation of HAKI staircase
- Installation of shrink wrap
Once the work was complete, all scaffold is dismantled in reverse order.
Specialist training: All scaffolders on site hold CISRS qualifications. ACE Advance scaffolding inspector.
It was a pleasure working with Tommy & Billy Pattenden (Directors) on such a great project. This site is an iconic landmark in the Brighton City. Being opened in September of 1867 this hospital has survived 2 world wars which accommodated many soldiers in those eras.
The Pattenden team working alongside the onsite NHS management team were highly organised and professional throughout works.
