Health & Safety Innovation

TRAD’s strength and success comes from our people. Our scaffolders and staff take pride in using their skills and ingenuity to consistently impress our clients. As a company we are open, inventive and dynamic, sharing our values with clients, suppliers and workforce.

We encourage new ideas, respect common sense, help individuals fulfil their potential, and constantly push for greater quality and uniformity of construction methods.

Innovations & Initiatives

REMOVAL OF 6.4m TUBES

TRAD removed all stock of 6.4m tubes and spigots in 2012 and only use 5.0m (16’) tube and sleeves. This was done to improve safety by eliminating the risk of dropped 6.4m (21’) tubes and reducing manual handling for scaffolders.

REMOVAL SPIGOTS

TRAD do not use spigots, which were removed from stock in 2012, to reduce the risk of toppling and falling hemp (uprights), and now only use sleeve couplers. 

SYSTEM SCAFFOLDING

TRAD have increased the use of system scaffolding to reduce the number of small components and improve safety.

TRAD GOING BEYOND SG4 

It is TRAD’s Policy that ALL scaffold lifts must have double guardrails, even on those non-working lifts (such as that shown adjacent on the front cover of NASC guidance SG4 Preventing Falls in Scaffolding Operations) to further improve safety. All scaffolders will also wear tethered tools. For demolition operations, it is now TRAD Policy that scaffolders will also progressively erect double INSIDE guardrail fixed on all lifts as the scaffold is erected (so the double inside guardrail is automatically in place during the dismantle phase).

TRAD’s GUARDRAIL SYSTEM TRAILER

TRAD has resolved the safety issue of working at height when operatives are unloading vehicles. 
The system creates a detachable safe zone around the load on a lorry allowing easy and safe access. 
With only five minutes erection and removal time on-site no productivity is lost and the lorry can be unloaded anywhere. When not in use all the components are stored under the flatbed, in a purpose built locker.

BIG BEN BRAKED GIN WHEEL

We wanted a new safety Gin Wheel which didn’t constantly chafe/damage the rope but which – even if the ground man released the rope – didn’t allow loads to plummet to ground. TRAD’s Safety Leadership Team came up with the idea of creating a new safety gin wheel with a gearing system – and then gave that idea away free to Leach’s and actively encouraged the company to innovate, market and create the Big Ben Braked Gin Wheel for ALL scaffold companies, to improve safety throughout the industry. Our innovative gin wheel is different from other ‘safety’ gin wheels. It ensures the risk of the rope going into free fall is eliminated.The Pulley has a built-in descent control that gently and smoothly lowers items to the ground. The Pulley allows finger-tip control with the operator being able to stop and start descent at any time with the smallest of effort.

ALTRIX® ROOF

Individual bays easily opened
Durable PVC sheeting firmly secured in Keder tracking
Unique aluminium internal connectors to join lengths of track
Simple, logical & safe assembly
Fully modular system – will fit any project
Multi-purpose Beams and Weatherproofing

TRAD MINI CATCH FAN

The TRAD Mini Catch Fan is a new innovation from TRAD Safety Systems, which was the result of an idea by TRAD Scaffolding Contractors’ Safety Leadership Team who wanted a lightweight but robust alternative to heavier system protection fans. The TRAD Mini Catch Fan offers significantly increased protection when it comes to the containment of falling objects over that of a traditional boarded fan during the erection and dismantling of a scaffold. The lightweight design means that a crane is NOT required for its installation, or to move it up the building – it can all be done manually.

cse edition

What is PEP

PEP is a key initiative in the TRAD Group’s ongoing campaign to create a safer and better working environment.
This programme is an all-encompassing enterprise, which has been devised by the members of the Group’s Health & Safety PU (headed by Jim Gorman, TRAD UK’s Deputy MD), to enhance and advance our workplace and working lives.

Find out More
cse edition

Preventing falls in scaffolding operations

Falls from height account for almost half the fatal accidents in the construction sector. Recognising the significant hazards and risks that scaffolders are exposed to every day, the NASC produced Safety Guidance Number 4 (SG4) as best practice for scaffolders working at height. We’re committed to not only complying with, but also going beyond SG4:15.

Find out More
cse edition

Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity & Inclusion is about valuing everyone, and embracing and benefiting from differences. UK legislation sets minimum standards for companies to support successful workplace diversity and equality – including age, disability, race, religion, gender and sexual orientation. TRAD is an inclusive employer, respecting each member of our workforce as an individual.

Find out More