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TECHNICAL | NASC YEARBOOK 2012


MAKING IT HAPPEN


The Technical Committee has been instrumental in helping translate changes to guidance, explains Don Gourd


the technical committee remains an extremely well attended and popular working group with an average attendance of 20 members at each meeting. It has been a particularly busy year with many of the NASC Technical Guidance Notes due for review. The main topic of discussion at the early part of the year was how the withdrawal of BS 6399 Part 2:1997 Loading for Buildings – the code of practice for wind loadings – and the introduction of the new European wind code BS EN1991-1-4:2005 would impact on TG20:08. The new wind code was designed in a similar manner to BS 6399 – Part 2 and there were some changes to the wind loads in the new code, but the net effect on the safe heights detailed in TG20 were quite small, with some minor changes, up and down, to the safe heights. In February 2011 an interim document,


TG20:08 – Supplement 1, was published. The supplement was designed to be read in conjunction with TG20:08, but at the time of publication only covered section 2 of volume 1. A revised edition of TG20 will be prepared in the new year, which will incorporate a full set of changes, provide a full set of new safe height tables and include some additional useful data.


Current guidance notes under review: TG1 – Temporary edge protection for sloping and flat roofs Class ‘A’ and Class ‘B’ edge protection systems only


TG13 – Non-standard boarded platforms TG14 – Supplementary and check couplers TG15 – Site hoardings and sign boards TG16 – Anchoring to the ground


New guidance notes being prepared: TG18 – Effective use of ladder beams and plan bracing


TG19 – Birdcage scaffolds


The specification was to be based on: a) Single lift access birdcage with a working load of 2.0kN/m2 b) Two lift (4m high) access birdcage with a working load of 1.5kN/m2


Existing guidance reviewed and published: TG3:11 – Erection, use and dismantling of rubbish chutes on scaffolding


TG4:11 – Anchorage systems for scaffolding


“We have adopted this very clear policy of only considering awarding future contracts to those organisations and companies who are full members of the NASC. We believe that the standards of technical and professional guidance and customer service that the NASC embodies is exactly in line with our vision for the future.”


John Cottington, health and safety director, Midas Group


Spreading the word


In addition to the online video toolbox talk on the changes in TG20:08 and how to understand them, the NASC has given a number of in-house presentations on TG20:08 to the membership and was also asked to give similar presentations at two events outside the NASC. One was to the Temporary Works Forum (TWF) and the other to an International Virtual Symposium. TWF is a new industry group and it was suggested that there should be closer contact between TWF and the NASC. TWF is a place where temporary works engineers and co- ordinators have the opportunity to discuss the design of temporary works. Temporary works is any structure required to enable construction of, project support for, or to provide access to, the permanent structure, e.g. formwork, propping, scaffolds and excavations. The TG20 presentation was very well


received and stimulated a large amount of intellectual debate. The NASC was also asked to contribute to the ‘InterConstruct 2011 Virtual Conference’. This event was staged in partnership between IOSH and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and was carried out completely online to audiences in both the UK and USA simultaneously.


Giving thanks I have been involved in the Technical Committee since 1981, more recently as Chairman, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the various working groups who have been involved during my Chairmanship in giving their time and commitment to the success of the guidance and documents they have produced, which has made the NASC the market leader in the construction industry. Going forward I am sure we will be faced


with ever more challenges, but I am confident these will be faced head on and that we will still produce the high quality, good practice guidance that you have come to expect from the NASC.


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