Introduction of TubeLock Access System Scaffolding
A large staircase on the PC platform needed to be taken out of service and encapsulated to enable FM works to be undertaken. To enable this to be taken out of service two scaffold staircase Towers needed to be erected to enable access to all levels. On the basis of economic efficiency, it was decided that the scaffolds on the project would be erected using TubeLock.
For the south staircase lower section & upper sections on the Clipper PC platform, a large staircase was to have fabric maintenance undertaken on the south side of the PC platform. To enable 24 hr working and encapsulation of the worksite a design scaffold was undertaken. The base out of this outboard scaffold was complex and involved beam work to erect a sound foundation. All works was outboard on the scope and the teams used advanced handrail methods to enable erection times to be maximized during high winds or bad out of limit sea states.
Project One
The first scopes to be covered by the TubeLock access system were on the ongoing CUI FM project. A large staircase on the PC platform needed to be taken out of service and encapsulated to enable FM works to be undertaken. To enable this to be taken out of service two scaffold staircase Towers needed to be erected to enable access to all levels. The original estimates for These had been proposed in a traditional System scaffold (Layher/CUPLOK®/All round). These are traditionally very quick but more expensive to hire and lacking the flexibility of TubeLock (base out sizes, loadings and flexibility). It soon became apparent that the hire charges and extra design costs around These systems would be a false economy. It was therefore decided that the scaffolds on the project would be erected using TubeLock. The scaffolds were design scaffolds and with tube and fitting they are traditionally labour intensive. The hours allocated to the erection of the staircases were left as per system scaffolding to gauge the advantage, if any, that using the TubeLock System would give the teams.
Staircase 1 & 2 PC stairs
Erect hours were 180 hrs a piece – both scaffold erections came in with a saving of 26% against tube and fitting. This equates to 46.8 manhours per tower saved. Savings on the dismantle will also be accumulated as the project progresses.
Project Two
For the south staircase lower section & upper sections on the Clipper PC platform, a large staircase was to have fabric maintenance undertaken on the south side of the PC platform. To enable 24 hr working and encapsulation of the worksite a design scaffold was undertaken. The base out of this outboard scaffold was complex and involved beam work to erect a sound foundation. Total hours of erection for this project using standard offshore norms for tube and fitting stood at lower section 363 hrs (inclusive of beam base out and temp roof for lower level) and 403 hrs for the upper section. All works was outboard on the scope and the teams used advanced handrail methods to enable erection times to be maximized during high winds or bad out of limit sea states. Trackers where kept for the erection times on both of these scopes to compare Timings to regular tube and fitting. The above information clearly reflects that there are cost efficiencies to be had using TubeLock scaffolding. The Above projects are early days for the Teams undertaking the erection of these scopes and with further familiarization during everyday use (now being used on all maintenance and structural work scopes) on the Clipper should bring further savings with manpower hours. The above projects has been erected longterm. With the works being long-term, further benefits have been achieved from not having to lubricate scaffold fitting or the potential for injury on the seized scaffold fitting dismantle. The teams onboard have fully embraced this product and our client will now Benefit from the full change out of the rest of the 300 t of tube and fitting for TubeLock.
