A 12-month construction industry blitz by SafeWork NSW aimed at reducing falls from heights has resulted in improved working at heights safety and compliance.

SafeWork NSW Executive Director, Tony Williams said inspectors visited 1,000 sites around NSW after nine workers died in 2017 and many more were injured in an alarming spike in the number of reported falls from heights

“Falls from heights is the number one killer on construction sites. We undertook a concentrated education campaign for tradies and provided rebates for small business,” Mr Williams said.

“Since the start of the blitz, we have given more than $86,000 of rebates to 186 small businesses to help them work safely at heights.

“While inspectors have observed troubling levels of non-compliance, they are working with employers to educate them and taking enforcement action where needed, including issuing on-the-spot fines.

“SafeWork inspectors issued 1,258 notices to stop or improve work processes throughout the visits, which included 93 on-the-spot fines when the falls risk to workers was imminent or serious, or if the workplace was a repeat offender.

“Since the blitz began, inspectors have seen an improvement of up to nine per cent in compliance when it comes to scaffolds, formwork, ladders, safety planning documents, site inductions and tool box talks, but industry still has a long way to go to secure safety.

“Over the next two years, SafeWork will continue to work on those areas of highest risk in the construction industry. This includes working on roofs, ladders and non-compliant scaffolds, as part of a broader falls from heights action plan SafeWork NSW is releasing today,” Mr Williams said.

The Falls from Heights Action Plan identifies the top at-risk industries and occupations for fatalities and serious injuries, and details how SafeWork is working with industry to secure compliance and ensure they meet their workplace safety obligations.

For more information on the construction safety blitz and falls from heights action plan visit www.safework.nsw.gov.

The recently launched FIA Education & Social Series of events kicked off with the Education event, "Falling from heights and managing SafeWork NSW inspections" sold out a week early and 70 people in attendance.

"We are delighted that our first education event was sold out", stated FIA General Manager, Michael Sugg. "The FIA Board and I have spent a good deal of time in planning our events for our members and it was great to see so many people. A lot was discussed in the session and we took on board even more feedback on how we can assist members further by working with SafeWork NSW to provide access to additional guidelines and clarification on a number of issues".

A packed room with the Lendlease site at Barangaroo as the back drop.

Steve Maher, principal inspector - construction interventions, started the session off with the statistics recently gathered by SafeWork and went on to discus a number of examples of how companies and individuals had been held responsible for safety issues and how those in the room could avoid falls from heights. 

As is the aim of these education workshops, there was a lot of discussion on a number of issues that affect formworkers and working at heights. An example of this was the discussion on adequate edge protection and handrails in particular. A number of key concerns from both sides of the floor were brought up and the FIA will investigate further and look to provide further information and guidelines to members in the New Year on the way forward and a consistent message of advice.

Slide from Steve Maher's presentation

The event was hosted by new FIA Partner HLB Mann Judd and the FIA would like to thank them for providing such a great venue and a supportive team to look after the FIA members. They of course had the ideal backdrop for our first education series with FIA member Lendlease's site at Barangaroo.

Social Series

A week earlier we had our first Social Series event hosted by FIA Partner Dincel. We had a great morning at Dincel with owner Burak giving the FIA audience a very informative, passionate and educative presentation on the Dincel system and how it not only improved site safety but also helped reduce costs on sites to the advantage of formwork companies.

We then broke into three groups for further and closer product demonstration, a workshop tour and a session on how Dincel work with you on pricing and ordering.

   

We received a lot of positive feedback and will be looking into hosting another one of these mornings in 2019.

Look out for our upcoming events in 2019 starting in February where we have and education event on "removing the confusion on SWMS" and a social series event from FIA Partner Doka.

Across the world, construction investment is growing. The great construction boom has been felt in nearly every corner of the world, including Australia and New Zealand. In fact, Australia’s construction output is expected to rise by a significant 7.1% in 2019. As the country’s population grows, New Zealand is also expected to experience solid growth in the building industry for the next coming years. Nevertheless, a major threat to this growth remains; industry-wide unproductiveness.

To better solve the construction productivity crisis, we wanted to understand the productivity gaps that exist in construction companies in Australia and New Zealand, how firms are investing in technology and why new solutions aren’t proving as effective as they could be. Partnering with FMI, a leading management consulting and investment banking firm dedicated exclusively to engineering and construction, infrastructure and the built environment, we surveyed construction firms across the two countries.

In our report, Construction Disconnected, we explore the link between productivity and technology at construction firms in Australia and New Zealand. The report is now available to download:

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So, what did we learn about construction productivity in Australia and New Zealand? Read below to learn about some of the highlights from our report.

Time Is Not Being Spent in the Best Way

Beginning with productivity, the report found that 33% of construction professionals’ working hours are spent on non-optimal activities – those that take time away from actual building work. This includes:

• Looking for project information (14%)
  
• Conflict resolution (10%)
  
• Dealing with mistakes and rework (9%)
  

The total time waste from these non-optimal activities amounts to $36.5 billion in labour costs across Australia and New Zealand, representing a significant drain on the industry’s performance.

Data and Communication Challenges Are a Recurring Theme

Throughout Construction Disconnected, poor data and communication bubble up as common issue amongst construction firms. Construction companies in Australia and New Zealand reported spending more time than expected on tasks like:

• Poor communication amongst project stakeholders (29%)
  
• Lack of confidence in the accuracy of data (23%)
  
• Lack of responsiveness in data delivery (18%)
  

Similarly, the main causes for rework on projects are poor project data (30%) and poor communication (29%). These issues alone result in $8.4 billion in rework costs every year across the New Zealand and Australia.

Construction Firms in Australia and New Zealand Are Investing in Tech – But Is it in the Right Areas?

Construction companies in Australia and New Zealand are turning to technology to address core challenges. The main reasons behind investments are:

• Improving project productivity (46%)
  
• Getting better access to project data (36%)
  
• Improving the accuracy of project data (34%)
  

Despite the valid reasons for investment, technology is still purchased to suit the needs of teams working in offices (54%) above those in the field (36%). Moreover, only 17% of firms considered receiving feedback from the potential users of new technology to evaluate its suitability before purchasing it.

The Gulf Between Technology and the Jobsite

Construction Disconnected highlights the disconnect that exists between the reasons behind technology purchases and how tools are selected, deployed and used in the field, which is underlined by the use of mobile devices.

While 44% of construction firms give mobile devices to managers on jobsites, only 8% actually use these tools consistently for accessing data and collaborating with other stakeholders.

By contrast, 92% use devices only intermittently, with one-third of project managers using their devices less than 20% of the time.

Where technology fails to meet construction businesses’ expectations, this comes down to it being a poor fit with existing work practices (39%), not matching existing technology (11%) and inadequate training (11%). Perhaps unsurprisingly, 6% of professionals also point to low adoption of tech.

A Golden Opportunity

Construction firms in Australia and New Zealand recognise the need to improve information-sharing and communication – and they’re turning to technology to do this. However, there remains a disconnect with users in the field, resulting in poor adoption and return on investment.

Today, there is an opportunity for firms to reconnect with managers on jobs, to deliver the technology that will actually meet their needs, reduce wasted time and significantly improve the performance of the business. Download our report to learn more:

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The Formwork Industry Association are delighted to welcome to the FIA community new FIA Partner PlanGrid. 

PlanGrid is the leader in construction productivity software and is the first construction productivity software that allows contractors and owners in commercial, heavy civil and other industries to collaborate easily from their mobile devices and desktop, managing drawings, specs, photos, RFIs, field reports and defect lists.

Tomy Praveen, PlanGrid's Managing Director, Asia Pacific stated "we are excited to be partner with the FIA to deliver digital transformation awareness of PlanGrids software and services, plus provide insightful events and programs to their members to save money on costly reworks and increase their productivity in the field".

FIA General Manager, Michael Sugg added "partners are an essential part of the FIA community and allow us to deliver the member benefits essential to our members. It is a great pleasure to have the support and commitment from PlanGrid and we look forward to working with them and welcome them into the FIA community".

For further information on PlanGrid please visit their partner page here on the FIA website.

Providing outstanding results for its customers is a key focus for Ceerose, one of Sydney’s leading property development and construction companies.

Not only must all projects be completed to a high calibre, the builds need to be delivered in a cost-time efficient manner and the finish should be virtually maintenance-free.

“On site, the Dincel walls were also easy-to-handle. There was no reliance on cranes, the site was cleaner with reduced wastage.”

In developing its cutting edge Ceerose apartments at Pyrmont Bridge Road, Camperdown, Ceerose partnered with Dincel Construction Systems to meet these objectives, while achieving an extensive 26 weeks or 50 per cent time savings on the projected build schedule.

The project consisted of 133 units of three towers, seven stories above the podium level with one level of basement car parking.

Ceerose Construction Manager, Charbel Barakat, says Dincel Construction Systems was used extensively throughout the project, delivering great results.

“The build used 200mm Dincel in the basement, lift, stair and service shafts and well as for deep beams, blade columns and façade walls. In other areas, 110mm Dincel walls were used for party walls in between apartments supporting 170mm thick slabs,” Mr Barakat said.

“Utilising Dincel as a loadbearing wall system in lieu of conventional methods achieved a most cost-efficient floor system, together with a six month time saving from our construction program allowance of 12 months for structural work. If the slab did not consist of elaborate double rebates and balcony edge downturns, this could have been increased by another month.”

Mr Barakat says that Dincel’s use of PVC Polymer also yielded other important benefits for the project beyond time and cost savings.

“Further advantages were Dincel’s suitability as basement and water tank walls without needing a waterproof membrane, they’re also ideal for garbage and service rooms where mould and mildew is a common problem,” he said. Despite Ceerose Apartments being the first occasion in which the company had tried the Dincel product, using the wall systems was straight forward and well supported by the manufacturer, according to Mr Barakat. “Dincel’s site assistance was invaluable and allowed us to achieve simple and very fast installation. The supply service was timely and was supported by Dincel’s highly qualified engineers who provided expert advice in all facets of the Building Code of Australia, buildability and offered structural engineering assistance to the project’s engineer and architect,” he said.

“The project was a great success even though it was our first time using Dincel – it’s without doubt the most cost and time-effective way to build multi-storey apartment buildings.

“I highly recommend incorporating Dincel Construction Systems, particularly at the early architectural design stage in order to maximise benefits.

“We would welcome the opportunity to further work with this highly innovative products.”

In our regular business feature article, FIA Partner, HLB Mann Judd offer some advice on preparing a business plan. Why do you need one, how do you go about preparing one and how will it benefit your business.

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For a limited time only you can read the article below ...

FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL

According to the HLB Mann Judd’s 2017/18 SME Research Report only 20 per cent of businesses have prepared a business plan.

It also found only one in three business owners regularly spend time on strategic and business planning.

This is a major issue for businesses.

But why is this? People plan their holidays and their weekends… so why wouldn’t they have a plan for their business, possibly the most valuable asset that they own.

The problem for many business owners is that they simply don’t know how to develop such a plan.

At the same time, a priority for many business owners is to increase profits. There are many ways to achieve this, from de-risking the business, to working smarter, to improving efficiencies. But none of this can be accomplished without a business plan.

Planning a plan

A good analogy is to compare preparing and implementing a business plan, with the steps involved in planning a trip.

To plan a trip people will often use GPS or google maps. They input where they are now and where they want to be. The GPS then shows how to get there and plans out the journey.

The process for preparing a plan for a business, and the journey ahead, is much the same.

Where are you now?

This step involves taking stock of your business, family life and your health.

It is important for all areas of your life to be aligned as they all impact each other. For instance, HLB Mann Judd’s 2017/18 SME Research Report tells us that only 47 per cent of owners believed they spend enough time with their family.

There are a number of tools to use to find out where you are, and a business adviser can work with you to identify them. They include a risk survey, a SWOT analysis and a business valuation. The understanding gleaned from these tools will lead to the ideal business model.

Where do you want to be?

This step involves brain storming with your business adviser and establishing SMART goals. These are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time limited

When you consider that only one in three business owners regularly spend time on strategic and business planning – simply planning out your goals will put you ahead of the game.

How to get there?

This is probably the most important step as it involves action. It involves reviewing your plan regularly with a trusted advisor. And it involves using tools to help you along the way.

I’ll give you a real-life example of this in action, with the experience of one of my clients.

When we met him, he was an employee of a business that supplied products to hotels and resorts – such as soaps, hair dryers, clocks, bath robes, and the like.

At the time, the owner of the business was looking to retire and sell. Working with the client, we went through the planning process, found out where he was, looked to where he wanted to be, and determined the way he was going to get there was by buying the business.

We met with him quarterly and discussed his goals while using forecasts, benchmarks and cash flow analysis to make sure he was on track.

He now owns the business and he has paid off a third of his debt within two years. In short, he is on his way to achieving all his plans.

Without ascertaining where he is NOW, WHERE he wants to be and HOW he is getting there, none of this would have been possible. He made a plan and is following through with it.

The challenge for all business owners is to think about having a plan to be on track to achieving their goals.

By Andrew Ash,
Manager, Business Advisory Services,
HLB Mann Judd Sydney.
(02) 9020 4357
aash@hlbnsw.com.au

Dokadek 30 Panel floor formwork sets a new benchmark in formwork performance at Newcastle’s Spire Apartments.

This exciting development in Newcastle’s Marketown precinct offers unique apartment living, uninterrupted panoramas of Newcastle, the harbour, coastline, beaches and hinterland from the apartments and the building’s stunning 4,000 m2 ‘sky garden’. Designed with an emphasis on space and luxury, Spire Apartments offer sophisticated inner city living, with generous one, two or three bedroom apartment designs. The project’s formwork contractor, and FIA member, Oakdale Group Pty Ltd selected the newly developed Dokadek 30 Panel floor formwork system for this remarkable residential project. Doka Australia provided a total of 2,000 m2 of Dokadek 30 Floor Panels for the Spire Apartments project.

Highlighting the benefits of ‘mock-up’ demonstrations

Developed with a focus on speed, safety and versatility, the Dokadek 30 system sets a new benchmark in panel formwork systems. Dokadek 30 is the result of over five years research and development work – including numerous field trials – and the Spire Apartments development is benefitting from all advantages this system has to offer. A critical element in the successful delivery of any project is for all stakeholders to have a clear and full understanding of the construction methodologies, products and processes being used. In particular, the formworker and the structural engineers must have a comprehensive understanding of the functionality and design goals of all components of the structure and all the equipment being utilized.

Innovative design – up to the challenge with Dokadek 30

The Challenge

Building with irregular column and balcony locations and a fold in the slab.

The Solution

The flexible and safe Dokadek 30 Panel floor formwork combined with clever infill solutions where the Dokaflex system and Doka beams could easily be incorporated during construction. For many, the best way to understand a new product is to see it in action. And with that in mind, the Doka team organised a large scale mock-up demonstration of the Dokadek 30 Panel floor formwork system for the Oakdale Group team. The demonstration provided an ideal opportunity to highlight the unique features and benefits of the Dokadek 30 Panel system, and played a critical role in securing the business. “Importantly, the successful ‘mock up’ demonstration also allowed us to develop a solution to meet Oakdale’s specific needs, which in turn, led us to supplying them with a Dokadek 30 floor formwork”, explained Jonathan Derbyshire, Doka Senior Sales Representative.

Innovative design – up to the challenge

The project presented a number of challenges in the design stage, thanks to some irregular column and balcony locations and a fold in the slab.

Importantly, Doka was able to overcome these challenges by using the flexible infill system with the Dokadek 30 Panel floor formwork system. For infill areas, the system is fully compatible in terms of engineering and safety standards with all other Doka formwork products. There is also a range of infill panels and beams to suit the most common situations. Using Dokadek infill beams and Dokadek suspension clamp H20 for infill areas around columns and between panels, the Dokadek 30 system integrates seamlessly into the Dokaflex slab formwork system. For typical infill areas around a single column, the use of the Dokadek H20 suspension clamp means there is no need for any extra props to be used.

And Dokadek infill beams can simply be inserted and the plywood laid on top, so infills between panels can be formed without the need for any extra beams or props. “The Dokadek 30 Panel System becomes a very flexible solution through the use of some clever infill solutions,” added Doka Project Engineer Stephen Lake.

The Oakdale Group team was also pleased with the safety features of the panel system. Dokadek 30’s unique design means that it is erected from below; it cannot be put together from the top down. This not only means that the formwork crew can see that they’re putting it together correctly; it also eliminates the risks associated with crews standing on an unstable surface or working from above.

Meeting customers’ needs

Dokadek 30’s large hinge design allows it to be easily connected to the previous panel. Once connected, it is simply propped into position without requiring any work from above the base level. Importantly, once the panels have been propped into position, they lock in so they can’t be accidentally knocked out or ‘blown’ out of position by updrafts. For added safety Dokadek 30 is also fully compatible with the Doka integrated handrail system. Together with the savings offered in terms of erection and dismantling speed, Dokadek 30 is also extremely quick and easy to move around a jobsite – factors which can result in significant improvements in productivity and a reduction in total construction cost. In fact, the Doka Australia teams that have been working with the Dokadek 30 system have increased productivity to 10 m2 per person per hour, even on the first slab. 

The Professional

“It is a great system, it is easy to put up and the speed of the system really helps us to get on the deck quicker. This is particularly true for infill areas, where we could easily incorporate the Dokaflex system and Doka beams. In fact, in my opinion, Doka has the best prop on the market. It’s quick and easy to use; with the numbered holes and quick-turn threads, which work well even when loaded.”

Esa Laukka, Oakdale’s Contract Manager

Typically, installing rebar in deep, diamond-cored holes is a process required when a structural column needs to be extended. In these scenarios, existing rebar needs to be extended for maximum stability, and an engineer will often specify a very deep hole for this. The best way to achieve these deep holes consistently is through diamond coring, particularly in scenarios where contractors will need to drill through existing rebar as well as cracked or uncracked concrete.

When you're extending rebar through a column, you're usually going to at least glance through another piece of rebar, and the only way to penetrate through this effectively is with diamond coring. However, it's critical to keep in mind that the sides of a diamond-cored hole are much smoother than when using other drilling methods, resulting in less bond surface area. This means that holes often need to be very deep, in order to compensate for this smoothness and achieve maximum bond strength with an epoxy mortar.

This can cause problems and inefficiency on a construction site, which is why Hilti has introduced an innovative product to make the process of installing rebar in diamond-cored holes much easier. This is TE-YRT roughening tool, used in conjunction with RE 500 V3 epoxy mortar. Here’s the operating principle : Rather than drilling deeper to compensate for the smooth sides of a diamond-cored hole, it's much easier and more effective to simply provide each hole with rougher surfaces, and more surface area. This is where the Hilti TE-YRT roughening tool comes in, providing a simple way of creating more surface area for an epoxy to bond to.

Because every construction site is slightly different, there is a variety of different sizes available within the roughening tool range. This means that regardless of hole diameter, contractors can use a matching tool that fits perfectly and roughens the hole without causing any damage and potentially compromising the bond. Using the roughening tool is quick and easy, with the process taking only a few minutes to complete. The tool provides a simple solution that can be relied upon in situations where dependability is critical.’

Reinforced concrete is one of the most widely used building materials in Australia and recommended by many leading architects, engineers and builders across the country. Over the last few years, steel decks have become increasingly popular for the reinforcement of concrete slabs as they offer a number of benefits such as consistent quality, speed of construction, lightweight designs and considerable savings in material and labour costs.

Part of Big River’s wide range of formwork and building materials, Armourdeck steel decking was specially designed to provide a fast and cost-effective method for the creation of suspended concrete slabs. Engineered to act as a permanent formwork solution, Armourdeck requires minimal propping and no stripping of formwork, saving on concrete and reinforcement costs while reducing the amount of waste on site. Its composite action further improves efficiency by forming a highly robust composite slab, offering high levels of performance through its intrinsic strength, excellent spanning capabilities and minimal deflection.

An optional grey anti-glare water based coating, which is applied as part of the manufacturing process, is available to reduce reflected light, creating a more comfortable environment for installers and other tradespeople on site. Lighter than traditional formwork, Armourdeck can be easily handled and installed and is ideal for both concrete and steel frame construction in residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland is a recent project in which Big River Armourdeck 300 was chosen, with 40000m2 of steel decking used to support the concrete floors of the underground car park structure and shopping centre. Also available in 600mm, the narrower width of 300mm Armourdeck was selected for ease of cutting, carrying and installing on site. Armourdeck formwork is available in a range of base metal thicknesses (BMT) including the 1mm required on this project, as well as 0.60, 0.75 and 0.90mm and is manufactured from high-tensile (G550) quality Australian steel with a Z350 galvanised coating, in full compliance with AS1397.

The steel decking acts as a permanent formwork and requires minimal propping. Steel and concrete composite slabs are lighter and stronger than most conventional slabs. The steel decking provides tensile reinforcement, combining with the compressive strength of the concrete for an all-round stronger slab. Steel decking profiles are designed to prevent any longitudinal slip between the steel and concrete in the slab itself, and any transverse movement between the slab and supporting beams.

A composite slab effectively acts as a safe working platform. Once the slab is poured, following trades can be on-site below the slab almost immediately. At the same time, work can continue unhindered on the floors above, allowing simple installation of services. Cable trays, ductwork and service pipes can be suspended neatly underneath the slab with purpose designed clips, brackets and hangers that locate easily and quickly into recesses in the steel decking profile.

The geographical location of Pacific Fair, being near the ocean, meant there was risk of high corrosion which needed to be minimised. Big River use BlueScope Steel, supporting local steel makers, guaranteeing Australian standards are met, and in turn, ensuring integrity of product. BlueScope Z450 Deckform steel provided the client with confidence that there would be minimal, if any, corrosion issues inside the warrant period. Z450 Deckform steel delivers excellent durability and comes with a 15 year warranty and Z350 Deckform steel comes with a standard 10 year warranty.

Big River is well placed to meet the diverse needs of the market in terms of profiles and geographic location with its three roll forming lines, two at Grafton and the other at Wagga Wagga, NSW,

Big River Armourdeck has been used on a number of large scale commercial projects including Ikea, Brisbane, QT Hotel Bondi Beach, and St George Hospital, Kogara.

Big River Group is a wholly Australian owned and operated company. To download a brochure or for more information on Big River’s steel formwork visit their website.

About Big River Group

Big River Group manufactures and distributes timber and steel formwork products, timber flooring, structural plywood and related timber products and distributes a broad range of other building products, primarily to the commercial and residential, non?residential and infrastructure construction market segments.

The Company has a network of 10 sales and distribution centres across Australia and sources its products from both its own manufacturing facilities and also many Australian and international manufacturers of building products. The Company owns and operates manufacturing facilities at Grafton and Wagga Wagga in NSW.

In October of this year, the Non-Drill Post and Handrail System was crowned winner at the SafeWork NSW Awards in Sydney, in the category “Best solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue”

Non-Drill, a new FIA member, is an Australian-made post and handrail system that eliminates the need to drill into precast structures to insert posts and handrails.

Non-Drill attaches to the existing lifting anchors on precast structures, and also allows the setting of lifting anchors in concrete pours where edge protection is required, to avoid drilling and make installation and removal much safer and quicker.

In designing this pioneering safety solution, expertise was sought from across the construction industry. Once the prototype was developed and the patent was lodged, various industry representatives were consulted on the design and usability of the system. An internal engineer was engaged from the inception of this solution, with all design and testing occurring in partnership.

The solution has many safety benefits for all users including the elimination of concrete drilling and steel exposure. It also reduces exposure to silica dust and eliminates the need for power and welding, in turn reducing noise and the risk of hand, eye and ear injuries.

Non-Drill enables quick and easy edge protection, abolishing the need for edge protection installation at heights and in temporary applications the system can be removed, leaving no trace of any surface damage or fixings other than the galvanised lifting anchor. This can be grouted over, eliminating the use of angle grinders and reducing trip hazards.

Non-Drill is strong and durable- this durability also means it can be used over and over again on different projects. Companies are now thinking ahead, and setting anchors in pours for edge protection on other areas of their jobs. The Non-Drill system becomes a valuable asset, ensuring edge protection requirements are easily met.

The profits of every second Non-Drill post are donated back to Productivity Bootcamp: an eight-week construction training program providing disengaged and long-term unemployed young people the skills to succeed in the construction industry and gain full-time employment.