British Gas, Eastbourne
- Client: British Gas
- Contractor: Technical Demolition Services Ltd
- Location: Gas Works Finmere Road, Eastbourne, BN22 8QL
- Project Type: Hanger access scaffold for the demolition of an old gas tanker
- Timescale: 12 weeks
- Site manager: Peter Chaloner
Scaffolding Requirements
Access scaffold to remove liquid / gas residue before demolition works take place. Safety access platform was also erected which held a rescue winch in case of emergency. Building a hanger scaffold inside a gas tanker for demolition is a complex and highly specialized task that requires attention to safety, precision, and engineering detail. Specialist RAMS, operative training and scaffold design is required for such a project. ACE Scaffolding provide all of this, minus the bespoke scaffold design which is engineered independently.
How we approached this project
1. Planning and Safety Considerations
Before starting, thorough planning is crucial. Given that this is a gas tanker, it’s essential to ensure that it is fully decontaminated to remove any residual gas or flammable materials.
A risk assessment and safety protocols were put in place, including personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers and gas monitoring equipment. The scaffold design and all ACE operatives on site complied with industry regulations.
2. Engineering and Scaffold Design:
The main scaffold is designed as a “hanger scaffold” which means it’s suspended from the structure above rather than built up from the ground. Since the interior of the gas tanker is a confined and curved space, the scaffold needs to be custom-built to fit the internal geometry of the tanker.
Peter and the Technical Demolition team cut a large hole out of the top the tank suitable to fit all scaffold structures and human entry required.
Key design elements include:
- Suspension Points – Strong and secure points are identified where the scaffold can be safely anchored.
- Weight Distribution – The scaffold structure itself was carefully calculated by the design engineer to ensure the kentledge holding the scaffold on ground suits the weight of the scaffold entering the tank. This was also must be robust enough to hold operatvies, tools, and debris. Engineers calculate load-bearing capacities for safety.
- Platform size – The design engineer had to ensure that the hanger scaffold width & length was suitable for ACE operatives to ensure the high level of safety at all times.
3. Installation of the Hanger Scaffold (The installation process was as follows):
- Erection of on ground scaffold structure
- Installation of kentledge water weights
- Add water to the 1 tonne kentledge weights
- Build hanger support scaffold strucutre
- Erect hanger scaffold
- Erect rescue platform
- Install rescue winch
Once the work was complete, all scaffold is dismantled in reverse order.
Building a hanger scaffold inside a gas tanker for demolition requires a balance of engineering expertise and safety. The scaffold must be strong, stable, and adaptable to the confined nature of the tanker while providing safe access for operatvies to carry out works.
Specialist training: ACE Scaffolding operatives were confined space trained. All scaffolders on site hold CISRS qualifications.
It was a pleasure working with James Sands (Director), Peter Chaloner (Site Manager) and the team on such an exhilarating project.
The Technical Demolition team were highly organised and professional throughout works.
