Day in the life of a Scaffolder- Adam Wells

I ended up leaving education with no idea of what I wanted to do. I did some brief work experience in an office, but being stuck indoors for 8 hours a day tapping away on a computer just wasn’t for me at the time. When I gave that up, I asked my dad if I could become a scaffolder like him. He got me a start in the yard at the company he worked for, and it all went from there.

It sounded exciting! I had quite an interest in building things as a kid and had never had a problem with physical work. The fact that I knew it paid well, and my dad was always home before 3pm had absolutely nothing to do with it.

When I was scaffolding, it was normally an early start, early finish, which I loved. Working from 7 til 3 or 8 til 4 was the norm, but there were plenty of early finishes if the job was completed early! Now, it’s a nice leisurely 9am start working for NASC. I do not miss those cold, dark winter mornings at all.

My working day has changed a lot over my time in scaffolding. When I started in the yard, it was lots of sorting and maintaining equipment, asking questions where I could to figure out what everything was. That quickly changed to labouring on site once I completed my COTS course and obtained my labourers card. Carrying materials, pulling up on the rope and supporting the scaffolders where I could while learning.

Shortly after, I completed my Part 1 course. From there on it was steady for a while, turn up to site, get shown the latest job by the supervisor and work under another scaffolder, following their lead and learning how to put up various types of scaffolding. This progressed to working alongside larger groups with more autonomy and occasionally leading my own small team once I had passed my final assessment.

Eventually I was offered the opportunity to supervise the scaffolding operations for one of our long-term sites. This was quite a departure from what I was used to, as the role was mostly non-working. Writing lists of materials to order, planning works, attending site meetings and dealing with the daily problems that arise on site replaced putting up scaffolding (and the early finishes!).

Now working at the NASC, the pace might have slowed a little from being on site, but the expectations and quality required is higher than ever. Reviewing guidance documents, answering queries from people across the industry, and supporting the wider Technical team keep me busy. The detailed nature of the work, along with the various ad-hoc projects undertaken, certainly make this the most interesting job I’ve ever had.

As a scaffolder, putting up scaffolding! Sometimes as quickly as possible but always as safe as possible.

As a supervisor, there were two main responsibilities. Helping to deliver the project on time by making sure the scaffolding operations ran smoothly and ensuring that everyone worked safely and went home in one piece that evening.

Currently, at the NASC, it mostly boils down to being part of the team of industry experts. We assist the other teams within NASC with scaffolding specific knowledge, and work on improving industry standards and safe working practices. 

Teams. Nearly everything in scaffolding is easier in a pair or a larger team, not to mention safer too. Getting materials up the scaffold, installing beamwork and managing a site are all examples of things that are easier when you work together. You also get to meet some interesting characters too, working in different locations with different teams.

The variety of work and the challenges it brings. I get bored easily with repetition, but each job in scaffolding tends to bring its own hurdles to overcome. I don’t mean that they make the job more difficult, they just mean that you have to approach each in a different way. This keeps you on your toes and provides a feeling of satisfaction when you figure out a way to make a tricky job easy.

Probably the one I was responsible for supervising, a regeneration project in north London which provided 100+ new living spaces. This really tested me on my leadership skills, scaffolding knowledge and my ability to deliver large projects on time. I also got the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of good scaffolders, the site management team and other trades. It really opened my eyes to the opportunities that a career in construction can offer outside of working on the tools.

Scaffolding is often a very physical job, and if you’re having an off day there’s not much you can do to make it easier. Sometimes the early starts, a long commute or a particularly intensive job can leave you off your game, but you just have to persevere till the end of the job. If you’re looking to get into scaffolding, staying fit and healthy to some degree is important. Lay off the pints and get an early night!

Working at NASC is a different set of challenges. Meetings, project deadlines and events add up to a full schedule. Working on the tools is tough but at least it tends to be one job at a time. Juggling multiple pieces of work at once can leave you not knowing whether you’re coming or going at times.
 

On the tools, you just have to take the good with the bad. Ultimately the odd bad day here and there pale in comparison to the opportunities and rewards that come from a career in construction. Keep in mind its only work; tomorrow is another day, and a positive attitude can get you through a lot!
In my current role at NASC, it took a little time to adjust. Having to stop working on something to attend a meeting or drop a project to move onto something more important can feel strange when you’re used to finishing a job before starting the next. If you ever feel out of your depth at a new job, take notes, plan your calendar accordingly and never be afraid to ask questions. Don’t rely on post-it notes though, this is the 21st century.

While scaffolding, being able to solve problems comes in useful almost daily. While most scaffolds you put up will be variations on the standard TG20 / TG30 designs, there is nothing standard about the locations you work in or the buildings you work on, posing both logistical and build challenges. You need to build within the confines of the real-world situation, while still maintaining compliance with the design and working safely. 

For those looking to move onto other roles in construction, it’s important to branch out into other skills besides those you develop on the tools. IT / Computer, organisational and communication skills are things you may not have the chance to develop on site but will make any transition into an office-based role easier.

For scaffolding, I completed the COTS course, then the CISRS Part 1 & 2 and CISRS 1-Day Skills Test to achieve my NVQ Level 2 and CISRS Scaffolder card.

Before supervising, I completed the CITB Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS), which gives an understanding of H&S law, supervisor responsibilities, risk assessments, inductions, etc.

While progressing through construction I studied H&S and achieved my NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction certificate.

During my time at NASC I have been fortunate enough to undertake Emergency First Aid at Work, Mental Health: Workplace First Aider and Fire Marshal training. I am also an SSIP Assessor since passing the SSIP training course.
 

Give it a go! Barring a fear of heights there isn’t much of a barrier to entry into scaffolding. Being hard-working and reliable is enough to start out, and there are enough opportunities within the industry for you to find a role that suits you. 

If you ever want to move on to another role, within scaffolding or to another industry entirely, the skills and confidence you develop will help wherever you go.

For young people, I think opportunities within construction are often overlooked. Within 2 - 3 years of starting at a scaffolding company you could be a fully qualified scaffolder, earning a good wage. Comparably, your peers may just be finishing university and fighting for entry level positions against hundreds of other graduates. 

For career changers, don’t stress too much about it, give it a try. I’ve changed careers three times already in my working life and yes, the first time brought lots of anxiety and worry. Eventually I took the plunge and…everything was fine! If you’re yet to find the career for you, give scaffolding a try.
 

I never saw a career in scaffolding originally, but it ended up being the job that gave me the skills and knowledge to get me where I am now and I’m glad I stuck with it.