2013.05-06 Scaffold & Access May-June

Knowing is Seeing, p. 17 Around the Table, p. 23 SAIA Convention Preview, p.
31
scaffold & access magazine
May-June 2013
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scaffold & access 3
table of contents
features
17
Knowing is Seeing
Being able to see the five Ws of traceability on the scaffold
plank you intend on purchasing is vital.
may-june 2013
20
Above & Beyond

A new scaffold system takes safety to the next level.
23
Around the Table
on the cover
Scaffold industry veterans discuss where the industrys

been, where its going, and its competitive advantage.
14 Day & Night
A project team works long hours

to accommodate a historic retrofit
Columns
6 The Presidents Desk
8 Editors 2 Cents
10 Litigation News
12 Technically Speaking
DEPARTMENTS
26 Business and Development
29 New Equipment
31 SAIA
38 Advertisers Index
4 May-June 2013
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scaffold & access 5
The Presidents Desk
Is Momentum
Gaining?
By Marty Coughlin
elcome to spring. I hope you all

were able to take advantage of the
winter to catch up on things not possible during the busy construction season,
including training programs, updating your competent cards, and taking
advantage of SAIAs new programs. If
not, there is still time. We have a number of courses scheduled throughout
the country led by the SAIA staff or your
local ATI. Check with SAIA Director of
Education and Training Granville Loar
at granville@saiaonline.org for additional information.
Tradeshow Season
It was, per usual, a busy tradeshow
season, and I hope you were able to
attend at least one of them. The SAIA
attended the World of Concrete and
held another popular Safety Boot
Camp; and also debuted its Aerial
Work Platform Training course at the
American Rental Associations (ARA),
The Rental Show. The feedback on the
new training program has been excellent. Bob Backer and his team have
worked tirelessly in getting this program
together, and the results are evident in
the program.
Committee Week, held in New
Orleans, was another success. During
the board meeting, the topic of venues
was discussed with everyone agreeing
that instead of changing venues yearto-year, a city will be selected to hold
Committee Week for two to three years
Attending the tradeshows

and meetings this year,
I found the mood and
outlook for 2013 vastly
different than last year.
It seems a number of
attendees are tired of
waiting for the economy
to turn around and are
becoming more aggressive.
consecutively. In doing this, better
prices can to be negotiated for meeting
space and rooms; and the yearly site visits for staff to ensure the venue meets
the groups needs will be reduced. We
have elected to return to New Orleans
for the 2014 Committee Week, and
while we are still negotiating room rates,
we took advantage of our time there to
decide on a location, eliminating the
need and expense of another site visit.
We will follow up with a new location
for 2015-2018 and have already begun
contacting venues that are centrally
located so we can begin working on
locking in favorable rates.

Looking Ahead
Attending the tradeshows and meetings this year, I found the mood
and outlook for 2013 vastly different

than last year. It seemed a number
of attendees are tired of waiting for
the economy to turn around and are
becoming more aggressive.
I am a believer of the adage: You can
create interest, but not demand. We
have been displaying new products and
technologiestrying to create the interestnow where is the demand?
There are strong pockets of activity
going on, and there has been a definite
increase in bidding activity; however,
the impact that reduced government
spending will have in your market
remains to be seen and could put a
damper on the enthusiasm that we saw
at World of Concrete and ARA.
Manufacturers and suppliers are
offering different outlooks. Some are
reporting good inventories and materials in stock; others are reporting
four to six weeks on deliveries of new
orders; and then there are those that
cant keep up with current demand.
With spring upon us, its a good idea
to check with your suppliers and
plan accordingly.
Finally, if you werent able to join us
in Nashville 10 years ago, dont miss
out this year. The councils have been
working on the programs, and a number of guest speakers have been lined
up for the meetings that you dont want
to miss. We have some special plans for
the Presidents Reception as wellit
will be truly memorable.
2012-2014 SAIA Executive Committee

Marty Coughlin President
Dependable Scaffolding LLC
Mike Russell President Elect
Power Climber
Jeff Stachowiak Vice President
Sunbelt Rentals
6 May-June 2013
Paula Manning Secretary

Century Elevators
Colby Hubler Treasurer
Power Climber
James Holcomb Presidential Appointee
Crom Equipment Rentals Inc.
Jay Gordon Board Appointee

Klimer Platforms Inc.
Frank Frietsch Board Appointee
Layher Inc.
Steve Smith Immediate Past President
Edge International
scaffold & access 7
Editors 2 Cents
Change is
in the Air
By Lindsay Minard
omewhere around five years ago,

the looming change in the airthe
something big about to happentook
the country from economic boom to
bust, fast. In the years since, the country, its economy, businesses, industries,
and households have adjusted to what
they call the new normal.Those that
do the forecasting predict it highly
unlikely we return to our previous state
of boom where money and jobs grew
on treesalmost literally.
Today, again, there seems to be
something loomingsomething
big about to happen. The difference
though is instead of hurdling towards
an economic black hole, weve turned
around and are gaining ground on
that light at the other end of what has
turned out to be a very long tunnel.
And while weve conditioned ourselves
after years of riding the good and bad
news waves, to be cautiously optimistic (emphasis on cautious)there are
numbersreal numbers that indicate
a boom in the residential construction
industry is coming.
With change again filling the air,
and in the spirit of lessons learned,
instead of waiting for impact and then
reacting, lets begin planning now (if
you havent already heard and started)
to tackle the challenges that certainly
will come when the residential market
springs to life, followed domino-style
by all the othersamong the most
positively impacted, scaffold and

access businesses.
With a boom in the residential
industry will come lots of work for the
industry, and an opportunity to apply
and test how strong its safety culture
has become during slower times when
there was opportunity to nurture that
culture and get serious about training.
The industry has been making huge
strides for decades to put safety at the
center of what it doesnow as we barrel towards a boom and demand peaks
along with prices, its time to see how
strong the industrys safety culture is.
With good times ahead and challenges to figure out, remember that
June is the National Safety Councils
National Safety Month (NSM). The
theme in 2013 is: Safety Starts with
Me. The concept behind it is that
businesses doing safety right engage
everyone in the companytop-down,
bottom-upin safety processes and
procedures, connecting their importance to each and every person, beyond
the workplace. This approach sets the
stage for a safety culture based on
accountability. For more information
visit http://nsc.org/nsm.
In this issue, check out the articles
on supported scaffolds, plank and
platform, and shoring. Youll notice
the themes of safety, innovation, and
hope wafting in an outsomethings
definitely in the air.
For more information or article

submissions please contact:
lminard@maxcapmedia.com
8 May-June 2013
May-June 2013
Volulme 41 Issue 3
PRESIDENT
Guy Ramsey
602-368-8552
gramsey@maxcapmedia.com
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
BARBARA BENTON
800-231-8953, ext. 2114
bbenton@maxcapmedia.com
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Katie Parrish
480-241-5625
kparrish@maxcapmedia.com
EDITOR
lindsay minard
602-288-7289
lminard@maxcapmedia.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
NATE CARNAHAN
515-574-2273
nate@hlipublishing.com
ADVERTISING SALES
800-231-8953
515-574-2312 (direct) FAX 515-574-2361
Advertising Rates, Deadlines and Mechanical
Requirements furnished upon request.
PROJECT MANAGER
elouise schultz
602-368-8552
eschultz@maxcapmedia.com
ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Cindy kirby
515-574-2312, ext. 2284
ckirby@maxcapmedia.com
Floyd Geopfert
515-574-2312, ext. 2278
fgeopfert@maxcapmedia.com
ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES
jeff shumar
602-368-8552
jshumar@maxcapmedia.com
jody colee
515-574-2312, ext. 2112
jcolee@maxcapmedia.com
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA
FRANCI M. MOTZ
602-368-8552
fmotz@maxcapmedia.com
Coming in the
July-Aug. Issue of SA!
Look for articles on:
Permanent Installations
Suspended Scaffolds
Fall Protection
Be on the lookout for

SA Connection: the digital
supplement to SA magazine that
features new articles, industry
briefs, and SAIA resources.
For more information contact
Lindsay Minard: lminard@maxcapmedia.com
CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Send new address with mailing label to:
Scaffold and Access Industry Association
400 Admiral Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64106
SA Magazine is published six times per year in January-February,
March-April, May-June, July-August, September-October, and
November-December, plus an Annual Directory, by Maximum
Capacity Media, LLC, 1003 Central Ave., Fort Dodge, IA 50501,
Phone 515-574-2312, Fax 515-574-2361. Entire contents copyright
2013 by Maximum Capacity Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Opinions
expressed by writers of SA are not necessarily held by the publisher.
Subscription: SA magazine is $85 per year
SAFE T Y RELI AB I LI T Y Q U A L I TY BY D E S I GN
TOP QUALITY SCAFFOLD PLANKS IN STOCK

Planks are
available in
a variety of
sizes and are
compatible with
all types of
scaffold systems.
All products meet or exceed

OSHA and ANSI specifications.
Visit us at the SAIA Annual Convention (booth #100) Nashville, TN July 21-23, 2013
World Headquarters: 5602 Armour Drive | Houston, TX 77020 | USA
Offices In: Hong Kong | China | India | Latin America | Canada | United Kingdom
713-673-7701 Phone | 800-720-6629 Toll Free | www.directscaffoldsupply.comscaffold & access 9
Litigation News
Where is the
Disconnect?
By Robert Zinselmeier
n my March-April column, the evolving landscape of claims

concerning the scaffold industry was discussed with respect
to the changes weve seen since the 1970s/1980s when frame
scaffolding (in all its multiple configurations) and suspended
scaffolding dominated the industry, to todays current world
of booms and lifts.
Then and Now

Think back to those days and consider what product
information was available for distribution in terms of selling, renting, or using frame scaffolding. SAIA members had
access to codes of safe practicesbeneficial documents
that provided extensive information on what to do. and
what not to do. To the best of my recollection, there was
one manufacturer who had a pamphlet that provided written instructions for the proper and safe use of their product.
Warning labels had not yet been introduced and did not
come into play until years later. The remaining option for
SCAFFOLD SHORING SYSTEMS

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10 May-June 2013
a scaffold user was to make contact with their local OSHA

office for guidelines.
As for suspended scaffolding, all of the manufacturers of
hoist motors had manuals outlining the correct use of their
motors and the correct manner in which to set up the entirety
of the suspended scaffold. These instructions were crucial to
the end-user, considering the systems other component parts
not within the hoist motor manufacturers control.
The point is, the modest amount of information available to the end-user for both products was, in comparison to
todays standards, minimal. This undoubtedly led to frequent
accidents and the industrys acknowledgment of the need for
training. As such, training programs were developed and the
results have been monumental.
Today, users have an extraordinary amount of information on these machines at their fingertips. When an operator
walks up to a lift, regardless of who the manufacturer is, the
amount of labeling on the unit is significant; the control
panel on the machine is outlined with vital, visual information; and the operators manual is extensive. There is also at
least one manufacturer who reprints the American National
Standards Institutes (ANSI) Manual of Responsibilities in
their equipment manual. The Manual of Responsibilities as
part of the ANSI standards outlines specifically what each
entity in the chain must do to comply with the proper handling and safe use of the equipment.
So between the labeling, the size and scope of the operator
manuals, and the Manual of Responsibilitiesthe information
available to todays users is far superior to what end-users had in
the past; but the fact remains that there are still significant numbers of accidents on these machines. Perhaps the number of
lifts being used on a daily basis, in some measure, accounts for
the number of accidents in which they are involved; however,
given the amount of information available the opposite should
be true: less information early on, more accidents; more/better
quality information today, less accidentsright?
I believe the answer circles back to training programsinperson, classroom, practical training. All the manuals and labels
in the world dont add up to the knowledge and understanding
gained through training programs. The industry needs to continue
to promote and develop programs that coincide with the fingertip
information in order to put a real dent in the accident reports.
About the Author
Robert Zinselmeier is a Senior Litigation Specialist with
Specialty Claims Management in St. Louis, Mo. Contact
him at zinselmeier@specialtyclaims.com.
scaffold & access 11
Technically Speaking
Is it
Supported?
David H. Glabe, P.E.
an a scaffold be supported but yet

not a supported scaffold? Obviously
all scaffolds require support, some from
the ground and some from above, such
as the roof of a building, but does it
matter if a scaffold is supported but not
a supported scaffold? The answer is a
resounding yes. Knowing what type of
scaffold youre dealing with is crucial to
making sure its in compliance with recognized safety standards and therefore a
safe scaffoldmaking the real question:
How are scaffolds classified?
An elevated platform is a scaffold if
it is elevated, temporary, and supports
employees, materials, or both. There
are three types of scaffolds: supported
scaffolds, suspended scaffolds, and aerial platforms.
Supported scaffolds are temporary
elevated platforms that are supported
by rigid means such as legs, poles, or
uprights. Examples of supported scaffolds include tubular welded frame
scaffolds, system scaffolds, tube and
coupler scaffolds, pump jack scaffolds,
horse scaffolds, and tank scaffolds.
Suspended scaffolds are temporary
elevated platforms that are supported
by non-rigid means such as chains,
ropes, or slings. Examples of suspended
scaffolds include single and two-point,
(a window washers scaffold), catenary
scaffolds, and multi-point.
Aerial platforms, or at least aerial devices, are described by the
American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) as: Any device, extensible,
articulating, or both, which is primarily designed and used to position
personnel. The device may also be
used to handle material, if designed
and equipped for that purpose.
Exceptions to the Rule
As with any categorization, there has
to be an exception or two. The first,
which isnt really an exception but more
12 May-June 2013
of a clarification, is the hanging scaffold.

A hanging or hung scaffold is a scaffold
typically constructed of rigid metal
tubes that hangs down from a structure
above. While the usual assumption is
that it is a suspended scaffold, its actually not. Because it is constructed of
rigid tubes, it is a supported scaffold
even though it is suspended from above.
A Masons adjustable supported scaffold is the common exception to the
supported/suspended classification. A
Masons adjustable supported scaffold has a platform that is supported
by suspension ropes and a redundant
(back-up) tower support. The suspension ropes are supported by rigid
towers constructed of metal tubes.
This results in a tower that is both a
suspended scaffold and a supported
scaffold. Consequently, both the OSHA
Construction Supported Scaffold
Regulations [29 CFR 1926.451(c)] and
the OSHA Construction Suspended
Scaffold Regulations [29 CFR
1926.451(d)] may apply, depending if
the platform is supported by ropes only
or also by the tower itself.
Aerial platforms are unique. Regulations
that apply to supported and suspended
scaffolds do not apply to boom supported
elevating work platforms (boom lifts),
self-propelled elevating work platforms
(scissors lifts), vehicle-mounted elevating
and rotating aerial devices (truck-mounted
boom lifts), or mast-climbing work platforms (mast climbers). These machines
have specific ANSI standards.
Whether its a supported scaffold, suspended scaffold, or an aerial platform is
determined by what is holding up the
platformits that easy. However, some
food for thought: If youre considering
a table as a scaffold you may want to
think twice. If your platform is suspended from your mothers clothesline
(rope) you may really want to rethink
that one.
About the Author

David H. Glabe, P.E. is the
Founder of Glabe Consulting Services,
Inc. and Founder and Partner of DH
Glabe & Associates. Glabe is SAIAs
Regulatory Liaison. Contact him at
dglabe@dhglabe.com.
Supported scaffolds on a project.
Suspended Scaffolds on a project.
Aerial platforms on a project.
Quality Training.
Proven Results.
Scaffold & Access Industry Association is the unified
voice of the scaffold and access industry. In its 40+
year history, SAIA has provided safety education
to thousands of contractors through its renowned
seminars and training courses. SAIA promotes
safety by developing educational and informational
material; conducting educational seminars and
training courses; provide audio-visual programs and
codes of safe practices and other training and safety
aids. These training courses teach contractors how
to meet and exceed those standards with best safety
practices, reducing employee injuries and lost time
on the job. Beyond training, SAIA also assists our
members to become more efficient and profitable in

their businesses. With over 900 member locations
spanning the globe, and 90+ Accredited Training
Institutes, SAIAs mission is to ensure that those who
make, install, depend on, or govern the use of access
tools and equipment pursue the highest standards
of safety, craftsmanship and ethics.
Training courses are available throughout the year for
SAIA members and non-members. The SAIA embraces
learning through participation and facilitates the
processes via its committees and councils, regional
meetings, Committee Week, and the Annual Convention.
SAIA Course Offerings Include:

Scaffold User Safety and
Hazard Awareness
Scaffold Primary Access Training
Supported Scaffold Training
Scaffold Competent Person

Safety Training (CPT)
Professional Scaffold Erector
Safety Training Challenge Exam
Suspended Scaffold Hazard
Awareness and Operator
Safety Training
Suspended Scaffold Training

Mast Climber Operator Training
Aerial Work Platform
Operator Training
Scaffold & Access Industry Association 400 Admiral Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106
816.595.4860 www.saiaonline.org info@saiaonline.org
Day &
Night
A project team works long hours to accommodate
a historic retrofit by David Johnson
he Sacramento Valley Depot in Sacramento, Calif., is

undergoing an $11 million seismic retrofit to bring the
historic structure into compliance with todays Seismic Life
Safety and Americans with Disabilities standards. The architecturally and historically significant depot is named on the
National Registry of Historic Places as the Southern Pacific
Railroad Sacramento Depot.
The depot is the countrys seventh largest Amtrak station
with 1.2 million riders every year and is the ground transportation hub for Sacramento; therefore, closing for renovations
was not an option for the project team. The depot also serves
the Sacramento Regional Transit Light Rail and bus service
along with Amtraks thruway motor coaches.
The depot project is part of the revitalization of the old
Southern Pacific rail yard, which includes relocation of
tracks and platforms, and construction of a light rail station
on the site of the old platforms. The rail yard site will eventually be an extension of downtown Sacramento with housing,
retail, and other multi-use purposes.
History Lesson
Located at the foot of the Sierra Mountains, Sacramento,
once the hub of the California gold rush and the largest
inland port, became the states capital in 1854. Close by was
14 May-June 2013
the Overland Traila route for stagecoaches, mail routes, the

famous Pony Express, and later the Transcontinental Railroad
through the Sierras; today, the trail is Highways 50 and 80.
The first railroad in California was the Sacramento Valley
Railroad (SVRR), which eventually ran 22 miles from
Sacramento to Folsom by 1852. The chief engineer of the
SVRR was Theodore Judah, who later would be the chief
engineer on the Central Pacific Railroad and championed
having the Transcontinental Railway pass through the Sierras.
Sacramento was the logical choice to be the western terminal of the Transcontinental Railroad. Tracks for the Central
Pacific Railroad began being laid in 1883, heading east over
the Sierras to meet up with the Union Pacific. Seven years
later on May 10, 1869, in Promontory Point, Utah, the transcontinental route to Council Bluffs, Iowa, was completed. In
1885 the Southern Pacific, located in Sacramento, absorbed
the Central Pacific.
After World War I, Sacramento pressured Southern Pacific
to build a new, grander station to welcome people to the
city. Construction was completed on the Southern Pacific
Railroad Sacramento Depot, now the Sacramento Valley
Depot, in 1926.
The building was designed and constructed in renaissance
revival style with a red tile roof and terra cotta trim throughout.
The main waiting room has soaring 40-ft.

arched ceilings and a mural depicting the
groundbreaking of the Transcontinental
Railroad in 1883 by western mural artist
John MacQuarrie.
The Retrofit
When the time came to retrofit the
historic structure, Skyline Scaffold provided shoring, scaffold towers, overhead
protection, and a full deck inside the
hung ceiling of the building.
The first pieces of scaffold erected
were shoring towers to help suspend
the lath and plaster ceilings while
the retrofit was going on above them.
These towers stabilized the ceilings
while carpenters added joists and
blocking. Opening the floors above
these ceilings highlighted the beauty
of the full-dimension redwood that was
used in the buildings construction.
Next was the full overhead protection of the waiting room and ticketing
areas. The majority of the work was
completed at night as the stations
hours of operation are 4:00 a.m. to
12:00 a.m., seven days a week; and
its waiting room hosts 3,000-plus
passengers a day along with Amtrak
employees, vendors, light rail and bus
passengers, and the general public.
The overhead protection needed
to be as unobtrusive as possible and
allow for the maximum public use of
the space, so Skyline designed an overhead canopy using system scaffold to
allow for the greatest use of space while
providing the maximum protection.
The overhead protection was built at
a height of 14 ft. to allow the ticketing
sign boards to be viewable to the public.
Preserving Historic Integrity
One of the greatest challenges to the
interior overhead protection was the
waiting area benches. The mahogany
benches are part of the historic fixtures
of the building and connect to the
buildings heating system. Since they
could not be moved the scaffold was
designed to go around them, keeping
them in use.
To combat a trip hazard created by a
forest of columns with standard mudsills
inside a public space, minimal plywood
pads cut to the size of the base plate were
used to protect the marble flooring.
Full overhead protection in the waiting room and ticketing areas had to be as
unobtrusive to the public as possible.
Aluminum hook plank was used while working on the ceiling to prevent against a fire
hazard and to keep the weight down.
A crane at midnight picked and placed the necessary gear for the ceiling restoration
onto the roof.
The Depots mahogany benches connect to the buildings heating system, therefore could not be removed. So the Skyline project
team designed the scaffold around them.
Another hazard to combat with the columns was the

rosettes sticking out from the standards. To protect the public,
4-in. plastic corrugated drainpipe tubing was cut down one
side and wrapped around the columns providing padding so
that the standard would be softened.
Once the overhead protection was complete, work on
the deck in the ceiling began.The team began with a solid
site survey, and then set necessary fall protection measures,
warning lines, and calculations of the imposed roof load;
a crane at midnight picked and placed all of the necessary
gear onto the roof.
To reduce the roof load all plank and trusses were moved
inside the adjacent roof space leaving just the horizontals and
verticals on the roof. Skyline started building the deck moving
the scaffold parts and pieces through the 3x3 roof vents into
the ceiling void. The grand ceiling in the waiting area was
constructed from wire grid lathe and plaster, suspended from
the main roof trusses. The curve meant that the supports had
to come down 3 ft. in the center from the bottom cord of the
trusses, and then curve down to 16 ft. from the bottom of the
truss at the edges of the building.
The deck was built to engineered drawings using suspending lattice girders over the buildings trusses and then
building a deck down from themstair-stepping to match
the contour of the ceiling.
The deck had to be built with metal plank because wood
was not allowed in the ceiling void because of fire hazard
concerns. In order to keep the weight down, aluminum hook
plank was used with steel plank filling in the remaining spaces.
The historic nature of the ceiling meant using tool lanyards to control all tools in the ceiling and working around
all of the centenary wires, cables, and suspension points with
minimum disturbance of the system. The contractor also
had to reroute roof drain lines and some mechanical fixtures
around the deck space. Once in place, the deck allowed the
contractor to have full access to the trusses above and the
ceiling below to complete the seismic retrofit and install fire
sprinklers in the ceiling.
Another challenge on the project concerned the long cantilevered decks on each side of the platform that could not
be supported from the lattice girders. The solution involved
using roof beams and beam clamps to suspend the free ends
of the decks that were then cantilevered back to the main
deck with double diagonal braces. This allowed for the end
decks to be installed without drilling into the end wall that
were part of the seismic retrofit.
Overall historic restoration projects are always approached
differently than other construction projects. The Skyline
team worked day and night to accomodate the City of
Sacramento and the general contractor, ensuring not only
the end-product, but the path to it was safe, met the needs
of the team, upheld the depots historic integrity, and didnt
impact its demanding schedule.
About the Author
David Johnson is the Vice President of Operations and Safety
at Skyline Scaffold, Inc. and the Co-Chair of SAIAs Supported
Council. He can be reached at david@skylinescaffold.com.
16 May-June 2013
knowing is
seeing (
Being able to see the five Ws of traceability on the scaffold plank
you intend on purchasing is vital by Jeff Jack
caffold planks and platforms are frequently used in harsh

environments and are responsible for supporting workers
and materials at elevated heights. Every plank must support the loads applied to it, and because failure to do so is
potentially life-threatening, the quality of materials and manufacturing of every scaffold plank is vastly important. The
challenge for wood-based scaffold planks is that it can be
difficult to distinguish a suitable product from a lower grade
product not intended for scaffold use.
The issues related to scaffold plank traceability are
understandable; however, the ramifications of inadequate
traceability tend to be ignored. This can be costly to all
involved, especially when there is a problem with performance or application.
Adequate traceability can be simplified as follows:

Communicating what the product is
Communicating who manufactured and inspected
the product
Communicating when and where the product was
manufactured
Method of communicating how this information
The Why
There are many products that without proper traceability
have no great impact on our livesitems generally low in
cost, non-life threatening, and easy to operate (no need for
information from the manufacturer).
But take a car, for example. A car needs proper traceability,
or you probably wouldnt make the purchase. It is a significant investment, and any defects in functionality could create
life-threatening safety hazards. Therefore, a detailed owners
manual is always provided by the manufacturer, often along
with a network of authorized dealers to assist with service and
maintenance. Would you purchase a car off a lot at a deal if
it didnt have a make, model, manufacturer name or emblem,
or a VIN number? Is the risk of not knowing if youre in a safe
vehicle worth the reward of a deal way below sticker?
The same concept applies to scaffold planks. They are

a significant investment for distributors, owners, and users.
The performance and quality of each plank is critical to the
safety of their users. Additionally, while scaffold planks arent
exactly complicated to operate, there is significant value in
having technical and field support provided by the manufacturer, and the ability to easily identify who that manufacturer
is and how they can be contacted.
The What
So what defines adequate traceability? Simply answered,
traceability concerning scaffold plank should at a minimum
give clear information as to who manufactured the plank,
when, and where it was produced. This information should
be permanently embossed on both sides of the plank.
One piece of essential information is a marking that indicates
the product is specifically SCAFFOLD PLANK or SCAF
PLK. This is particularly important for wood-based scaffold
planks that bear similar resemblance to lower-grade products
not intended for scaffold use. Additionally, many manufacturers
of scaffold plank in North America will include an OSHA or
CSA S259.2 marking to indicate conformance with the applicable scaffold regulations in the U.S. and Canada, respectively.
Good To Know
There are cases concerning solid-sawn wood products, where the manufacturer of the scaffold plank
product is not the manufacturer of the board. Some
scaffold plank manufacturers purchase their raw materials from sawmills who have cut the lumber, or from
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) manufacturers who
have produced the LVL billets. Traceability is generally tied back to the scaffold plank manufacturer for
all wood-based planks, but for LVL it should be clearly
traceable back to the LVL manufacturers name, mill
location, and production period.
The Who
While it is not a requirement that the plank manufacturers
name be fully spelled out, it is important that either the product name or logo, or the manufacturers name or logo can be
easily determined. For wood-based plank products, the grade
agency or third-party inspection agency used by the manufacturer must be included. This is critical information to have
in case the quality or safety of a product from a production
lot is called into question.
The Where
The markings on a plank should include the manufacturers mill number assigned by the respective agency. This
provides critical information as to where the plank was manufactured. Some manufacturers will further identify their
product with the country of origin with a claim like Made
in USA or similar.
The When
The date or production period when scaffold plank was
produced is also of critical importance. The product should
include a date stamp of a month and year, a specific date, or
a time the product was produced. Again, knowing when the
plank was produced is essential information to have should
the products quality or safety from a given production lot be
called into question. These markings tie back to important
information from the manufacturer including: raw material sources, production data, process control, and quality
assurance data from the time period in question. While manufacturers may have varying degrees of internal traceability,
it can generally be stated that the tighter the timeframe on
a production period listed on the product the better. For
example, traceability to an hour of production would be better than to a day or shift of production; and traceability to a
day or shift of production would be better than to a month
of production.
The How
It is largely up to the product manufacturer to determine
how to imprint this information on their product. There
are several different ways to provide traceability and technology continues to produce more innovative ways to do
so. Because of jobsite conditions and the environmental
elements scaffold planks are exposed to, markings for traceability should be able to withstand the elements and still be
readable well into the products service life. For this reason
permanent emboss is highly recommended over ink stamps
on wood-based plank products.
It is possible to get a good deal in the scaffold plank industry on products with poor traceability. Typically, inadequate
traceability is the direct result of a questionable material
source. But questionable traceability puts everyone involved
at risk.
Any questions about meanings of markings or concern
of adequate traceability are best addressed directly with the
plank manufacturer.
Corporate Office
4706 Hoen Ave.
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
(707) 537-8282
So. California Office
2187 Newcastle Ave.
Suite 200
Cardiff, CA 92007
(760) 436-9756
charlesengineering.com
18 May-June 2013
D.H. CHARLES ENGINEERING, INC.
Scaffold EnginEEring
PE LicEnsEd in ALL 50 stAtEs
VArious cAnAdiAn ProVincEs & iL sE
Access Scaffold
Suspended & Work Platforms
Containment Systems
Structural Shoring
Temporary Structures
Bridge Jacking
Special Event Scaffold
Falsework/Formwork
Bridge Structural Analysis
Wall Bracing
Traceability
Guidelines
OSHA, the American National
Standards Institute, and the SAIA
provide regulations, minimum
design properties, and recommendations about proper traceability of
scaffold plank products.
A description of the required
information is covered in Purchasing
Guidelines developed by SAIAs
Plank & Platform Council for various
scaffold plank and platform products. The guidelines are available at:
What is Missing from These Pictures?
The manufacturer name, product

name, mill location or number, and
third-party inspection agency are
missing.
Information about the scaffold plank

grade, manufacturer name, pvroduct
name, mill location/number, third-party
inspection agency is missing.
What to Look For
www.saiaonline.org/
plankandplatform
About the Author

Jeff Jack, P.E. is the Chair of
SAIAs Plank and Platform Council
and is a Division Engineer for
RedBuilt LLC (Boise, ID). Contact
him atAd-SIA-half-horiz-13-05.pdf
jjack@redbuilt.com.
1 5/9/2013 6:25:28 PM
CM
MY
CY
CMY
bove & Beyond

A new scaffold system takes safety to the next level
by Lindsay Minard
The Pyrascaf Mobile Working Tower at a Glance

Conforms to BS 1004-2004, and has been independently tested.

36, 16 and 10 sq. ft. with similar deck space to a standard double width
scaffold without a weaker narrow side. (Triple-deck, double-deck and
single-deck options)
The only scaffold in existence with a tested designated harness point, allowing the user to harness to a point that gives access through 360 degrees on the deck with a low center of gravity. In the event of a fall, the
scaffold will not tip over.
Lifting bars allow users to construct and deconstruct the scaffold without
leaving the ground, using the training they receive during Manual Handling courses.
Once the scaffold is erected and at the required height, the lifting bars are
removed; outriggers not required on the triple deck up to 18 ft. Overall
the scaffold is for all trades working up to a height of 18 to 21 ft.
ew, innovative scaffold products

arent exactly a common occurrence. Scaffolds have been around for
centuries and certainly have seen modifications that have broadened their application-scope, made them safer, more
efficient, and so on; but as far as scaffold
innovations that have really rocked the
boat? Not since the system scaffold hit
20 May-June 2013
the market and really did revolutionize

the industry, has there been a product
that deserved serious fanfare.
What has impacted the industry
greatly are OSHAs scaffold regulations
that wholly changed the way the industry approached safety on a scaffold and
laid the foundation for a safety first culture within it.
But despite the scaffold standards being

in place for some time, the industry still
tops the shortlist when it comes to OSHA
violations, workplace injuries, and death.
Additionally, the motorized access industry has gained significant momentum in
some sectors as the equipment of choice
when possible, as big general contractors,
with lots of dollars dropped into marketing zero-incident safety records, become
more comfortable spending dollars upfront in order to have what they consider
a safer work platform and less possibility
for a fall.
There is also buzz in the U.S. industrial marketthe bread and butter for so many in the scaffold industryabout 100% tie-off making itself
known and prevalent, perhaps even
standard in the U.S. As that buzz gets
louder, U.S. owners with extraordinary
and growing potential liabilities, armed
with the knowledge that 100 % tie-off is
possible, are apt to start seriously weighing the risks and rewards of above and
beyond safety measuresregardless of
when the standards catch up.
The Possibility of Fall Prevention
So what if there was a scaffold product that actually prevented a worker
from fallingnot fall protection, but
fall prevention built into the scaffold?
The Story
Based in Dublin, Ireland, Pyrascaf
Safe Solutions Ltd., led by directors Alan
Barry and Acquelino Deaton has developed a scaffold system across the pond
that may just be the start of something
revolutionary for the near and far scaffold industry and its safety reputation.
Combined, Barry and Deaton have
50-plus years of experience in the construction industryboth starting as
HVAC engineers. One January morning in 2008 over a cup of coffee, both
witnessed a scaffold being assembled
badly on a construction sitesomething
theyd both seen too many times before.
That day I looked at Acquelino and

told him I had an idea that would solve
that problem, and he told me he had
some funds to make it happen, and that
morning we decided to do something,
says Barry. After getting the drawings
ready for the prototypes we headed to
the patent office and appliedeverything snowballed from that point.
Barry and Deaton ended up working on four prototypes for their scaffold system that were tested and retested with a production model ready
in early 2010.
Barry says: It took us nearly two
years to get the production model
American-ready and that timing happened to unfortunately coincide with
the economic slump thats been lingering for five or so years. So we established a baseline of customers in Ireland first, and have now moved to the
UK to do the same.
By somewhat of a coincidence, Barry
and Deaton met Dan Zarletti, president and CEO of Ill.-based risk management/safety consulting firm, Sustainable Safety Solutions, Inc. Zarletti
saw major potential for the product in
the U.S. market.
Pyrascaf has joined the strength
and durability of T-6 aluminum with
a design that incorporates an access
ladder as it is being built from the
ground and a fully compliant access
point, while eliminating the fall exposures associated with scaffold erectionproviding confidence and security to the erector, says Zarletti. The
aluminum design also significantly
minimizes the exposures to strains
and sprains common while lifting and
erecting scaffolding. The Pyrascaf mobile towers will take the construction
industry by storm as it becomes more
appreciated with every use.
Today, Barry and Deatons scaffold
system is about to break through the
slowly but surely recovering U.S. market. Our hope and intention is that by
the 2013 SAIA Convention in July the
deal will be completed and we will be
introducing our new American partners at the show.
ed scaffolda mobile working tower

specifically, with three elements that
work to prevent a fall.
The Pyrascaf mobile working tower is built from the ground using lifting bars that eliminate the need to
climb the structure while its being
built, thus eliminating the opportunity to fall during erection.
A fall arrest system is then attached to
a central harness point built into the scaffold and lowered along the ladder as each
new section is put in place. Once the
scaffold is completely erected, the user
harnesses to that centrally located system
and is able to climb the scaffold without
fear of fallingagain, tied off 100%.
Barry says: The harness point provides a tie-off point for use above and
below the deck; below for climbing
and above for working. If you use the
system the way we designed it, falling
off is impossible.
The third component of the Pyrascaf
system is the working platform that utilizes a stainless steel rotating harness
point attached to a mast at the scaffolds
center of gravity. The user can move
360 degrees around the platform without moving the harness point. If a fall
occurs, because the user is connected
to the scaffolds center, the system will
not topple overthe difference between a minor and serious/fatal injury.
On a standard mobile platform a
harness point doesnt exist. Ive seen
workers attaching to the aluminum
components of the scaffoldladder rungs and cross barsneither of
which would be of any benefit should
the worst happen, says Barry.
Additionally, on a standard scaffold
workers move around attaching and
reattaching their harness on a rectangular platform; the Pyrascaf system
has a square deck profile that provide
equal strength on all sides.
The Product
What Barry and Deaton had developed was a new way to erect a support-
Configurations and Applications

According to Barry the possible configurations for the Pyrascaf system are
nearly infinite and exponentially growing as they continue to manufacture

scaffolds to suit their customers needs.
If the system we have doesnt work for
the client, we simply modify it until it
does. If we put a 6x6 deck alongside
another joined together by joiner boards
now you have an 18x18 deck. Anyone
that sees this cant believe it hasnt been
thought of before its so simple.
The sweet spot market for the system
at the moment is the blue chip industry; however, applications for it range
from providing access to a guy painting the side of his house to major construction with Barry indicating thats
just the tip of the iceberg in terms of
applications and markets in which the
system can be utilized.
The scaffold is built to suit; its a usable tool because its adaptable to any
construction environment including
the industrial marketsgas and oil, nuclearits applicable to them all, says
Barry. If the U.S. industrial markets
makes 100% tie-off standard, this is the
product theyre going to need.
Safe with Efficiency Still in Mind

Barry says that erecting and dismantling a 15 ft. Pyrascaf system takes 15 minutes total. We have built a 30x6x6 high
deck in less than 30 minutes that gives
the user access to 12 ft. services.
The fall arrest system attaches to a central
harness point built into the scaffold.
A Solution
Conor Gray, an electrician by trade with 25 years of experience in Irelands construction industry says that trying to
engineer out the risks of working at height has been an ongoing battle.
We have tried the complete elimination of A frame ladders, increased use of MEWPs, 100% tie off policies etc. Some of
these programs work with a limited effect, says Gray. We need scaffolds and aluminium towers in the construction industry
because it gives us a predictable form of height access with the added bonus of remaining within budget; the Pyrascaf system has been the solution to our battle. The lifting bars have eliminated the risk of having to be on a scaffold while its being
assembled; the tie-off point gives our crews the ability to achieve 100% tie-off without difficulty; and the working platform
provides free range of movement with less restriction considering the square deck.
Gray is currently working on a fit-out project utilizing the Pyrascaf system in Ireland. The units are being used in clean areas as well
as support areas where general overhead congestion is a challenge. Being able to couple the units together to create large working
areas, with 100%tie off is just genius. We have not had one CAR (corrective action report) for our work while using the Pyrascaf units.
The units also have an added bonus of not having multiple diagonal bars and single hand rails. This means we could hold onto all of
the gates and parts of the scaffolds that we use. The Pyrascaf system has changed the way we plan to access and work at heights.
Barry and Deaton intend on rolling out their mini scaffoldsuited for low level, interior access jobsat the 2013
SAIA Convention. Barry says, These scaffolds go straight
through a door; and once inside can be adjoined together to
create a long train platform at one access level that can be
used to do low level maintenance.
Crossing the Pond
With established customer bases already in Ireland and the
United Kingdom, the Pyrascaf system is on its way to the U.S.
with the actual manufacturing set to take place stateside versus in order to keep costs down and delivery efficient.
Scaffold Training Institute
Providing professional scaffold training

services worldwide for over 20 years.
Courses from 8 hours to 40 hours
Train-The-Trainer courses

Houston, Texas
281-332-1613
www.scaffoldtraining.com
22 May-June 2013
There are so many options for us in the U.S. market. Were

going to bring it over and let our American partners run with
it, says Barry.
Several U.S. data firms are already onboard with the possibilities the new system offers as an alternative/solution to
tasks MEWPs arent suited for now with the same safety
ability of an MEWP.
Winston Dennis Brown, project manager with Daifuku
America, says that after working with the Pyrscaf scaffolds
on a new prefabrication install in Ireland, his team was so
impressed with the system, they wanted to see them in U.S.
The guys requested them for a stateside prefab job and
they werent here, says Brown. So I met with Barry and
Deaton and we started working on getting them here. The
100% tie-off is huge; but their mobility, low weight, and
quick setup are major advantages and are a cheaper access
solution to a MEWP that cant be used in all applications.
While U.S. users may be concerned about the costs associated with the product, Barry says that its more economical considering the time saved in erection and performing
the work without having to reattach repeatedly to a harness
point. The system also doesnt have diagonals and horizontals, often lost on a jobsite that cost the contractor at the end
of a project. The components cannot be removed from the
system, so we dont lose poles; and that means no cost on the
back-end, explains Barry.
Thinking Ahead
The industry has to get beyond the old perception of a scaffolds potential, contemplates Barry. We have developed a
100% tie-off solution, that is faster to erect, and doesnt have
to be disassembled to move around the project. It may cost
more upfront, but the companies we deal with have made
safety a priority and are willing to pay the 10% to 15% more
to ensure their employees safety.
Barry says that he anticipates the reaction by the industry
to the Pyrascaf system to be mixed. Were about to bring
something into the market that is really going to shake things
up, contemplates Barry. This scaffold is going to save lives
and I believe dictate the direction the scaffold industry heads
in terms of safety innovations.
Patents are pending on the three new innovations, and as far
as their American partners go, once the final business agreements are done the system will be unveiled to the U.S. market.
round
the
table
Scaffold industry veterans discuss where the industrys been,

where its going, and its competitive advantage
Michael Bredl is the

Sales and Marketing
Manager for Universal
Manufacturing Corp,
Zelienople Pennsylvania.
Contact him at:
mbredl@versalscaffold.com
A magazine recently conducted a

roundtable discussion with four scaffold industry veterans to find out where
the industry has been, where its going,
and how the evolving world of access
equipment and safety regulations are impacting its ability to compete. Mike Bredl,
sales and marketing manager with Universal Manufacturing Corp, David Johnson, vice president of operations and safety
with Skyline Scaffold, Richard Martinez,
general manager with Imperial Scaffold,
and Mike Thompson, general manager
with PCI Scaffold Concepts, weighed in.
David Johnson is the Vice

President of Operations
and Safety with Skyline
Scaffold. Contact him at:
SA: What is the biggest change
david@skylinescaffold.com. thats occurred in the industry dur-
ing your careers?
Richad Martinez is
the General Manager
with Imperial Scaffold.
Contact him at:
nltrly@sbcglobal.net
Bredl: The biggest change that weve

seen as a domestic manufacturer of steel
scaffolding products is the influence of
imported product in the marketplace.
Twenty-five years ago there were a dozen
or more domestic scaffold manufacturers; today, its just a handful. Weve had
to find ways to combat the large influx of
imported products that have commoditized the scaffold market and forced us to
promote quality and value added services
finding ways to differentiate ourselves.
Thompson: From my perspective, the

changes that have had the greatest impact were the rolling out of safety regulations by OSHA and the SAIA becomMike Thompson is
ing a resource and advocate for training
the General Manager
and safety. Also, the introduction of the
with PCI Scaffold
system scaffold really revolutionized
Concepts. Contact him
the industry. With a system scaffold
at: mikethompson@
the leg loading may be anywhere from
pciscaffoldconcepts.com.
4,000 to 6,000 lbs. before you have to
double-leg the bottom of the scaffold;
with frame and brace the loading is typically between 2,500 to 3,500 lbs.
Johnson: I agree on both points, Mike.

When I went to work, a pair of boots,
shorts, t-shirt, and a hardhat was the
protection required. Today, safety really is at the forefront of what we do. It
makes for an interesting mix on a jobsite as you have the veterans who are
skilled at working at heights with no
fall protection working alongside the
young guys whove never worked at
heights without a harness and lanyard.
And with the system scaffold were able
to do things we never were able to with
frame and brace. In terms of product it
really did change the industry.
Martinez: Personally, as a HispanicAmerican, the biggest change Ive seen
in the Southern California scaffold
market has been the increase in the
Hispanic workforce. When I started
in the 1970s there werent HispanicAmericans in the scaffold industry. I
was one of the first few, and we were
expected to speak English perfectly.
Today in Southern California, the scaffold workforce is predominantly nonEnglish speaking.
SA: Where is the industry today in
terms of safety challenges and culture? Whats the next step?
Thompson: The industry itself has taken safety to the next level, establishing
rules and regulations that are more stringent than OSHAs. In the power market,
if youre above 6 ft., youre tied off. And
its not just fall protection, its personal
protective equipment as wellhard hats,
goggles, gloves, no short-sleeve shirts. As
far as next steps, the U.S. industrial market is very close to requiring 100% tieoffwere going to see that soon. I think
our biggest challenge today is training
The industry itself has taken safety to the next level, establishing rules and regulations
that are more stringent than OSHAs. And its not just fall protection, its personal
protective equipment as wellhard hats, goggles, gloves, no short-sleeve shirts. As
far as next steps, the U.S. industrial market is very close to requiring 100% tie-off
were going to see that soon.Mike Thompson
workers, particularly on the residential side, which seems

more behind the curve than other sectors where safety processes and procedures are set and followed if you want the job.
Johnson: Yes, the industry has taken safety into its own hands,
so-to-speak. Turner Construction is notorious for fall protection over 6 ft.so were seeing it on the commercial side too.
In terms of a market or group of contractors that do safety better, I think its simply reputable versus non-reputable when it
comes to safety, and the reputable ones are working every day
towards finding better safety solutions for the equipment. Today, we have the option of using an advanced guardrail system
on certain projects that have strict safety requirements, which
takes us out of the world of lines, harnesses, and yo-yos.
Bredl: Were also seeing more end-users understanding the
value of having a scaffold built by professionals. That is a
direct effect of OSHA devoting more time to monitoring the
scaffolding industry and putting more of the responsibility
on the scaffold builders. Today almost every scaffold company I know offers erection and dismantling (E&D) services.
The general contractors and the majority of scaffold users
are staying away from the E&D for liability reasons and that
has been beneficial for scaffold businesses and safety.
Martinez: The safety challenges I believe the industry has
today concern the lack of qualified carpenters who know the
regulations and are trained to erect a safe scaffold. Additionally, OSHA doesnt monitor and regulate the erection of scaffolding on all projects. They need to step up and cite those
small and large projects that can be hazardous to workers.
SA: What innovations are you seeing in the industry that
keep scaffolding competitive with powered platforms that
are often considered a more safe way to access?
Thompson: Tractel is always coming up with new innovations in safety equipment to better facilitate tying-off. We
have a Tractel system on a long scaffold that has two towers
at each end and a cable that runs lengthwise over the top,
then back down to the ground. This means there is always
a cable to be hooked off to, versus a cable that runs at your
feet where if one person falls everyone goes down. Also the
system scaffold is strong enough to tie-off to the verticals and
certain-size horizontals. Most of what youre seeing today
is tweaking of existing systems to meet requirements while
maintaining a reasonable rate of productivity.
24 May-June 2013
Johnson: We recently took a Layher product and re-engineered it for frame and brace. It has an advanced guardrail
system that allows us to put up a 200 lb. guardrail. We all
fought the horizontal lifelines for awhile, but weve had to
find ways to make the new safety systems work and not compete with the production levels. The industry, contractors,
and powered access really made us take safety regulations
more seriously. For us that has meant more preplanning. Before we would bid off a sterile plan then go to the site day
one and figure out we actually needed to do. Today, we go to
a new jobsite before construction is scheduled to begin and
create the plan.
Thompson: Also today all commercial and industrial jobs
require a site specific fall protection plan prior to beginning
the workthat has definitely not always been the case. Everyone is trying to play by the rules now.
Bredl: Most of the innovations that I am seeing have to do
with fall protection and safe access to work platformspanelized guardrail systems, access gates and hatch platforms to
name a few. Stair units have also become a very popular and
safe way to access a scaffold deck or work platform.
Martinez: I dont believe that powered platforms are a
more safe way to access. If a scaffold is built to regulation,
it is just as safe as the powered platform. Scaffolds can be
used more widely than powered platforms as powered platforms cannot be used in all areas of construction. Safety
depends on the builder or the operator. A properly trained
scaffold builder can build scaffold that will withstand forces, whether natural or human.
SA: What is the impact of powered access equipment on
the scaffold industry in terms of competition today? What
is the forecasted impact?
Bredl: Normally there is not a lot of competition between powered access and the non-motorized steel scaffold. There are applications for both products and the cost
associated with renting a steel scaffold versus an aerial lift
are on opposite ends of the spectrum. However, the recession slowed everything down, and the aerial lift industry
started reducing rates substantially; that has meant the
option for people rates substantially; that has meant the
option for people to look seriously at using aerial lifts for
a particular job when they would typically rent scaffold-
ing. The economy is getting stronger

though so were not seeing as much
of that as we have in the last three to
four years. As far as the mast climbers
go, they do compete directly with the
scaffold rental suppliersmainly in
the commercial sector.
Thompson: Whether or not powered or
non-powered equipment is utilized typically depends on the job type and application. The mast climbers do compete
directly with the scaffolds; but they can
be used in conjunction with scaffolds on
certain jobs. Weve lost work to powered
platforms because of timing; however,
with powered access you work at one level at a time, whereas with scaffolding you
can work on multiple simultaneously. So
they are both a competitor and asset.
Johnson: Powered platforms havent
hit the west coast market as much as
some regions. We lose a job ever so often to powered equipmenttheyre a
good platform with a great safety record.
Swing stages and scaffold usually work
Scaffold companies should be able to rise above the

recession and once again begin to build up their
companies and look to a brighter future for the company
and their employees.Richard Martinez
well together. Typically a swing stage is
best-suited for windows and scaffolds
are better for plaster. Were just not really feeling competition here at all.
Bredl: When the residential market

picks up the scaffold industry will follow.
It will also be an indicator that weare
truly coming out of this recession.
Martinez: When I first started in the

industry there were no boom or scissor
liftstoday theyre a staple. Anytime
a window needs to be changed thats
30/40 ft. high thats the go-to equipment; its simply quicker than erecting
a scaffold. But the powered equipment
will never take the place of a scaffold.
You can engineer anything with a scaffold the power equipment cant compete with the scaffolds versatility.
Johnson: The residential market is always

a big piece of the puzzle. We are seeing lots
of multi-family units in Sacramento and
the surrounding area. I believe that this will
continue. Additionally, people are starting
remodeling and maintenance again, where
as the downturn in the economy had
homeowners deferring maintenance.
SA: Word on the street is that the

residential market is on the upswing.
What type of impact on the scaffold
industry can be anticipated?
Martinez: I agree, it is going to have

enormous impact on the scaffold industry. Scaffold companies should be able
to rise above the recession and once
again begin to build up their companies and look to a brighter future for the
company and their employees.
Business and Development
Taking the Good with the Bad

By Lindsay Minard
epending on the source, the

economy has been in a bad way
anywhere from four to six years; and
while the timing may be up for debate,
the bad way part is universally agreed
upon and the corresponding waves of
despondence are universally old. But
lately, a tried-and-true source of an
economy on the mend has been buzzing with tangible signs of hope.
According to government reports,
from January 2012 to January 2013,
housing starts were up 24% and residential building permits were up 35%.
And the tried-and-true indicator of an
economy headed for solid ground? All
together now: a residential market on
the upswing.
Recent reports from the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB),
state that March 2013 posted the
second-best single-family home sales
record since early 2010 with an increase
of 1.5% according to numbers released
by HUD and the U.S Census Bureau.
Bill Breault, president of Oregonbased Breault Industrial Group, Inc.,
a scaffold plank distribution-manufacturing company, follows the trends in
lumber closely and says for those that
need to see to believe, the proof is in the
numbers. U.S. housing starts less than
two years ago were between 500,000
and 600,000. In January 2013, the government reported 890,000 U.S. housing
starts; in February that number rose to
968,000; and in March to 1,036,000
a 46.7% increase from March 2012.
Thats the good news. Handling all
the inspired home buyers is where
things get tricky. Many industries
have been in survival mode for awhile
now and today are unprepared from
an inventory, materials, manufacturing, lending, and labor standpoint for
the residential boom that is the light
at the end of the tunnel the country is
barreling towards.
26 May-June 2013
Because of the way the economy has

been, the inventory of home units is at
a 50 year record low with forecasters
predicting a shortage of 1.2 million by
the end of 20133 million by the end
of 2014. All of the 26- to 28-year olds
that have been jobless and living with
their parents are going to move out and
the banks are going to be forced to ease
up restrictions and that home inventory shortage is going to exponentially
increase, affirms Breault.
Supply and Demand 101
Buyer Plan
Organizations that support home
builders and buyers are busy lobbying
to reduce the construction credit and
lending restrictions that are keeping
builders from actually being able to
build; however, material inventory and
price escalation is going to be the bigger
issue thats impact will reach beyond
the residential construction industry.
The tried-and-true result of a boom is
demand and one of the spotlight materials in the residential construction
boom is and will continue to be lumberlumber used among other fancier
displays--for wood scaffold plank, both
solid sawn and engineered.
That means getting lumber the next
two- plus yearsquality lumberis in
no way, going to be easy or cheap.
Not Easy
A few obstacles beyond demand for
the finite amount of lumber that scaffold plank manufacturers are up against
include: a shortage in lumber mills to
actually produce the lumber; lack of qualified labor to work in the mills; increasing
lumber exportation to Asian markets willing to pay top price; and a decreasing lack
of lumber being imported because of concerns over quality.
With the good comes the bad, and
the scaffold plank industry is really
going to feel the shortage of quality fiber

lumber used to make scaffold plank,
affirms Breault. Mills shut down
because of the economy and China is
buying logs from warehouses before they
even get to the saw mill. Engineered
wood or Laminated Veneer Lumber
(LVL) scaffold plank has seen up to five
price increases in the last 12 months.
Breault says that in the last 12 years
many U.S. lumber mills have stopped
making scaffold plank twice in an
attempt to keep up with the housing
boom of the moment, and suggests
this is what the scaffold plank industry
needs to prepare for today. Scaffold
plank is a blip on the lumber industrys
radar; it simply makes more sense for a
mill to produce commodity items with
zero liability than scaffold plank.
Plank Defined by the

ANSI A10.8
Plank: A wood board or fabricated
component that serves as a platform
unit.
Plank (metal): A metal platform
unit sized to support one or more
workers or uniformly distributed
loads. Metal planks would be of
similar dimensions as wood planks.
Plank (wood, laminated): A platform
unit of glue-laminated wood
whose method of manufacture and
assigned design values contemplate
flat use in a scaffolding application.
The two types of laminated wood
used in scaffold applications are
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and
Laminated Edge Glued Lumber (LEG).
Planks (wood, sawn): A board
of sawn lumber whose grading
rules and assigned design values
contemplate flat use in a scaffolding
application. The planks shall be sized
to support one or more workers and
materials.

Changes to Southern Pine Design Values By Bill Breault
On Jan. 31, 2013, the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) Board of Review approved the new southern
pine design values submitted by the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB).
The approval applies to certain grades and sizes of visually-graded Southern Pine Dimension lumber.
Dense Industrial 65 - Scaffold plank is NOT affected by this change, there is no design value change, states Mr. Bob
Browder, director, Lumber Program Manager of the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau. Additionally, it should be noted
that no change is made to any of the Industrial Grades found within the SPIB grading rules.
Wood is a natural product subject to variations in geography, climate, specific site characteristics, silvacultural practices,
and harvesting decisions. It is not uncommon to review and change (up or down) the existing design value changes.
Amongst the many requirements for scaffold plank are density, modulus of elasticity, slope of grain and fiber-bending
that ensure the existing integrity and validation of the existing design values (ref: ASTM Standards D245 and D2555).
Additional information on what grades & sizes are affected by the forthcoming design value changes can be found by
contacting the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (http://www.spib.org).
And Definitely Not Cheap

Mike Gilleran, CEO and owner of
Michigan-based McCausey Lumber
Co. explains that part of the growing
predicament is the fact that the lumber mills cant control the price of the
log they need to produce their product
and that raw material price tag is somewhere around 75% of the cost of the
gross productthe other 25% being
tied up in the labor and manufacturing.
These factors are going to aggressively impact the cost of wood products
over the next four to six months, continuing to escalate 40% to 50%
compared to six months ago, through
2014 and then stabilize. Its simple supply and demand and the lack of supply
is going to have a major impact on the
industrys ability to get its hands on
quality plywooda material we use a
lot of in the scaffold industry.
Still Manageable
Gilleran says to meet the challenge
the industry needs to get beyond the
initial sticker shock, forecast better,
and plan further out to save money
and guarantee getting quality materials when needed. Bottom line, careful
planning is the only way to combat
the supply and demand issues were
going to face over the next few years.
People need to also realize that while
the pricing seems high based on what
its been; its still lower than before the
recession, says Gilleran.
I am getting calls from scaffold comcosts weve gotten accustomed to the

past few years is going to be hard to panies who arent experts in scaffold
come by. Corners are going to be cut plank, concerning products theyve
by some in order to stay in the game, been sold that dont look right. Sure
contemplates Breault. Unfortunately enough, its not scaffold plank grade,
in our industry there is no policing continues Breault. Because there
agency, no FDA saying we cant use is no policing, theres going to be an
low quality materialsits all self-polic- accident someone seriously or fatally
ing. Until there is an accident, many injured. OSHA isnt big enough to
look the other way, assuming they are police the scaffold plank industry,
and that leaves it up to the industry
getting the product they intended.
Before any kind of boom or lack of to monitor what manufacturers are
supply and availability of materials was putting out in the marketplace to prethreatening impact to the quality of vent injuries and loss of life no matter
lumber used for scaffold plank, there how scarce the supply or costly the
were growing issues with what was being materials.
Breault warns that there are spepassed off as such. If what youre supplying is clothing and cutting corners cific manufacturers that are turning a
means cheaply made clothing, the reper- blind eye and putting the industry at
cussions are not life threatening. But risk knowingly ignoring the requirecutting corners on scaffold plankpur- ments for producing scaffold plank.
chasing lumber from mills that should In some cases it is willful disregard
not be used for plankcould mean the for the requirements and if someone
life of someone who ends up on the scaf- is injured or killed on those products,
fold with that poor quality plank placed its not an accident, its a choiceaccidents only happen with two-year-olds.
in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The attribute scaffold plank has going for it is that

its not a one-time application; plank can be used
anywhere from two to five-plus years, so we need to
change the way purchasing is viewed. If you avoid
the cheapest product out there, its going to last longer and save you money in the long-run; the price
is cheap for a reason.Why take chances? There are
The Bigger Industry Picture
I am concerned as a manufacturpeoples loved ones on those scaffolds.Bill Breault
ing supplier of wood scaffold planks.
Finding quality fiber lumber at the low

What Quality Looks Like
When talking quality lumber, its starts with density.
Remember sixth grade science class and checking out the
rings on tree. Beyond those rings telling you how old the tree
is they indicate the density and strength of the tree; the closer
the rings are together the more dense and strong the tree
the result of slow growth. Today with the need for speed in all
things trees arent being given long to grow before being cut
down, resulting in significant separation between the rings
thus less dense, strong lumber.
Get Educated, Go Above and Beyond
In the last 10 to 15 years the industry and SAIAs Plank
and Platform Council have released a substantial amount
of educational material that explains and shows what is
good and bad scaffold plank, says Breault. When business
slowed down, companies started almost exclusively going
with the cheapest bid because every dollar has such an
impact. But as we all know, best price doesnt necessarily
equal best quality and we need to get back to/become an
industry thats more quality-based; conformance first and
value, not price, second.
Among the available educational tools are handbooks that
not only tell, but show the characteristics of good and bad
scaffold plank, combatting any language barrier present on a
jobsite and any reason to use below grade plank.
Is the Wood Good? By Mike Gilleran

Solid sawn lumber has been used for scaffold plank for
decades and in years past the industry had several options
from which to choose. Douglas Fir was primarily the product of choice in the west, while Spruce and Southern Yellow
Pine were predominant in the east. There was an abundance
of timber being harvested and making a choice was merely
a matter of determining which wood species could be purchased and transported most cost effectively.
Back then there was confidence in the strength of lumber
being purchased for scaffold plank because the harvested
trees were larger and developed. Respectively, the grading
agencies were confident about the physical design properties of the raw material, therefore, able to comfortably
publish grading rules with some assuredness.
30 Years Later
A lot has transpired over the past 30 years and the raw
material supply has changed dramatically. More stringent
government regulation concerning harvesting trees has put
pressure on logging companies and saw mills to adapt; and
as plywood and panel products gained popularity, the competition for raw material intensified.
Today, the availability of large old growth timber, especially Douglas Fir and Spruce, is less plentiful. This is not
to say the industry has pilfered the timber stands, but the
practices of harvesting have become more selective and
there are more controls in place to ensure sustainability.
Essentially, the logging industry has to be more accountable and thus their focus has shifted toward utilizing smaller
plantation grown trees.
28 May-June 2013
The attribute scaffold plank has going for it is that its not a
one-time application; plank can be used anywhere from two
to five-plus years so we need to change the way purchasing is
viewed. If you avoid the cheapest product out there its going
to last you longer and save you money in the long-run; the
price is cheap for a reason, continues Breault. Why take
chances? There are peoples loved ones on those scaffolds.
Not taking any risks, Brealt and Gillerans companies take
the proof loading process of wood scaffold plank one step
further than the visual test by running their planks through
a proof loading machine. The machine puts weight on the
center of the plank. What the manufacturer is looking for is
deflection. If the plank deflects too much, beyond the allotted 2 in. specified by OSHA, then the plank is thrown out.
Breault says that the second line of defense that the
machine provides in the testing process has meant 22
years with no failure. He also cautions that such equipment does not and cannot replace the visual test required
for solid wood plank. Engineered or LVL scaffold plank is
only mechanically, not visually tested, as it does not have
continuous fiber.
Today proof loading machines are only used by a handful
scaffold plank manufacturers.
For information and purchasing guidelines concerning
various scaffold plank products visit:
http://www.saiaonline.org/plankandplatform
The Impact
Given the shift away from larger timber and growing dependency on smaller diameter trees, saw mills are having difficulty
cutting wider boards in the proper grade quality needed to make
scaffold plank. Additionally, there is mounting concern about
the strength properties of the more juvenile logs used now to
manufacture lumber products. The result is that todays wholesaler is hard pressed to offer either Douglas Fir or Spruce rough
sawn scaffold plank. Culling boards with the proper slope of
grain and density can be challenging.
SPIB Gets Ahead of Raw Material Scrutiny
Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) remains an industry staple, the
product of choice for many; however, it too is beginning to
face scrutiny and mills are beginning to fight the same raw
material dilemma. The design value changes occurring June
1, impacting the lower design values of SYP are the Southern
Pine Inspection Bureaus way of combatting the issue.
Scaffold plank and other industrial grades have been
excluded because specific criteria for density and slope
of grain are a mandatory metric. Without this adherence,
weaker grades could be included.
A few questions to consider:
Are you conscious of your plank sourcing?
Are you paying close attention to the quality of the plank
youre purchasing?
Do you know what grading technics your supplier
performs?
Do you know if your supplier is visually grading and
mechanically evaluating?
New Equipment
Less is More
A new shoring system arrives on the East Coast that simplifies the shoring process,
reduces the amount of materials, and ultimately saves contractors dollars
By Lindsay Minard
Six-ft. wide frames reduce the total number of frames needed.
ale Andrassy has been in the scaffold and shoring industry for a long
time, spending the majority of his career at Waco Scaffolding and Equipment Co. While on a trip abroad Andrassy met Luis Cabazon who worked
for the Chile-based company Unispan
that specializes in formwork and scaffolding solutions. The two struck up
a friendship that resulted in Unispan
opening its doors in the U.S.
I knew of Unispan and had always
wanted them to be in the U.S. After our
chance meeting abroad in 2002, Louis
and I developed a strong business relationship that led to a partnership as we
began working on bringing the Unispan
products to the states, says Andrassy.
With the economy in recession the
past five or so years, Andrassy and Cabazon seized the opportunity to work on
entering the market at its low point; and
in January 2013 Unispan USA doors
opened stateside in Stow, Ohio.
The recession created a lot of holes
in the industry and we were able to step
in and fill those gaps in that radius,

says Andrassy. The markets we do business in are mainly in the Northeast and
MidwestOhio, Michigan, Indiana,
Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania,
and anything west of New York City.
We stick mainly to those locations in
order to be a flatbed away in a day.
Unispan USA
With the majority of their customer
base being general and specialty contractors that pour concrete98% of
Unispan USAs business is shoring and
formwork. The companys mission
statement revolves around customizing design solutions to meet the needs
of a particular job; and their product
line is the result of 185 years of experience between the five involved with
the U.S. division.
Andrassy says they were fortunate to
be able to decide what products they
wanted to put in the marketplace versus inheriting an asset base they may or
may not have wanted. The products
weve brought in are the best out there.

And with all our years of experience we
know what those best products are and
how to match them with our customers
needs. Were looking at a job right now
where a customer wants the formwork
42-ft. high; I havent seen that in my
career, but weve done an analysis and
determined it can be done, so well get
it done.

Applying 185 Years
The shoring system the Unispan
USA team decided to buy and sell to
their customers was the creation of Atlas Construction Supply, Inc.a West
Coast-based, full-service manufacturer
of formwork and shoring products.
The Atlas aluminum, Al-Speed shoring system has been utilized in the West
Coast market for 10 years, designed by
a group of engineers, including Atlas
owner, to be a more versatile, efficient
solution for concrete shoring applications. Unispan is now the exclusive East
Coast dealer.
The design team worked with the
material dimensions in order to create the safer, more production-friendly
system they were going for; the simpler
dimensions have the side effect of being
easier to consolidate and ship.
The number one impact this system
is going to have in this market is labor
savings for contractors because of its efficiency. It may cost more upfront, but
in the end customers are most certainly
looking at cost savings because theyre
going to be able to do more with less
materials and labor, says Andrassy.
Andy Meier, owner of Calif.-based
Pacific Southwest Structures says: The
Al-Speed system is efficient and simple
to erect which makes it fast and non-labor intensive. We use it on our projects
because of its ability to adapt easily to
steps and slopes and the quality of concrete produced.
New Equipment
Uni-Speed Shoring Frame
At a Glance

The 6x6 aluminum frame weighs 50 lbs.
Its All About the Frame

The systems key feature are the dimensions of its UniSpeed frame that is 6x6 versus the standard 4x6. The larger
frames mean more can be done with less as theyre spaced
out further, provide more coverage per leg, with greater capacityall totaling out to mean big cost savings, according
to Andrassy.
The frame is the critical part of the whole system and why
we decided this was the system we wanted for our customers
in the first place, explains Andrassy. The supporting joist,
screw jacks, beams, and columns were all pretty comparable
to other systems; but the frame was the driver here.
The Uni-Speed frame has a capacity of 16,000 lbs. per
leg at a 2:1 safety factor. The frame helps create the shoring grid by supporting high capacity aluminum stringers
running perpenducular to the frame direction, with 4x4
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) as joists laying across
the stringers.
The LVL beams are edge-eased and sealed providing a
safer shoring beam than other systems, says Andrassy. On
typical systems, aluminum beam joists or I-beams are laid
perpendicular to the stringers that are 6.5-in. high and have
a tendency to roll the first time theyre put down which
causes a safety hazard.
Beyond the point of doing more with less, the frames dimensions also simplify the process of constructing the system. Say a user has a 12-in. slab or less; they can take the 6-ft.
frame, put an 8-ft. brace on it, space the frames 8 ft. in one
30 May-June 2013
Frame Sizes:
6x6, 6 x5, 6x28
3x6, 3x5, 3x28
High Shoring Coverage- up to 16 kip per leg
32,000 lbs. support capacity per 50 lb.- frame
Capable of accomodating simple or intricate deck
designs
6-ft. wide frame reduces total number of frames
needed to support suspended concrete and
formwork; 100 sq. ft. per frame, up to 12-ft. thick
slab
Fewer parts and components
2 revolutions per inch for Uni-Speed jacks for quick
set up and dismantling
Striated horizontal rails
Quicklock System for easy connection and removal
of crossbraces
direction and 6 ft. the other way, run the stringers in the
same directionjoists on topand the system is built.
With a typical system customers spend days figuring out
dimensions and detailing out drawings, says Andrassy.
Bill Hansen, project superintendent for Calif-based Matt
Construction Co. says: The frames dimensions, weight, and
load capacity make it light, versatile, and user-friendly. Our
subcontractors appreciate how fast it is to erect and dismantle,
and its adaptability to nearly any shoring application.
Additionally, the frame legs can be used for re-shoring as
contractors work their way up the building as the system
minimizes the need to bring in additional equipment for reshoring purposes.
The Uni-Speed system is best suited for single podium
deck applications and for industrial and commercial multistory and high-rise applications.
The dimensions of the frames simplify the process of

erecting the system.
SAIA
In Perfect Harmony
2013 SAIA Annual Convention and Exposition Preview
July 21-24 Nashville, Tennessee
SAIA 2013 Annual Convention &

Exposition at a Glance
Scaffold & Access Industry Association
2013 Annual Convention & Exposition
July 21 24, 2013
Nashville, Tennessee
Renaissance Nashville
convention.saiaonline.org
Hotel Information
Renaissance Nashville
611 Commerce Street
Nashville, TN 37203
P: 615.255.8400
**Mention SAIA before June 21, 2013, to receive your special hotel rate
of $179.00 USD per night.
Exhibition and Sponsorship
Contact SAIA at (816) 595.4860 or visit convention.saiaonline.org for
information concerning displaying products or supporting the Associations efforts to educate users on scaffold and access equipment.
iscover the perfect harmony of

education, networking, purchasing, and training all intertwined with
expert advice at the 2013 SAIA Annual
Convention and Exposition, July 21-24
in Nashville.
The SAIA Exposition has been
developed in order to give owners,
buyers, managers, safety professionals,
and dealers the opportunity to meet
manufacturers and suppliers, conduct
business, network with the industry
experts, and investigate new products.
The Renaissance Nashville is in
downtown Music Citya melting pot
of different genres of music that can be
found at more than 100 music venues
in town 24/7/365.
This years convention has 18 industry-trend educational presentations, six
training classes, plus we are expanding
the tradeshow with the Safe Access, Fall
Protection & Training seminar, says
Laurie Weber, SAIA executive director.
The annual convention and exposition
is targeted for anyone that uses scaffold
and access equipment. Information
will be given; you will meet industry
leaders, have fun, and rejuvenate your
enthusiasm for your work. We look forward to seeing you in Nashville.
Training
SAF-T
The SAIAU has a portfolio of world class,

industry-recognized training programs that
will be offered in Nashville on Sun., July 21.
If you need training or your current training
card is older than three years, this is where
you can take the classes. Are you interested in becoming an Accredited Training
Institute (ATI) of the SAIA curriculum?
Come early and take our Train-the-Trainer
class. No matter what your training needs
are, you can fill them in Nashville! Contact
SAIA headquarters at 816.595.4860, or
visit convention.saiaonline.org/training for
details and how to register.
In cooperation with SAIA, Maximum

Capacity Media announces the live Safe
Access, Fall Protection & Training (SAF-T)
Conference. The one-day SAF-T Conference
is scheduled for July 24, 2013, immediately
following the SAIA 2013 Annual Convention
& Exposition at the Renaissance Nashville
Hotel in the heart of downtown Music City.
Classes offered in Nashville:

Train-the-Trainer
Competent Person TrainingFrame
Competent Person TrainingSuspended
Operator TrainingAWP
Competent Person Training
System Scaffold
Operator TrainingMast Climbers
More details can be found at:

convention.saiaonline.org/saf-t
SAIA
2013 Annual Convention & Exposition
July 21-24, 2013

Renaissance Nashville, Nashville, Tenn.
Fri., July 19
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Train-the-Trainer
Facilitator Skills Workshop
Sat., July 20
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Train-the-Trainer
Facilitator Skills Workshop
10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. SAIA Golf Outing
10:15 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Global

Construction Outlook
11:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. Lunch with
Exhibitors
2:30 p.m. 3:15 a.m. Tweet This!
Engaging a 5000-Yr-Old Industry in 140
Characters or Less
3:15 p.m. 3:45 p.m. Win, Keep, and
Simplify Business
4:00 p.m. 4:40 p.m. All Access PassWork Converges on Industrial Tower
Project in Texas
4:40 p.m. 5:15 p.m. Hyatt Regency
Ceiling & Sky Light Replacement
5:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. Reception with
Exhibitors
3:00 p.m. 4:15 p.m. Prestigious &

Technically Demanding Jobs
6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 2013 Presidents
Gala Reception
7:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m. Presidents Gala
Dinner & Industry Awards
Wed., July 24, 2013

Sun., July 21
*Exhibitors
move out after 1:30 p.m.
*Exhibitor move-in complete by 4:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Leading Through
7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. CPT Training: Frame
Innovative Safety Technology
7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. CPT Training:
Suspended
9:15 a.m. 10:30 a.m. What is the Impact
7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Aerial Work
of the Fall Prevention Campaign?
Platforms Operator Training
10:45
a.m. 12:00 p.m. Online Training &
7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. CPT TrainingTues.,
July
23,
2013
Familiarization
System Scaffold
*Exhibitors move out after 1:30 p.m.
7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Mast Climbers
12:00 p.m. 12:45 p.m. Box Lunch (Not
7:45 a.m. 8:20 p.m. Benefits of Knowing
Operator Training
with Exhibitors)
8:20 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 100% Tie-Off; Is it a
11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. SAIA Executive
12:45
p.m. 2:00 p.m. Working at Height,
Myth, a Reality, or Even Achievable?
Committee Lunch
What a General Contractor Expects of
10:45 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Suspended
5:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Welcome
Subcontractors
Reception with Exhibitors
Scaffolding- Applications and
Opportunities
2:15 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Near-Miss
11:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Lunch with
Mon., July 22, 2013
Reporting: the Missing Link of a Safety
Exhibitors
8:00 a.m. 8:45 a.m. SAIA General
Culture Revolution
1:30 p.m. 2:25 p.m. Project Profiles
Membership Meeting
3:45 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Safe Movement of
2:25 p.m. 2:45 p.m. One World Trade
8:45 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Shoring, Access,
Equipment on Jobsites
Center, Creative Hoisting Solutions
and Fall Protection
32 May-June 2013
SAIA
2013 SAIA Annual Convention & Exposition Presentations
David Glabe P.E., DH Glabe and Associates:
Shoring, Access, and Fall Protection
Shoring, access, and fall protection is
an exciting seminar that will highlight the
standards and regulations that must be
adhered to when dealing with shoring.
Glabe will compare requirements for shoring and scaffold; describe the differences
between them; and how to tell which
standards apply for given situations. He will
guide the seminar attendees with easy to
follow examples.
Chris Sleight, International Construction:
Global Construction Outlook
Sleight, editor of International
Construction magazine, will give a regionby-region look at construction markets
around the world, focusing on key drivers
for growth over the next one to two years.
Stephen Pike, ScaffoldNation:
Tweet This! Engaging a 5000 Year old
Industry in 140 Characters or Less!
Like it or not - social media is here to stay.
The organizations that will survive and thrive
will be those that embrace these technologies and develop their own corporate
brands in the industry; thereby, supporting
all critical business functions including sales,
human resources, marketing, training, loss
control, and product development.
Ali Hajighafouri, Avontus Software:
Win, Keep and Simplify Business: How
Scaffold Management Software can Help
You Impress Your Clients and Improve
Efficiency
This session will discuss challenges
industrial scaffold companies face in daily
operations and how modern software
addresses these obstacles. Attendees will
also learn how using software will not only
save them money but also strengthen new
bids and existing client relationships.
Eric Schmidt, P.E., BETCO Scaffold:
All Access Pass - Work Converges on
Industrial Tower Project in Texas
This presentation will highlight project
challenges and difficulties encountered
when designing and installing a 300 ft. scaffold tower on a chemical processing unit in
a hurricane-force storm wind region of the
Gulf Coast of Texas.
Mike Thompson, PCI Scaffold Concepts:

Hyatt Regency Ceiling & Sky Light
Replacement
Thompson will discuss an unusual, suspended scaffold in the atrium area of the
Hyatt Regency that had to be engineered
and supported from an existing truss system.
Despite its intricacies, common scaffold
components were used to complete the
suspended deck. Work was performed without disturbing operations of the hotel.
David Demorest, Safway Services:
Benefits of Knowing
This presentation will cover laser scanning and the benefits it adds to the scaffold
and access industry. What is laser scanning? The questions on increased safety,
cost efficiency, and added precision will be
answered. It will be explained how, when,
and why this technology should be used.
Andrew Smith, Phoenix Industrial Services:
100% Tie Off; Is it a Myth, a Reality or Even
Achievable?
While acting as the branch manager of
Safways Hamilton, ON branch, Andrew
experienced several significant owner
mandated changes to site specific fall
protection requirements at a major petrochemical facility. Working within the
framework of his existing maintenance
contract he was able to achieve 100%
compliance with changing site conditions
completing these changes with little to no
impact in site productivity, and profitability.
In his session, Smith will share his experience and learning, offering some practical
advice on achieving site compliance, while
minimizing the impact on the financial
aspects of the contract.
Mathieu Grumberg, Safway Services:
Suspended Scaffolding - Applications and
Opportunities
This presentation will review selected
suspended scaffold projects, heavy duty
swing stages, large-area platforms, fixed
platforms, traversing platforms, tanks and
vessels, bridges, commercial buildings,
and industrial applications. All projects will
include discussion of challenges suspending systems from a given structure and how
to ensure an effective and profitable system for client.
Gil Prado, Century Elevators:

Project Profiles
Prado will present a special project profile on a highly engineered scaffold and
elevator installation on a C2 Splitter while in
turnaround. This technical presentation will
detail the engineering required for the scaffold system and elevators, the features of
the this particular project, and the benefits
of using these two pieces of access equipment in conjunction with one another, while
on a hard timeline and strict budget.
Ted Beville, Safway Services:
One World Trade Center, Creative Hoisting
Solutions
One World Trade Center, also referred
to as Freedom Tower, will be a symbolic
1,776-ft. high upon completionthe tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and
the third-tallest building in the world. It has
been the tallest building in New York City
for over a year. Moving over 1,400 workers along with their tools, equipment, and
materials daily was the challenge to be met.
Seminar attendees will be guided through
some of the hoisting challenges that were
overcome along the way. Attendees will get
an insiders look at this fascinating project.
Panel Discussion: Prestigious and
Technically Demanding Projects
Mast Climber Manufacturers will present
an overview of some of their most technically
demanding projects. Fraco, Hydro-Mobile,
Klimer, EZ Scaffold, and Scanclimber will all
present some of their most demanding projects from the last 12 months.
Jim Dorris, CSP, United Rentals: Leading
Through Innovative Safety Technology
Technological and thought innovation not only contributes to a safer work
environment but are good business
practices. Investing in and leveraging technological and thought process
advances now will ultimately grow the
industry by improving safety, cost, efficiency, and transparency, improving not
only the industry, but communities in
which we operate. It is crucial that rental
organizations partner to shape a viable
business model that will continue to be
robust and forward-looking 10 years
from now, and beyond.
SAIA
William R. Cochran, OSHA: What is the
Impact of the Fall Prevention Campaign?
What are the fall statistics on scaffold and access equipment? Falls are the
leading cause of deaths in construction.
Understand the Plan, Provide, and Train
campaign that is impacting the construction industry.
Roundtable: Online Training Evolution,
Opportunities, and Concerns, Plus
Familiarization: Is it Making Things Safer or
Just Reducing Service Calls?
K u r t S o u t h e r l a n d , C S P, m a n ager, Industrial Safety - Health, Safety,
Environment & Sustainability for United
Rentals, will moderate a discussion on
the aerial work platform industrys recent
shift to complementary online training. He
will lead the conversation on how it has
evolved; what opportunities this provides
for equipment operators, and safety concerns about this type of training.
34 May-June 2013
Panel: Working at Height:

What does a General Contractor Expect of
Subcontractors?
Sunbelt Rentals Jeff Stachowiak will
lead a panel discussion on the topic of
jobsite expectations for the suppliers of
access equipment now, and in the future.
Top safety managers from major construction companies including, but not
limited to, Skanska, Parsons, and Lend
Lease will participate. Equipment design,
options, safety systems, and features of
the equipment will be addressed. Also
expectations with regards to documentation and inspections will be discussed to
better help the evolution of more jobsite
driven safety initiatives.
Mike Williamsen, Caterpillar:
Near-Miss Reporting: The Missing Link of
Safety Culture Revolution
Culture is often described simply as
the way it is around here. When few
near misses are reported and acted

upon in an organization it indicates
something about the safety culture.
Can it be considered safe and healthy,
or does this indicate something else
s o m e t h i n g m u c h l e s s p o s i t i v e ? To o
many organizations fall into the comfortable trap that comes by believing
t h e fo r m e r, a n d d o s o at t h e i r o w n
peril. A robust near-miss process that
engages employees to identify and permanently solve hundreds of potentially
injury-causing situations is crucial to
healthy safety cultures.
Brad Boehler, Skyjack:
Safe Movement of Equipment
on Jobsites
Brad Boehler, president, Skyjack, will
explore the key responsibilities of the
operator and jobsite manager necessary
to facilitate the safe use of mobile aerial
work platforms.
SAIA
What Makes Business

Networking So Important?
By Andrea Nierenberg
In past magazine issues, I have

focused on technical industry issues
or updates to training numbers and
classes. While these are important to
the Association and our members, there
are so many more business areas that
have gone unaddressed. Not only do we
need to focus on the technical aspects
of running the business, we also need
to learn and refine our soft skills and
business acumen. For this issue, I am
turning to one of my colleagues, Andrea
Nierenberg, and her forte of networking
and relationships. Andrea has literally
written the book (six to be exact) on the
importance of networking and how to
do it properly.Granville Loar, SAIA
Director of Training and Education.
he opposite of networking is not

working. When developed correctly,
it can be your most important business
skill. Every time you meet someone,
there is an opportunity to learn from
and be a resource to them. Networking
is not about an immediate gain and
can take years to cultivate, while other
times something can develop positively
within days. I often say that the word
networking is misunderstood.
skill for finding new clients, centers of

influence, and building a strong referral
pipeline through relationships.
However, many people fail to make
personal connections when following up
with initial contacts, making the networking focus quantity rather than quality. I
see this when people ask me: How many
people are linked in with you? Or: How
big is your universal network? The true
value of my network is the quality of the
relationships. If the goal was about size
you could copy in the names of your local
phone directory; that is not networking.
Nearly three years ago, I met and
worked with a fellow advertising executive on a project that turned out successful.
Over the years we have stayed in touch
and offered referrals even when there
was no immediate work to be done.
Today we are still good business friends
because of mutual trust and respect.
Networking is about trust, respect,
and giving first.
Time and Patience

Trust takes time and patience to generate. When you network, you have to
learn to respect the timetables of others.
New contacts may not always respond
according to your timetable. They have
their own deadlines and a lot of responNetworking can be:
Strategic and structured when you sibilities and you are not a priority. So
are attending any type of meeting and how can you move the process forward
without coming across too aggressive?
function;
If someone you met or were intro Serendipitousevery life encounter
duced
to does not call, e-mail, or text
adds to your life network;
back,
avoid
bothering them with fol Unconsciousthe daily interactions
low-up
calls,
even if youre thinking its
we have with colleagues, friends, and
time
your
efforts
got some business out
connections.
of the contact.
Networking gets its negative connoQuality vs. Quantity
With all the current challenges tation from people are thinking first:
in business today, networking and What is in it for me? This is not the way
building strong alliances is of critical to build strong relationships.
Being impersonal when connecting
importance because it delivers the element of face-to-face credibility and trust. can do more harm than good; avoid
In business, networking is a necessary coming across that way by asking these
productive questions that will help you

get the desired response:
Which way do you prefer to learn
about new suppliers or external
partners?
What is the best way to present the
product information?
What is your preferred method of
communication?
Rushing communications is another
networking stumbling block. This happens when we dont use the phone well
and/or send poorly written correspondence; and indicates to the new contact
that you are simply trying to get through
the process. Personalize and research
every new contact call you make.
Three ways to do it:
Ask the contact how they want the
issue to be handled. Some people
prefer that everything be done in writing, while others would rather receive
a quick follow-up phone call or e-mail.
The clue to their communication style
is in how they replied. I immediately
record this in my contact profile model.
Check on new contacts regularly.
Often salespeople are told to deal
quickly with people without having a
long-term follow-up plan in place. Mark
your calendar for the next significant
date on your contacts calendar. You
can phone or e-mail them a month
before new information or material is
sent. Or even mention that you hope
to connect with them at an upcoming conference or meeting. Do your
research and set up a Google Alert to
keep up-to-date information on them
and their firm.
Develop a networking game plan.
Connections often do not develop
into anything important because
there is no long-term plan in place.
Keep a list of all contacts readily available in your preferred database so you
SAIA
can develop plans for each contact and choose your style
and method for continued communication. For instance,
you may see that it is effective to look for the contact at an
upcoming business function, while another contact might
appreciate a note with helpful information. Once you discover what is effective, build on that and develop the skills
you need to develop meaningful connections.
Neighbors. There are a variety of ways to meet people,

develop relationships, and then opportunities often present
themselves. Make the effort to strike up conversations with
people in your building and neighborhood.
Happy, helpful people. These are the people you meet
by chance or connect with in unexpected ways. You can
meet them on a plane, train, or waiting in line at the movies. Life often connects you when least expected; be ready
for the opportunity. This serendipitous networking is the
most beneficial.
Making Networking Practical

Positive networking experiences center on how contacts
are identified and appropriate follow-up. Utilize techniques
Seven Rules for Follow-up
specific to the following categories of contacts and find ways
1. Smile. A smile is a universal welcome sign. Have you ever
to leverage them:
been at a meeting or function and felt frozen because you
Satisfied clients. What better referral? They can be your best
knew no one there, then you see a sincere, warm smile feel
advocates because they know what you have to offer. You can
more able to approach them. Research says that when you
ask them to introduce you to other people. Help them make
walk into a room or meeting and smile for 20 seconds you
the referral easy. Discuss with them how they would feel most
will become more confident, approachable, and someone
comfortable introducing you. Most importantly, thank them
that others want to get to know. Try it.
with a personal note and phone call. Keep them in the loop
2. Look the person in the eye. Its comforting to look at
with a simple thank you. Sounds easy, and it is but it is not
someone. Many people look over, through, or around
always done.
someone as they are speaking, seemingly looking for some Friends. You work hard at building friendships that include
one more important. In reality, you can learn something
mutual trust and respect. As you learn more about your friends
from everyone you meet.
work and careers, seek opportunities to make referrals for them.
3. Listen. People often hear but dont truly listen. Turn down the
This is the giving part; it takes valuable time, but the payback is
conversation
in your head and focus on the other person.
priceless
as in turn
they
will
do the same for 1you.
UpRight
Scaffold
USAand
(1/2in
pgtime,
Advert
SAIA
Magazine)_Layout
12/04/2013inner
13:30
Page 1
UpRight Aluminum Scaffold Quality and Strength you can Trust

UpRight Aluminum Scaffold is tried and
trusted the world over and provides one of
the highest rental returns on investment.
As part of the UpRight Scaffold expansion
program, we are looking for like-minded
companies to join us as Dealers.
Contact us today for your Instant access solutions!
Stop by our booth at the SAIA Show

UpRight Scaffold USA, LLC
SCAFFOLD
USA, LLC
Authorized Master Dealer for North America
36 May-June 2013
8221 Main Street Laurel, MD 20724

Tel: 1-855-872-8774.
Email: bill@uprightscaffoldusa.com
www.uprightscaffoldusa.com
SAIA
travels to the Far East that they study Gone but not forgotten. Even
Allow someone to tell their story and
if your contacts have clearly stated
the business cardask questions
discover the news you can use. This
that they are not interested in comand are truly interested. This left an
will help to develop rapport.
municating with you right now, a
indelible mark on the way I have
4. Body language. People read you by
follow-up note offering some valusince handled cards that I receive.
how you communicate, and 55% of
able information is a good way to
communication is visual. Monitor
keep current and potential customyour facial expressions and loosen Power of Three
ers aware of your company.
The power of three is writing a folup as meeting new people can make

low-up note to three contacts a day.
you tense.
The ultimate goal of networking is
5. Avoid being too aggressive. Be care- The U.S. Postal Service indicates that
ful about coming on too strong. Even only 4% of the mail is personalizedso to develop mutually beneficial relaif you just lost your job, avoid having sending notes puts you ahead of 96% of tionships with people. Its important
to reach out of our comfort zone and
people think that you are desperate or the competition.
Good examples of where personal know more people, develop more relawant something from them.
tionships, and learn that even with our
6. Give genuine compliments. Yes, even notes work well:
with new contacts, a compliment can Heard something good about you. strongest business accounts, it is good
If you hear about someones personal to surround the account and know
be appropriate. When you listen to
achievement or if you read something several people at the company.
people carefully, often they will menpositive about their company, take the
tion something they are proud of; think
opportunity to send a note.
of a way to sincerely acknowledge othAbout the Author
Give-away information. If you
ers achievements.
Andrea Nierenberg is a business
participate in an association meeting,
7. Business cards are golden. Ask for
development authority. She is the
invite a contact to join you as your
peoples cards, but only offer yours
author of six books on networking and
guest at a special program by sending
when someone requests it. Treat busisales. Contact her at 212.980.0930
a note with a copy of the announceness cards as treasures and give them
or andrea@nierenberggroup.com.
ment for the event.
the most respect. I witnessed in my
Visit Us at SAIA Convention Booth #120 Register to win a Samsung Galaxy Tablet 7.0
WHY IS
ALLIED the insurance broker of choice
for the scaffolding industry
Allied Advisor services

give you more back for
your premium:
25 years of industry
experience we have
relationships, and
clout, with the insurers
who want to write
your business
One-stop solution for

general liability, auto,
workers compensation
and other coverages
More than 100 scaffold
clients nationwide
MyWave Elements risk

management website
Online certicate and
auto ID card issuance
Webinars on safety topics
In-house loss control
services
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ALLIED ADVANTAGE AT
www.alliedforscaffold.com or call 1-800-569-9427.

SAIA Training & Events

For more information or to register for the events
below, visit www.saiaonline.org or call 816.595.4860.
SAIA TRAINING
June 3 Frame CPT Portland, Ore.
June 4 System CPT Portland, Ore.
June 5 Suspended CPT Portland, Ore.
June 6 AWP Operator Training Portland, Ore.
June 17 Frame CPT Minneapolis, Minn.
June 18 System CPT Minneapolis, Minn.
June 19 Suspended CPT Minneapolis, Minn.
June 20 AWP Operator Training Minneapolis, Minn.
June 24 System CPT Miami, Fla.
June 25 Suspended CPT Miami, Fla.
June 26 AWP Operator Training Miami, Fla.
June 27 Mast Climber CPT Miami, Fla.
*Training Conducted at SAIA Annual Convention
July 19&20 Train the Trainer Nashville, Tenn.
July 21 Frame CPT Nashville, Tenn.
July 21 System CPT Nashville, Tenn.
July 21 Suspended Nashville, Tenn.
July 21 AWP Operator Training Nashville, Tenn.
July 21 Mast Climber Operator Training Nashville, Tenn.
July 29 Frame CPT Oklahoma City, Okla.
July 30 System CPT Oklahoma City, Okla.
July 31 Suspended CPT Oklahoma City, Okla.
Aug. 1 AWP Operator Training Oklahoma City, Okla.
Aug. 14 Mast Climber Operator Kansas City, Mo.
Aug. 19 Frame CPT Bismarck, N.D.
Aug. 20 System CPT Bismarck, N.D.
Aug. 21 Suspended CPT Bismarck, N.D.
Aug. 22 AWP Operator Training Bismarck, N.D.
May-June 2013 Advertisers Index

Allied Insurance Brokers
800-569-9427 alliedforscaffold.com37
Bee Access
561-616-9003 beeaccess.com19
Century Elevators
713-640-5422 centuryelevators.com3
D.H. Charles Engineering, Inc.

707-537-8282 charlesengineering.com18
Direct Scaffold Supply

800-720-6629 directscaffoldsupply.com 9
Eagle Enclosures
eagleenclosures.com 40
Hydro Mobile
888-484-9376 hydro-mobile.com 11
Klimer
800-494-0496 klimer.com 34
Layher
866-300-0904 layherusa.com 25
Scaffold & Access Industry Association

816-595-4860 saiaonline.org 13, 39

281-332-1613 scaffoldtraining.com 22
Step Up Scaffold
888-STEPUP-1 stepupscaffold.com 32
Strong Man Building Products Corp.

800-950-6999 strongman.com7
STROS
800-255-543816
STVA
877-890-8490 stvaonline.com 10
Universal
SAIA Events
July 21-24 SAIA Annual Convention & Exposition
Las Vegas
Full class details and registrations can be found
at https://www.saiaonline.org/Treg/Step3
800-836-8780 universalscaffold.com2
Upright Scaffold USA, LLC

855-872-8774 uprightscaffoldusa.com 36
WINSAFE
905-474-9340 winsafe.com5
SAIA's New Members

California Access Scaffold, LLC
Daniel Johnson
Carson, Calif.
310.324.3388
l.avalos@cascaffold.com
Modern (Intl) Access & Scaffolding Ltd.

Geoffrey Lee
Kowloon, Hong Kong
85.22.745.6011
geoffrey@modernhk.com.hk
Maritime Environmental Training Institute

Joseph Pembroke
Sydney, Nova Scotia
902.539.9766
meti@atlantic.ca
Zampell Scaffold, LLC

Jason Heath
Newburyport, Mass.
978.465.0055
jheath@zampell.com
38 May-June 2013
best practices
reDuce risks
learn scaffolD safety through
saia training programs
During its 40+ year history, the Scaffold
& Access Industry Association (SAIA) has
provided safety education to thousands of
contractors through its renowned seminars
and training courses.
Working with legislative agencies, the SAIA
has helped to develop the industrys safety
standards. These training courses teach
contractors how to meet and exceed those
standards with best safety practices,
reducing employee injuries and lost time
on the job.
saia access course offerings incluDe:
Aerial Work Platform Operator Training
New for 2013!
Mast Climber Operator Training
Additional training courses are available
throughout the year for both SAIA members
and non-members.
SAIAUNIVERSITY
for more information, please contact the scaffold

& access industry association at 816.595.4860,
info@saiaonline.org or visist www.saiaonline.org.

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Knowing is Seeing, p. 17 Around the Table, p. 23 SAIA Convention Preview, p.

scaffold & access magazine 

A project team works long hours to accommodate a historic retrofit

Its all about

scaffold & access 3

scaffold & access magazine 

Above & Beyond

Around the Table

Scaffold industry veterans discuss where the industrys

14 Day & Night

A project team works long hours

The Presidents Desk

elcome to spring. I hope you all

Attending the tradeshows

and outlook for 2013 vastly different

2012-2014 SAIA Executive Committee

Paula Manning Secretary

Jay Gordon Board Appointee

scaffold & access 7

omewhere around five years ago,

positively impacted, scaffold and

For more information or article

scaffold & access magazine

Be on the lookout for

TOP QUALITY SCAFFOLD PLANKS IN STOCK

All products meet or exceed

n my March-April column, the evolving landscape of claims

Then and Now

SCAFFOLD SHORING SYSTEMS

a scaffold user was to make contact with their local OSHA

scaffold & access 11

an a scaffold be supported but yet

of a clarification, is the hanging scaffold.

About the Author

Supported scaffolds on a project.

Suspended Scaffolds on a project.

Aerial platforms on a project.

members to become more efficient and profitable in

SAIA Course Offerings Include:

Scaffold Competent Person

Suspended Scaffold Training

he Sacramento Valley Depot in Sacramento, Calif., is

the Overland Traila route for stagecoaches, mail routes, the

The main waiting room has soaring 40-ft.

scaffold & access 15

Another hazard to combat with the columns was the

caffold planks and platforms are frequently used in harsh

Adequate traceability can be simplified as follows:

The same concept applies to scaffold planks. They are

D.H. CHARLES ENGINEERING, INC.

What is Missing from These Pictures?

The manufacturer name, product

Information about the scaffold plank

What to Look For

About the Author

scaffold & access 19

bove & Beyond

The Pyrascaf Mobile Working Tower at a Glance

Conforms to BS 1004-2004, and has been independently tested.

ew, innovative scaffold products

the market and really did revolutionize

But despite the scaffold standards being

That day I looked at Acquelino and

ed scaffolda mobile working tower

2013.05-06 Scaffold & Access May-June

2013.05-06 Scaffold & Access May-June

scaffold & access magazine

scaffold & access magazine

scaffold & access magazine