After spending many years on building sites and all too often hearing about deaths or severe accidents by people falling from heights, Mudgee builder Luke Canham has decided to take action.
Mr Canham has invented the Universal Builders (UB) Platform, a unique scaffolding system which has the potential to revolutionise the building industry.
The UB Platform particularly helps builders working around the roof erecting trusses, fixing gutters and roof claddings. One great feature of the platform is it can be fitted to any external wall coverings, wall cavity or eave size.
Mr Canham said the platform is a great system when building a house, as not only does it save on labour costs but, most importantly, it ensures builders are not cutting costs on safety.
“If I was getting a house built I would like to know builders were not cutting costs,” he said.
“So if a builder is not cutting costs on safety, then they are also likely to not cut costs on other things.”
The Mudgee builder worked in conjunction with experienced local tradesperson Peter Hartnett to develop the platform which can already be found at a number of building sites across Mudgee.
One feature which makes the UB platform safer than other scaffolding systems includes an easy slide-in handrail system which covers WorkCover requirements for working above two metres. The platform can also be fitted from three to five planks wide, giving you a very safe platform to work from.
In promoting workplace safety, Mr Canham has also developed a public awareness program known as ‘Constructing Safely’ to help people understand a builder’s duty of care to provide a safe workplace.
“Lives are at risk when builders try to get the job done faster and cheaper by cutting corners when it comes to safety,” he said.
Last year 16 people died falling from a height on construction sites in Australia.
Builders board new safety platform
Safety is one of the major concerns on any building site and knowing loved ones will return home safely after spending all day on scaffolding is one less worry for many families.
This is just one of the many reasons local builders are starting to use the new UB Platform system designed by Mudgee builder Luke Canham.
The system is designed to give builders safer access to roofs and in turn save labour costs by helping to speed up the building process as local builder Anthony Lynch explains.
“The easy access and width means we can work faster and safer, the edge protection helps too because you know you are safe should you slip or fall,” he said.
“I also know the system is safe enough for me to leave the site with younger builders still working and I do not have to be worried about watching them constantly.”
Another builder using the system is Justin Penney who says the UB Platform beats other scaffolding systems.
“I can save on labour costs because the platform is only erected once and I don’t have to keep pulling scaffolding down and putting it back up again when I need to work somewhere else on the frame,” he said.
“There is also enough room to keep all of my tools handy and it saves having to be up and down all time collecting bits and pieces.”
The UB Platform also takes away the use of a roof edge rail or harness.
“Harnesses have their place but may not be ideal for tasks such as erecting roof trusses, fitting fascia and gutter and fixing roof claddings,” Mr Canham said.
“There are smart ways out there to look after our construction workers lives and it is awareness programs like ‘Constructing Safely’ which will help people recognise builders are taking that extra duty of care.”
Mr Canham said builders can currently hire the UB Platform and are more than likely to save money on labour costs.
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