Compliance assurance to ensure a safe working environment from the start

Challenge:

The brand-new state of the art facility will enable STRABAG UK to fulfil their contract to supply 83,000 precast concrete tunnel ring segments to the HS2 project in London and provide the flexibility to service other industry requirements.

Utilising the latest automated technology in steel mesh manufacturing lines, concrete batching plant, overhead handling equipment, industrial robot operated welding and segment preparatory equipment, will enable STRABAG to increase segment output to meet demand.

Solution:

Finch have been providing the site with technical guidance and support in the following areas:

• The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (UKCA and CE marking)
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
• Lifting Equipment and Lifting Operations Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
• Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR)

One particular benefit has been undertaking the PUWER assessments on equipment during the commissioning phase of the project and before equipment handover from the supplier. Any identified defects are then resolved prior to final handover and whilst the OEM is still onsite. This has saved not only time but avoided contractual issues commonly encountered following original equipment sign off.

Outcome:

While evaluating the suggested list of lifting equipment (new and old) for facility operations, Finch, along with STRABAG, analysed any possible risks associated with operating both single and multiple cranes across different plant areas. Additional consideration was also given to the resilience level required to sustain production in the event of a plant failure. This assessment led to a set of recommendations, one of which allowed for the decommissioning of four large overhead cranes in a specific area, yielding several advantages, including:

• Removed the safety risks associated with multiple cranes operating at different levels.
• Speeded up the operations.
• Provided better control of use of the existing crane for specific operations.
• Reduced maintenance and inspection costs.

Throughout the project, Finch has maintained regular project meetings with the site team to assess progress, discuss outstanding issues and agree suitable points at which to undertake site visits whilst maintaining the necessary flexibility to meet STRABAG’s evolving requirements.