JR Scaffold Services has completed a specialist scaffolding project to support roof renovation works at the B-listed Walton Building at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
As lead contractor on the project, JR installed custom-designed double-gabled scaffolding on each side of the building before creating a temporary roof to allow its client safe access to the structure.
Due to the unique location of the site, a multi-stage plan was introduced to enable the team and all external parties to safely erect the required scaffolding. As the building is part of Glasgow Royal Infirmary, surrounding roads had to be kept clear throughout the works due to the live hospital environment. This allowed pedestrians, traffic, ambulances and deliveries to continue to access the hospital.
Located within the Glasgow Central Conservation Area, the Walton Building also sits above a tunnel system. This meant the base of the scaffolding had to be non-load bearing to keep weight off the areas above the tunnels.
The solution, designed by Gallery Access Solutions with support from architects at Coltart Earley Architecture, used this base as a foundation to create the double-gabled scaffolding. The structure was built off beams, allowing the team to erect the scaffolding despite limited access to the building.
Once the structure was in place, the team built a temporary roof which could be rolled over the Walton Building roof. Materials were transported up the structure more easily thanks to the use of an electric palletiser, which helped raise materials halfway up the building.
Contracts Director, John Jack, led the team on the intricate project, with several members of the JR Scaffold Services team also taking key roles.
Evan Horne, estimator for JR Scaffold Services, said, “We were the lead contractor on this particular project, which is quite unusual for a scaffolding company. However, we took these new challenges in our stride, looking after aspects of the project such as construction phase plans, traffic management plans and providing assets including signage and welfare facilities for our trade contractors.
“We worked closely with the client and our partners, and, despite the unique and complex challenges of this particular project, we delivered the job on time and, most importantly safely.”
Due to the scale of the project, JR Scaffold Services provided training ahead of the works for some of its newer scaffolders. This included recreating the designed scaffolding solution at JR Scaffold’s HQ, as well as sending team members to other projects involving temporary roof installations, including work at St Fillan’s Church in Houston.
Owen Stoney, temporary roof advisor for JR Scaffold Services, added, “Because of the size and complexity of this job, we thought it was important to provide familiarisation and awareness training for our whole team. We built the gabled scaffold in our new yard and replicated the structure they were going to be building on in Glasgow. This allowed our team to work with the materials before they went live on site, giving them an understanding and awareness of how the structure would come together.
“We worked closely with the architects and designers to ensure that everything was set up in a way that provided safe access for the work to take place, while also protecting those using the areas surrounding the site.”
