Chronicles of a Steeplejack

Summer Lightning Protection

16 August 2010 12:01

The summer can bring with it a plethora of thunder and lightning storms, which can cause costly damages to businesses. If a business is hit by lightning it can cause a lot of damage and expense that some business owners simply cannot afford.Businesses protect themselves from the risks of lightning damages by installing a Lightning Protection and Specialist Earthing system. This involves employing a team of highly trained engineers and certified (Passport of Safety) professionals who provide a range of services including design, supply, installation and commissioning. The engineers at Churchill Steeplejack will assess the site requirements and conditions,...

The Impact of Lightning Strikes on Businesses

25 July 2010 03:14

Lightning is said to strike the ground around 8 million times a day and the impact that this can have on businesses can be very severe.According to a survey carried out by a German insurance company, lightning accounts for 27.4% of damages to electronic equipment. Studies carried out by French insurance company AXA have also concluded that after a fire, one out of every two businesses ends up having to cease trading within five years. This is due to the damages it causes to real estate and IT Equipment etc., which prevent the company from continuing with their business.Furthermore...

Lightning and Earthing Protection in the UK

15 June 2010 01:30

Everyone in the world has seen the tremendous power of lightning. It is beautiful but its power can be very destructive. Lightning strikes on average 2100 people a year and one third of those strikes have ended in death. Those individuals who have survived these strikes suffer from damage to the eardrums, vision, lungs, organs and the nervous system. Lightning protection for your building will help lower the risk to the people in your buildings. There are quite a few systems to help prevent damage to buildings and the people who are nearby.Grounding structures against lightning is a good...

The Importance of Lightning Protection

24 May 2010 01:21

The Importance of Lightning ProtectionLightning strikes approximately 2100 people a year worldwide and one third of those strikes, called strokes, result in death. The people that live are never quite the same. Physical and emotional difficulties tend to plague them the rest of their lives. Heart attacks, burst eardrums, optical impairment, damage to the lungs and other organs, as well as the nervous system are quite common.Golfing, boating, swimming, standing under a tree, talking on the phone, using water and operating electrical appliances seem to be the activities which draw the greatest number of strikes. Air travel is relatively...

Chimney Inspections

13 April 2010 03:33

The inspection of single flue industrial chimneys is regulated by the HSE document GS53 and the ATLAS guidance booklet that builds upon the HSE document GS53.The self supporting single flue steel chimney has commonly been used for a period in excess of 35 years during which time many have seen a change over from serving coal to oil through to the modern day gas fired boilers. This change over in fuels has left its own legacy creating very corrosive environments, this coupled with the effects of the UK climate has led to a large number of this type of...

Work at Height Hierarchy of Risk

07 April 2010 10:51

Via risk assessment the use of a mewp to facilitate access to structures should always be the access method of choice particuarly for the completion of surveys.In the uk truck mounted MEWPS can provide access up to working heights upwards of 70 metres.During a recent meeting between the hse and the steeplejack federation ATLAS the hse voiced their concerns into the mindset of the steeplejack industry in relation to risk assessments for working at height and our industries continued insistance to survey structures using traditional ladders as apose to MEWPS.Wherever it is practicable to do so Churchills always look to...

Range Rover Vogue Fails to Start Through Winter

26 March 2010 04:16

Somewhat embarrassingly the one year old range rover vogue owned by Churchills MD has broken down for the fourth time in three months leaving him stranded yet again.Land Rover have been unable to locate a problem that completely drains power from the battery when temperatures fall below zero, having had two new batteries installed the car continues to not start in the mornings.Land Rover continue to deny there is an issue with the car (try telling our MD that when the second time it wouldn’t start almost caused him to miss a flight for his family holiday) and reject any...

Money vs Safety

25 March 2010 12:44

Can it really be true that in difficult financial times money men are potentially placing their employers at risk?During the recent financial climate as an organisation who supply to many blue chip organisations, councils and government establishments throughout the UK it has been very disconcerting and somewhat alarming to witness the swing in the ethos of many in relation to the awarding of their contracts on a heavily cost weighted basis.The steeplejack & lightning protection industry has taken huge strides in recent years to improve both it&rsquos professionalism and quality of service within the construction sector, in the main...

OHSAS 18001 2007

08 December 2009 04:41

In theory the attainment of OHSAS 18001 2007 should serve to provide a springboard for any organisation to expand their market share via clearly being able to demonstrate to potential clients their proven and documented approach to health & safety in the work place.However the sad truth is that organisations including blue chips fail to fully grasp the importance of such an accreditation and those that do are slow to promote a preference to working with companies who have achieved OHSAS 18001 2007 throughout their organisation.This can be vey frustrating, listening on one hand to organisations promoting their values and...

Churchills go for OHSAS 18001

19 October 2009 03:27

Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd are on course to be the first organisation operating in the steeplejack and lightning protection sector to obtain the coveted OHSAS 18001 Standard.What is it?OHSAS 18001 is the British recognised standard for occupational health and safety management. The standard can be adopted by any organisation wishing to implement a formal procedure to manage the risks associated with health and safety at work. The standard is designed to clarify an organisation''s impact on health and safety issues, as well as to help reduce the risk of accidents and any breach in legal requirements.The History of the...

Concrete Chimney Demolition

03 July 2009 12:13

The removal of 3no 60m steel flues from within the reinforced concrete windshield at the old Roche site in Welwyn Garden City was safely completed with the use of a 300 ton mobile crane.The 3no flues were removed to facilitate the felling of the concrete windshield which was dismantled in a piece meal small fashion with all dismantled concrete falling to ground inside the chimney for retrieval at the base. Churchills used their in-house crane capabilities utilising Crane Appointed persons and Competent Slinger banksman to complete this phase of the jobThe demolition of the concrete windshield started...

Power Station Chimney Re Lining Project

01 July 2009 08:49

In December 2008 Churchills were appointed directly by e-on and mobilised to site to commence with the removal and replacement of 2no 110m tall brick flues housed within a 107m tall concrete windshield.The removal of both brick linings was completed through the Christmas holidays to ensure a hand over date of March 2009 remained achievable.During the removal of the brick linings the internal cast concrete ring beams that supported the internal brickwork at regular intervals throughout their height were found to have eroded beyond repair. Working with e-on engineers Churchills designed replacement ring beam supports to be installed in conjunction...

Churchills Accreditation

01 May 2009 03:18

A total of ten Churchill Steeplejacks operatives have successfully achieved the SSSTS accreditation for site supervision.This level of commitment to training will ensure that all Churchill sites will have the construction industry requirement in relation to on site supervision. Add to this the following minimum requirement for a Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd site based team and our clients have arguably one the most highly trained and qualified workforces at their disposalThe following are all managed by a team consisting of two NEBOSH in construction departmental managersSSSTSCSCS Industry Gold CardCCNSG Passport to SafetyQuarry PassportNVQ Level 2 Steeplejack/Lightning Protection EngineersNVQ Level...

Concrete Chimney Refurbishment

20 April 2009 11:46

A 60k project to refurbish 2no 45m reinforced concrete chimneys at The University of East Anglia has been completed within program and within budget by Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) LtdThe project was completed over a twelve week period with a three man team in attendance and included the replacement and repair of the capping arrangements, concrete repairs to each windshield, lightning protection upgrade and the application of a protective paint system.A steel support framework was also installed around the summit of both chimneys to provide structural support to the upper regions of each windshield.The cold weather conditions experienced during January...

Steel Chimney Emergency Callout

14 April 2009 08:50

A steel chimney located at Eastwood Comprehensive School in Nottinghamshire fell victim of the strong winds that hit the county during the earlier hours 23rd March 2009.Churchills received an emergency call out request from the school who feared the chimney was in imminent danger of falling over, Churchills dispatched a three man team to site together with a mobile crane and successfully dismantled the chimney just in time to preventing it falling into classrooms below.Once the chimney had been successfully dismantled Churchills then set about arranging for the manufacturer and installation of a temporary smaller chimney section to be...

SPECIALISTS IN HIGH RISE DEMOLITION & STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE

01 April 2009 08:25

In 2004 Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd were awarded the contract to complete the external refurbishment of a115m tall concrete cooling tower at Ratcliffe On Soar Power station.Following the successful completion of the contract that saw Churchills provide, install and maintain all motorised access cradles and complete the contract with no sub contract element the contract was extended for the following four year period to include 6 of the 8no cooling towers at Ratcliffe on Soar. Each cooling tower project involved up to 12 operatives working on a tower at any one time from the motorised access platforms suspended from...

Churchill Steeplejacks Obtain CSCS Platinum Standard

26 March 2009 11:24

Churchill Steeplejacks UK Ltd are the proud recipients of the CSCS Platinum Award that recognises a companies achievement in attaining more than a 90% ratio of it''s workforce being CSCS accredited card holders.Churchills have achieved the highest award available from CSCS with a 100% attainment level for it''s employees with not one of the 40no cards being a minimum general workers accreditation and with all being industry related.Boasting 2no NEBOSH in construction departmental managers, 12no SSSTS site based Operatives and one of only 2no NVQ level 3 Steeplejack assesors/trainers in the country this recognition by CSCS highlights further the companies...

Pectel Group in Administration

16 January 2009 08:36

The Pectel Group formed in 1982 entered into administration 12th December 2008 becoming Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd largest debtor since the formation of the company in 1994.On the day Churchills completed extensive decommissioning work to the disused 45m concrete boiler chimney at the University Hospital Birmingham administrators Zolfo Cooper of Manchester were called in.Formed in 1982 as an asbestos removal firm the growth of the Pectel Group saw them include no fewer than 12 Limited companies at the time they entered into administration with over 250 employees nationwide.

Traditional Profession conforming to Modern Ways

12 November 2008 03:22

The traditional steeplejack profession remains a peculiarity in this modern high tech world, with stringent legislative requirements for working at height bringing about trade groups such as ATLAS, IRATA, PASMA and IPAF, the steeplejack industry that previously relied on experience mixed with a certain amount of bravery has been forced to reinvent itself.As part of this reinvention process the steeplejack industry now operates its own NVQ based qualification with it’s very own training college based at the Construction Skills Bircham Newton site in Norfolk. Possessing an NVQ qualification is not a pre requisite for employment in the steeplejack sector,...