Look above – located 16 storeys above a bustling street in the Sydney CBD, Paynter Dixon is assembling a hanging scaffold. As the name suggests, the scaffold literally hangs from an overhead support structure spanning two building facades.

In this case, the structure is a covered overhead gantry known as the skybridge. The hanging scaffold will allow our Remedial team to continue work on the building’s façade in areas which are difficult to access.

Assembly of the scaffolding is closely monitored by our site personnel, utilising an adjacent plant room which provides access to the location and outstanding visibility of the skybridge from a safe location.

Meticulous preparation has involved extensive design and planning to address structural adequacy of both the supporting structure and the proposed hanging structure. This planning has taken into account live loading considerations, access and egress to the work location – not only for the workers but materials and rescue as well.

“Paramount to the whole exercise is our approach to protecting the day to day activities below the work area, and how we prevent workers or materials falling to areas below, and in the event the worse should happen, how we recover them,” says John Doodson, HSEQ Manager for Paynter Dixon.

“All trades and suitably competent engineering consultants associated with the task have been included in the consultation process. This has ensured all stakeholders aren’t just aware of what their teams were doing, but also what the other teams are doing and when.”

Once completed, site workers will be able to perform their tasks on the structure without having to wear harnesses, enabling free and confident movement.

To obtain the permits and access to air space in which to operate, our team has managed stakeholder management with multiple commercial and retail building co-owners, taking into consideration their individual needs and concerns.

Paynter Dixon’s investment in safety is reflected in accreditation with the Federal Safety Commission.