Skyworkers Group, although a new business established in 2018, has a high level of experienced team members who have been involved in some of Australia’s biggest and most complex builds. Skyworkers offers experienced, innovative and reliable engineered scaffolding solutions that provide access for construction/demolition, and bridging systems for Commercial, High Rise, Industrial and Event projects. Over the past years, Skyworkers have chosen Proscaf as their preferred scaffold system, due to the versatility and ability of Proscaf to do more than other scaffold systems.

One of Skyworkers Group major projects is the landmark Castle Residences, under construction by Hutchinson Builders, soon to stand tall on Sydney’s busy Bathurst and Castlereagh Streets. Construction of the 37 storey tower began in late 2018 and will include the sensitive refurbishment of the 142 year old heritage listed Porter House building next door. The project brings together high-end apartments with five-star luxury hotel services and amenities – a distinctive offering in the Australian market.

During early construction, Skyworkers Group, E.A. & Associates Consulting Engineers and Hutchinson Builders had to come up with a way to keep access to the jump form maintained whilst the slab was still coming out of the ground.

Skyworkers Group contacted SafeSmart Access to discuss what the best solution would be. After further consultation with the client, it was agreed that a scaffold was required to change the Jump Form configuration due to the building footprint changing to cantilever over an existing heritage building.

Casting in channels into the concrete core and pre-fabricating a flat Proscaf wedge head bracket that could be fixed into the channels using a t-bolt was the engineered solution.

Connecting SafeSmart’s Proscaf standards, ledgers and load bearing braces to the wedge head bracket, the scaffolders were able to cantilever the scaffold out to provide access to the jump form. A solution that could be safely and effectively reconfigured without holding up Hutchinson Builders program was essential in the success of this design.

Proscaf was a good solution for the client as the rosette connection allowed them to scaffold around different angles and ties without using tube and fitting. Additionally, the large cantilever was made possible thanks to the high load-bearing capacity of the braces. The scaffold was completed with minimal components reducing weight, time and cost.

Proscaf was a good solution for the client.

Designed by MAKE in collaboration with Architectus and created by Multiplex, the refurbishment of Shell House and 285 George Street will see both heritage properties returned to their original use as office buildings creating 9,400 square metres of combined boutique office space.

The heritage services contractor for the Shell House part of the project, Traditional Stonemasonry, required access over a block wall and ledge on the top of the building, to get down to the face of the building and install stone blocks. The sensitive nature of the project and large loads imposed by the scaffold meant that Proscaf was the ideal system to use – minimal gear was required to create a safe, efficient solution.

Working with the scaffold contractor and client, SafeSmart coordinated the design, engineering and install methodology, including step-by-step presentations to the client’s high-risk work committee, to ensure to project was hassle free and ran ahead of schedule.

Proscaf was used to create a series of cantilevered drop scaffolds, providing stair access and a work platform to the outside of the building. Rostrums were built and chained to the slab, and then the cantilever sections twin wedged and built out and down over the edge of the building.

The superior strength of Proscaf braces came into play – the scaffold was incredibly solid, without a ladder beam or lattice girder in sight. These modules were relocated multiple times by the scaffolding contractor (all done at night) to gain access to all affected areas of the building.

This included an additional two bay cantilever off the side of the drop scaffold to access underneath the clock tower on Shell House. All design, and the build methodology, was coordinated in house by SafeSmart – making the job relatively simple for the scaffold contractor!

The client mentioned, “We were amazed by the stability of the scaffold – it was more solid than any other scaffold that had been built over the course of the project, and easily the most complex! The ease and speed of install of the Proscaf system was very impressive, coupled with the professionalism of the scaffold crew that carried it out.”

Reach out to the team on AU 02 8844 4500 or NZ 0800 000 448 to explore the Power of Proscaf on your next project.

In Pyrmont, the Google Headquarters are undergoing an extensive facelift. Built commissioned Express Scaffolding, to provide scaffolding for workface access to difficult to reach places so their crews could remove high-risk flammable cladding as part of a property-by-property fire safety audit.

The push from the Victorian and New South Wales governments to remove dangerous cladding on high-rise buildings follows the horrific Grenfell Tower blaze in London that killed 72 people in 2017. As a result, many buildings across major urban centres find that the cladding on their buildings is at high risk and are recommended that the material be removed.

In Google’s Pyrmont offices, the challenge was that access to the required work fronts was very limited, making it difficult to get scaffold material into position and leaving little room to build an access scaffold. Few options are available on the market that allows for easy construction of a scaffold in confined spaces and provides the strength needed for the task.

The best way to do it? Proscaf.

Utilising Proscaf, Express provided an innovative solution that saw the use of steel stretcher towers to provide access to the various vertical work areas. The steel stretcher towers offered the perfect solution as they maintain structural stability without the use of buttressing, meaning they can accommodate the transfer or workers and material while also being able to be quickly and easily assembled up the buildings in relatively space-restricted areas.

However, the team faced a challenge when removing and installing cladding along the overhanging roof because of its confined space and the need for a lightweight but strong scaffold. The aluminium version of Proscaf was an excellent option for its locking and load-bearing properties that steel provides but with the advantage of lighter weight structures.

With the advantages of Proscaf Aluminium, Express erected cantilevered scaffolding bays that now granted access to the underside of the roof without infringing on the limited space in the upper floor and roof cavity. There was only room to build a 730mm deep bay inboard, which was tied to a structural steel beam. From the beam, approximately 2.5m of scaffold was swung and cantilevered out, supported by the Proscaf Aluminium braces. Check out our video below on how continuous cantilever bays are built with Proscaf aluminium.

The resulting structure provided a safe and stable cantilevered platform. As a result, Built’s crews could quickly and easily access the difficult to reach work fronts, safely removing and replacing the cladding with minimal disruption to Google’s day-to-day operations.

The scaffold crew from Express Scaffolding were very impressed with the lightweight and optimum strength of the Proscaf Aluminium system, which made it easy for them to handle and install in confined, high-risk areas. The client, Built, was well satisfied with the scaffold access and commented on the strength and solidity of the scaffold platform.

Do it right with Proscaf

Scaffolding comes in many different forms, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. So when choosing a scaffolding system for your project, it is essential to consider the job’s specific needs. But if you need a lightweight but solid and easy to install system, then Proscaf Aluminium may be the best choice for you. Or maybe it’s a combination of steel and aluminium scaffolding solutions like the Google HQ project.

You can do a lot with Proscaf. It’s the answer to many complex access problems. With its unique design, the Proscaf system can quickly, efficiently, and most importantly, safely access challenging and dangerous areas.

And we’re with you every step of the way. Our engineering team will provide you with expert advice and design on using Proscaf for your project. Talk to us today about how we can help you overcome access difficulties safely and efficiently.

Cladding removal with using Cantilevered Bays