We have been shortlisted for taking the roof off national treasure!

We are pleased to announce that The Wilkins Safety Group  has been shortlisted for the prestigious APS (Association for Project Safety) 2015 Architectural Project of the year Award.

APS logoAssociation for project safety - registered practice Principal Designer

The National Awards are open to all who work in construction and are judged by leading industry figures and the Health & Safety Executive. The awards are a demonstration of excellence in Design and Construction Health and Safety Risk Management (CDM).

The Wilkins Safety Group, who are acting as the Construction, Design & Management regulatory Principal Designers are part of a top project team working on the very beautiful Dyrham Park, near Bath which is owned by the National Trust.

The spectacular 17th Century Mansion is currently undergoing a £3.8 million conservation project to replace its leaking roof, install an energy efficient biomass boiler and create a fully assessable roof top walkway.

Amazingly, Dyrham Park has not only remained open to the public during this, but they have been able to offer their visitors a unique opportunity to see the works close up. They have installed an extra level of scaffold with an access lift, to provide a loop of over 230m of fully wheelchair accessible walkways and viewing platforms 20m above ground which offer unprecedented views of the building and works. This innovative idea gave Jon Wilkins from Wilkins Safety Group plenty of health and safety issues to resolve. But it has proved to be a resounding success with visitor numbers increased on previous years and many people returning just to take the roof tour.

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“We have worked with the National Trust for many years and from the outset, we agreed that all works were to be undertaken within the envelope of a vast temporary roofed scaffold. This ensured a safe working environment, free from the perils of the strong winds present in the valley in which the house sits. Furthermore, it guaranteed dry working conditions which not only reduce considerable risks to the programme and the desire to rush, but the possibility of accidents due to slipping. It also served to protect the priceless collection of paintings, tapestries furniture and delftware housed in the C17th show rooms beneath!

“The Wilkins Safety Group are an APS Registered Practice and can offer a complete CDM service to UK businesses. We are able to act as ‘Principal Designer’ as well as the CDM Adviser which made us ideal for this complicated project.

“It has been great to work on this; an award for it would be the icing on the cake,” said Jon.

The company will know if they have been part of the winning team at the Annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday 7 October to be held in Edinburgh.

Photos: See attached below.

For more information please contact Jon Wilkins on 01458 253682 or Pam Knight of White Knight Marketing on 01823 429495

 

Other members of the project team:

Organisation & Role

  • CDM Coordinator then Principal Designer: The Wilkins Safety Group, Underhill Farm, Low Ham, Langport, Somerset, TA10 9DP
  • Architects: Purcell, 35 King Street, Bristol, BS1 4DZ
  • Structural Engineers: Integral Engineering Design, Tollbridge Studios, Toll Bridge Road, Bath, BA1 7DE
  • M&E Engineers: QODA Consulting, 1 Ram Court, Wicklesham Lodge, Farringdon, Oxfordshire, SN7 7PN
  • Quantity Surveyors: Mildred Howells, 8-10 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1PD.
  • Principal Contractors: Ken Biggs Contractors Ltd, High Street, High Littleton, BRISTOL, BS39 6HP