PASMA has recently been in the press advocating the need to only use mobile access towers that comply with the minimum product safety standards BS EN1004. PASMA is also promoting the flexibility and versatility of mobile access towers in a variety of applications typically these advanced tower structures include cantilever, bridging, large working deck (commonly known as boxing rings or birdcage scaffolds), high level and facade towers.
Many of these structures comprise of several towers linked together with plan bracing, bridges and platforms and provide unique opportunities to work safely at height whilst still being lightweight so they do not damage suspended or delicate floors.
To facilitate the education and instruction of the skills to enable operatives to assembly these advanced structures with competence PASMA has created the new PASMA Towers for Riggers course.
PASMA’s Towers for Riggers course is an intensive, week-long training course for professional tower riggers and will initially be available only to PASMA Approved Hire & Assembly members and Manufacturing members. The training focuses on the construction of advanced tower structures outside of the scope of EN1004.
Delegates learn how to assemble and dismantle complex mobile access towers in configurations which include: towers with large decked area, high levels towers (those taller than 8m used externally and 12m internally), bridging structures, end and side cantilevers towers, linked façade structures and stepped towers (towers on stairs).
Don Aers, PASMA’s Technical Director, said:
“There is sometimes the idea that towers are just for simple jobs at a low level, but PASMA Approved Hire & Assembly members and Manufacturing members can also provide complex tower configurations that provide the benefits of fast assembly, alteration and dismantling using lightweight equipment to deliver solutions for very complicated work at height requirements. We’ve seen towers used on stairs and escalators, in swimming pools, in cathedrals with delicate flooring, in awkward small spaces and on high-rise buildings. Towers for Riggers unlock the huge potential and versatility of the access tower.”
PASMA Manufacturing member Youngman Group will be at the centre of the launch of the new course at the Show. As the successful bidder to supply the range of complex tower structures, they will officially hand over the equipment that will be used in Towers for Riggers training together with detailed designs, strength and stability calculations and assembly, use and dismantling plans, necessary for these configurations as a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations.
As part of PASMA Tower Week in November last year, the association released an exclusive video looking at these unique types of tower builds. The video is available from the PASMA YouTube channel.
