"access equipment and safety systems"

Havas Media Group is a global network of entertainment, media and communications agencies, that has recently opened its new ‘HKX’ village in Pancras Square, London to unite twenty-four of its UK operations in a stunning new European headquarters. Given the nature of the fast-moving office environment at Havas, the combination of 14,000m2 raised access floors and 3,000m2 of Attiro magnetic engineered timber (supplied by Fieldmans, one of Kingspan’s supply and install partners) allows for the easy reconfiguration of office layouts and furniture, as well as providing instant access to the underfloor void.

Glass loft hatches are an attractive period feature and offer a source of natural light into otherwise dark areas of a home. However, they are often the only way to access the home’s loft and finding a suitable loft ladder for a glass loft hatch is not easy. Premier Loft Ladders were able to offer an innovative solution for this very problem, allowing the owners of a traditional Victorian home the benefit of easy access to the loft, as well as maintaining period features and not obscuring the natural light.Learn more about this case study and the versatile Piccolo Premium Vertical loft ladder...

The contractor was installing a jacuzzi for a client. The jacuzzi’s filter requires regular cleaning which means lifting a slab to gain access to the area. The best solution for the slabs around the jacuzzi was to elevate them without fixings over the very high void. 915-1020mm Megapads were chosen. Megapads were positioned around the perimeter. Slabs were then laid on top, covering the area whilst allowing access to the filter and giving ventilation to the mechanics. With a weight tolerance of 1,560Kg and temperature resistant to Minus 40°C, Megapads were the perfect solution.

Tailored Railway Entrance Matting SolutionsINTRAsystems is proud to be an approved supplier for Great Western Railways (GWR). Our products exceed the demanding performance standards, so we were the natural choice when they needed railway entrance matting for the new station at Green Park in Reading.Located on the Reading to Basingstoke line, Green Park connects the pioneering business park with residential areas and Reading Football Club’s Select Car Leasing Stadium.The new, state-of-the-art station is designed to withstand heavy foot and wheeled traffic from daily commuters for the 60 businesses within Green Park as well as the regular stream of football fans!Enhancing accessibilityFollowing the latest directive from the Department of Transport, Network Rail and their own accessibility goals, GWR has incorporated distinctive route markers into the flooring. Textured areas and high-contrast colours flow around the station concourse, signposting key routes, obstacles or points of interest to help visually impaired and disabled passengers navigate more easily.GWR had wanted to the carry the design through to the Entrance Matting too, adding a stripe of contrasting colour to link the entrance area with the onward concourse. This meets and exceeds the latest ‘Technical Specifications for Interoperability, Route Identification for Persons of Reduced Mobility’, (TSI for PRM.)Optimal performance and effortless maintenanceWe successfully completed a similar project at Perry Barr Station, so were confident in meeting the challenge, and produced design recommendations to match in with other textural and visual flooring features for the TSI for PRM.Having reviewed the design and budget requirements with GWR, our spec team recommended INTRAform, a recessed aluminium system with Linear fibre combined with a ribbed rubber insert.Set into ‘closed construction’ channels, the system is effective for scraping off dirt and keeps dirt on the surface of the mat making cleaning and maintenance easy.Enhancing Aesthetic Appeal and FunctionalityThe ridged appearance of INTRAlux Linear fibres in Anthracite and alternating rubber sections met the client’s brand guidelines, DDA compliance requirements as well as the wayfinding needs of the TSI for PRM. And the neat design finish ties in well with the flooring texture beyondLinear fibres are hard-wearing with a 1400g/m² looped pile and a textured appearance.The Art and Science of Railway Entrance Matting DesignINTRAform, like the majority of INTRA’s easy to install products, features interlocking plank sections which can be cut and configured to create patterns, stripes, or other striking designs. The robust aluminium profile is ideal for heavy-duty applications too and comes with a 10-year warranty.The planks are easy to cut and install, provide flush transitions between outdoor and indoor flooring substrates to meet DDA regulations.Ensuring safety and efficient maintenance is of paramount importance on the railways so getting the right materials specification for each situation is vital. Facilities teams need a product that performs at a high level and adheres to all the various restrictions and regulations.Precision in Every DetailGWR chose a specification with outstanding performance and design flexibility, but they also earned LEED and BREEAM points for sustainability.INTRAform is EPD-verified and uses 100% recycled aluminium frames which can be recycled or reused again and again. We collaborated closely with the design team and provided detailed drawings and measurements for the Entrance Matting to ensure the success of the project.Even with such detailed specifications and drawings however, we understand the allowance for anomalies on site. INTRA supplied the planks 50mm oversized for on-site trimming. The installers could get a snug fit and adjust the planks incrementally to align accurately with the other textural and contrasting features in the flooring scheme.Elevating EntrancesThe Railway Entrance Matting now continues the signposting sections, linking up with the station flooring designs perfectly.Reactions and feedback from staff and passengers using the new station have been excellent.The Entrance Matting is already delivering on the objectives of keeping people safe, protecting the flooring beyond and providing key visual cues. And with INTRAform’s 10-year warranty and proven track record, it will stand the test of time.

Hardtgenbuscher Kirchweg school sports facilities in Cologne-OstheimBRINGING COLOUR INTO PLAYAs a district of Cologne, Ostheim is primarily a residential area for the neighbouring industrial zones of Kalk and Mülheim. Ostheim is shaped by residential neighbourhoods with dense high-rise construction and social housing.In 1981, a new school centre was built on Hardtgenbuscher Kirchweg to accommodate the rapidly increasing population, comprising the Heinrich Heine Gymnasium and Albert Schweitzer Realschule secondary schools. In addition to three multi-purpose halls, the school complex has a large outdoor sports facility, which is also used for external sports events.The outdoor sports facility was completely renovated and remodelled in 2022/23. Various Polytan surfaces were used as part of the design. Nowadays, Hardtgenbuscher Kirchweg is home to a large synthetic turf playing field with an athletics track running around it, facilities for long jump, high jump, shot put and javelin, as well as a multifunctional playing surface that combines two courts each for handball, basketball, volleyball and tennis.The large football pitch was equipped with the Polytan LigaTurf Cross synthetic turf system, which combines smooth and textured filaments. Both textile fibre types combine to create a single hard-wearing surface, with a look and feel that is barely distinguishable from natural football turf and is used successfully in professional sport worldwide. Thanks to its textured filaments, LigaTurf Cross ensures low and easy maintenance, as well as greater infill stability and an increased turf volume.The football pitch is surrounded by a four-lane running track, which can also be used as a sprint track on one of the long sides, for which two additional lanes have been added. Like the javelin throwing facility a little to the side, it is laid in sky blue Rekortan M. Our Rekortan M is a genuine high-speed synthetic surface designed to support top sporting performance. The combination of an elastic base layer and a solid construction not only makes it fast, but also guarantees optimum conditions for professional athletes and discerning amateurs alike.Both curved sections of the athletics track are also used – on one side, there is a gymnastics area with fitness equipment and high jump facilities, while on the other side, there are provisions for long jump and shot put. Both are also made of Rekortan M, but laid in different colours. Brown and beige were used in the gymnastics area, while beige and orange alternated in the long jump.In addition to the running track, our high-precision system for professional performance diagnostics – Polytan SMART – was installed. The Polytan SMART system consists of integrated, maintenance-free, magnetic timing gates that are permanently and securely installed in the ground. It is accompanied by a sensor weighing only 15 grams and the tried-and-tested diagnostics software from Polytan’s partner, Humotion. Even amateur athletes can benefit from the system by using the free Smart Run by Humotion app on a smartphone, which is worn on the body using a running belt. The measurements – such as distance, time, number of steps and step frequency – are evaluated and analysed directly in the app. In Ostheim, a total of 6 magnets have been embedded in the surface, two in the running track and four in the sprint track.The multifunctional playing field is based on PolyPlay S since different colours make the court playable for handball, basketball, volleyball and tennis. While the primary colour is beige, the four handball goal areas on two parallel handball courts are finished in sky blue. The rectangular zones under the four hoops on both basketball courts are a striking bright orange colour. The volleyball playing surfaces are shaded brown. The lines for the four different ball sports are drawn in red, yellow and white.The school sports facility in Ostheim shows once again that Polytan offers a broad portfolio of high-quality sports surfaces that are suited to the most varied requirements. On the multifunctional playing field, the colour scheme and coloured lines also demonstrate that different sports can be played compactly on one and the same surface. One thing is certain: Polytan has brought a whole host of colour into play in Ostheim. The outdoor sports facility is used for school sports and by SC Köln 2000 e.V., a club that offers its members a wide range of sporting activities.

Bespoke Access Structure | Case StudyThis two-level access structure with staircases, cladding, edge protection handrailing and anti-slip grating flooring was designed by Dura Composites in conjunction with our client ENGIE Fabricom UK, who provide engineering and construction services to sectors including renewables, oil and gas, power, chemical and energy from waste.With the ability to supply both composite timber cladding for the containers and all the required GRP elements for the project, Orsted chose to work with Dura Composites. Although steel had previously been considered, the rising cost of steel versus GRP and its tendency to corrode in coastal environments made composite materials a far more durable and cost-effective option.The resulting access structure is safe, looks attractive and is non-conductive and non-corrosive. With a long design life and 25 year warranty, the GRP components are part of the latest d² range from Dura Composites which offer safer, stronger, faster and proven properties.

THE PROJECTThe village of Comrie is located towards the western edge of the Perth & Kinross Council area, approximately 40 kilometres west of Perth in Scotland. The waterproofing system used to cover the buried water tank at Comrie Distribution Service Reservoir (DSR) was many years old and had failed. As part of the ongoing Scottish Water SR21 framework, Fosroc and The Fraser Bruce Group have developed a wide range of solutions for waterproofing water tanks that have been proposed and agreed by both Morrison Construction and Scottish Water. This project involved removing the soil overburden and the existing waterproofing system, before mechanically preparing the deck and applying sheet membrane.THE SOLUTIONOnce the overburden and existing waterproofing were removed it was apparent that there was severe ponding on the tank roof. The decision was taken to prepare the deck and apply an external self-leveler to prevent the ponding of water. The perimeter and upstand detailing was carried out before Fosroc’s self-adhesive sheet membrane Proofex 3000 was applied to the primed, horizontal surface. The surface was then protected with Proofex Sheetdrain 80, a drainage and protection membrane. After the membrane was laid, the access hatch upstands received two coats of Nitocote CM210 before more Proofex 3000 was applied and terminated just below the height of the new overburden. The access hatches were then sealed in place with Nitoseal MS600.THE BENEFITSProofex 3000 membrane, which is cold applied and comes in 1m x 20m rolls, is self-adhesive, thereby reducing the amount of product and application time. The applicator was able to cover large areas in far less time. The membrane is made from cross laminated HDPE film to protect against damage, while still being sufficiently flexible for detailing around corners. It is resistant to ground water, soluble sulfates and chlorides, offering robust protection from aggressive ground salts. Its use with Sheetdrain achieved a high quality, reliable installation compliant with EN 13707:2004. By combining the use of Nitocote CM210 and Proofex 3000, Fosroc were able to provide solutions for both exposed and buried areas of the tank with no compatibility issues between the products.

UNITE is the UK’s largest provider of student hospitality and accommodation. UNITE focuses on the provision and management of high quality, well-located student accommodation and hospitality services at affordable prices.Our patented 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® which are Secured By Design approved were installed in selected accommodation and on-site hospitality management offices providing security for the students and offices whilst making sure rooms felt welcoming and homely.Steve Pinder, National Security Manager at UNITE said; “My role within UNITE is to look after the security needs of all managers within the business and our student customers who live in our accommodation. The safety and security of our 38,000 student customers is of high priority to us. I look after physical security, CCTV, access control, locks, doors, windows and anything to do with the security internally or externally. CCTV is a major part of our every day lives, it deters criminal activity but it doesn’t solve crime. 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® is a trusted partner of UNITE and are integral to the overall physical security decision process. When looking to enhance the security at a small number of our sites, 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® was the only supplier that met our requirement to better protect our accommodation and our customers. We have also used 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® to secure our on-site hospitality management offices.”“The 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® system has been effective and a great success for us because of the versatility of the blinds. It allows for the windows to be opened while still having window security. We have not had any security incidents since and 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® has never been breached.""𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® looks like traditional vertical blinds yet it is an effective deterrent because each aluminium blind blade has a steel rod within it. We haven’t found another product that is better or more cost effective. “The feedback we get from customers is that when they see their room and see the blinds, they are reassured by having this added protection on the window. We didn’t want to put grilles on the windows as our student accommodation is like a home from home. Presently 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® has been solely retro fitted, however longer term UNITE may look to design-in 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® for their future developments. The fact that 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦® have their own installation team has always been a benefit and the product has always been delivered on time and to budget.” Steve Pinder, National Security Manager at UNITE

This is the latest cycle hub designed, manufactured, supplied and installed this month by Falco for Rochdale Infirmary Hospital in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Installed on behalf of Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, the new cycle hub provides patients, visitors and staff members travelling to the infirmary with up to 22 secure cycle parking spaces utilising the FalcoLevel-Premium+ two-tier cycle rack design.The two-tier cycle racks are housed within a bespoke 6m x 4m version of the FalcoHub cycle hub, completed with energy efficient LED lighting, a FalcoFix 2.0 cycle repair station, NHS branding graphics and powder coating in an NHS blue RAL colour.The images attached show the new cycle hub addition, installed next to the electric vehicle charging points and adjacent to the main entrance.Rochdale Infirmary is the second cycle hub installation carried out for Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, with another recent installation in November last year for The Royal Oldham Hospital, consisting of a bespoke 11m x 4m cycle hub with associated two-tier cycle racks, cycle helmet lockers, automatic powder door with a secure access system, branding graphics and powder coating.The FalcoLok cycle hub as shown here at Rochdale Infirmary, is a contemporary cycle store manufactured from a combination of a galvanised steel frame and reinforced safety glass, designed to be sympathetic to the surrounding area. The FalcoHub was developed by Falco’s in house design team to ensure it met the client’s specification including structural calculations so that the whole design meets the UK/European CPR regulations EN1090 and is CE marked as per UK law.In addition to the cycle hub shown here for Rochdale Infirmary, Falco has also recently installed cycle hubs for many locations across the UK including Stromness Travel Centre in the Orkney Islands, Crewe, Runcorn, Birmingham International, Warrington Bank Quay and Carlisle station for Avanti West Coast, Bradford Royal Infirmary and St Luke’s Hospital for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation, The Royal Oldham Hospital for Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School in Dundee and a bespoke cycle hub for Leicester City Council.For more information about the project here at Rochdale Infirmary or how Falco can assist your cycle parking scheme, please contact our helpful sales team on 01538 380080.

The Royal Russell School in Croydon demonstrates the vast variety of waterproofing applications with which DANOPOL membranes can be specified. From standard flat roof areas to pitched standing seam roofs, vertical applications and accessible terraces, the flexibility of specification is really showcased on this project. The most noticeable feature is the stunning standing seam roofs, which are also DANOPOL HSF+ membrane, completed with ALPHA PROFILES. These ALPHA PROFILES are raised PVC profiles made from DANOPOL materials which can be retrospectively heat welded to the surface of the completed waterproofing system. The use of Alpha Profiles is rapidly increasing as the design may be highly customised and the installed centres can be changed to suit a clients particular aesthetic preferences and are often installed to obscure any standard membrane overlaps. An advantage of selecting DANOPOL membranes over a traditional metal standing seam roof option is that at less than 3.00kg per m2 for the waterproofing membrane, the system is incredibly lightweight and may be installed onto many lightweight structural substrates. The reduced load, when compared to traditional standing seam roof options, can also translate into savings on the underlying supporting structure. Our DANOPOL+ HSF membrane was also utilised on the terrace areas, which included vertical detailing to clad the internal faces of the parapet walls, providing a fully-encompassing watertight finish to the roof areas. Waterproofing System: DANOPOL+ HSF 1.5mm - Dark GreyConstruction Type: New Build Warm Roof Sector: EducationApprox. Size: 1,300m2Warranty Period: 20 Year

Client: Bristol City Council Consultants: Chapman Taylor Architects & Arup Design Main Contractor: Bouygues UK Specialist Contractor: Optimum Dry Wall Systems Main Products Used: Emshield DFR-2 SystemOn the site of the former ambulance station adjacent to Castle Park, the largest urban green space in Bristol, this development is designed to provide 375 new homes, with a mixture of build-to-rent and affordable housing units. This comprises a new 26-storey tower, which will be the tallest building in Bristol, together with a 10-storey block, plus a third central building connecting the two, and providing a business centre and leisure facilities for the residents, as well as direct access to the park. The architects designed wide structural expansion joints to accommodate the anticipated levels of movement between the different building structures, as well as in and between the main reinforced concrete floor slabs and the structural frame of the building. They also wanted to reduce any noise transmission through the joints and to ensure that the designated levels of fire protection were maintained, which meant that the joints had to be treated to provide 2-hours fire resistance. To meet all these demands, the answer was a single solution using Emshield DFR-2 (horizontal floor joints) / WFR-2 (for vertical wall joints) systems. These produce a watertight joint, that can accommodate high movement up to 100% (+/- 50%), greatly reduce sound transmission (STC 62; OITC 52), and which are CE Marked to EN-1366-4 for up to 4 hrs fire resistance.