Equipment and systems designed, manufactured, installed and maintained by SAEMA members must comply with all current UK and European legislation. The work must conform to the latest industry standards and guidance to satisfy stringent requirements for safety, quality and performance. The installation must be accompanied by all statutory documentation, including testing, operating and maintenance manuals. SAEMA members operate in three distinct market sectors:
O Permanently installed access systems. These systems are installed at the construction stage of the project as an integral part of the build. Thereafter they provide a permanent means of access for cleaning and maintenance work during the lifetime of the building or structure;
O Temporarily installed access systems. These systems provide safe access to the façade during the construction phase, or later, when major refurbishment and replacement works are being undertaken on the building or structure;
O Maintenance of façade access systems. Finally, there are a number of SAEMA members who focus exclusively on the on-going maintenance of building maintenance units (BMUs), and associated equipment which is provided for work at height.
Liaising closely with other specialist and standards-setting bodies, including the regulatory authorities, SAEMA participates in the development of national and international standards and is actively engaged in advancing the height safety agenda.
With this in mind it has recently launched a presentation pack for duty holders which includes a free seminar designed to inform and educate anyone responsible for specifying, managing and maintaining façade access systems – either temporary of permanent. It is has been specifically developed for all those involved in the access process, including architects, civil and structural engineers, facilities managers, health and safety professionals, consultants and cleaning companies.
Comments SAEMA company secretary, Trevor Fennell: "On the occasions when this new presentation has been delivered, the feedback from attendees has been extremely positive. It’s also been clear that many duty holders are either confused by, or are only partly or wholly unaware, of their legal responsibilities, and that is a situation that is not conducive to safety and best practice.”
Also new from SAEMA are three training courses. The Permanently Installed Cradle Testers and Examiner’s Course is aimed at managers and supervisors of SAEMA member companies, but is also available to anyone involved – either directly or indirectly – in façade access. For example, insurance inspectors. It covers the latest regulations, standards and guidance, plus the essential points of BMU safety.
The SAEMA/CITB Hydraulics Course is intended to provide insights and information about the latest hydraulic systems that are now being used
to power the movement and control of the components and assemblies in the latest BMUs.
The SAEMA/CITB Temporarily Installed Cradle Riggers Course – again intended primarily for managers, supervisors and riggers of SAEMA members but also open to interested third parties – includes both classroom and practical sessions and is held at the CITB Training Centre in Bircham Newton. Upon successful completion, candidates can elect to complete an NVQ in cradle rigging.
Says Trevor Fennell: "All these initiatives, and several more in the pipeline, reflect the collective experience and expertise of SAEMA members and have been developed to raise safety and operator standards in the permanent and temporary façade industry.”
"Involved in the planning stages of many projects, SAEMA members are increasingly finding that clients are requiring more and more complex designs for installation in increasingly demanding and space-restricted locations. It’s therefore essential that these projects are carried out to the highest standards in compliance with all the relevant regulations. These latest moves are designed to ensure that these criteria are met in full. In other words, to ensure that operatives stay safe.”
