the responsibility, or at least some of the responsibility, was shifted to the owner, I believe that we would see better working platforms,” declared Taube. How to Start Improving Since there are no regulations or guidance specific to the U.S. market at this time, piling contractors must rely on other sources to dictate best practices when it comes to safer working platforms. For contractors interested in learning how they can improve today, members of the Working Group recommend reviewing the BR 470 document as a crucial first step. Due to copyright, BR 470 is not available through ADSC, DFI or PDCA, but a digital copy can be purchased from BRE by visiting www.brebookshop.com and searching “BR 470.” for £45 ( US$60). “It’s got very good, practical recom- mendations for the construction and maintenance of platforms, and also good guidelines on designing platforms,” said Gildea. “If you apply the general recom- mendations in there, you’re taking a step up from where you would be otherwise.” “Another good tool would be the [Working Group],” pronounced Taube. The Working Group is looking to improve safety across the construction industry, and believes that, collectively, specialty contractors can make a difference by insisting on proper working platforms and refusing to compromise on safety. “Be bold. Stand up for what’s right and what you know is right and needed to protect your workers,” exclaimed Taube. “Don’t sacrifice your standards in order to win work.” To join the Working Plat forms Industry-Wide Working Group, send an email to [email protected]. An extended version of this article was originally published in Issue 3 2019 of PileDriver magazine. Photos used in this article were provided by Paul Gildea and Dr. Derek Egan. Jill Harris is the publisher at Lester Publica- tions, and has had an active communications role in the deep foundation construction industry for more than eight years. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • SEPT/OCT 2019 • 99
