Kosran safety success at St Barts Hospital
Pioneering technology behind Nationwide Platforms’ brand new safety innovation, SkySentry made and supplied by Kosran, is helping shape new levels of best practice on one of the UK’s largest and
most prestigious projects.
Since January 2012, Nationwide Platforms has provided powered access equipment, training, and safety solutions to support Skanska, the main contractor, during the £135m second phase of St Bartholomew’s
(Barts) Hospital in central London. Key to this support has been SkySentry, the latest product to enter the internationally award-winning product range of BlueSky Solutions, the working at height safety
specialists who were acquired by Nationwide Platforms’ parent company, Lavendon Group plc, in 2011.
Designed to both prevent unauthorised use and improve the efficient use of powered access, SkySentry can be retrofitted to the vast majority of scissors, booms and lowlevel access platforms globally.
When fitted to a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) the system requires the entry of unique four digit PINs before machine users can activate the platform. Up to 100 individual PINs can be allocated
per machine. Additionally, telematic features enable SkySentry to track information on machine usage, placement and its functions. This can be accessed through an online portal which enables clients to
review both live and historical information tracked by the innovation. In turn, this enables users to anticipate future machine requirements whilst avoiding under-utilised equipment being retained
unnecessarily on site.
Since introducing the system to Skanska, the contractor has supported its use on all of the MEWPs on-site – a figure which reached a peak of around 140 platforms. As a key strategic partner to the
leading contractor, Nationwide Platforms subsequently fitted SkySentry on all access platforms on the project, accounting for equipment used by both Skanska employees, as well as sub-contractors who have
benefited from the system.
With a robust machine security and monitoring system in place, Nationwide Platforms were able to provide MEWP users with an on-site stock of machines, safe in the knowledge that the proper use of
platforms could be tracked and reported on at all times. In addition to improving equipment availability, it optimised the use of site stock. This reduced delivery and associated costs, which was passed
on to the contractor, as well as reducing the carbon footprint of the project.
With a robust machine security and monitoring system in place, Nationwide Platforms were able to provide MEWP users with an on-site stock of machines, safe in the knowledge that the proper use of
platforms could be tracked and reported on at all times. In addition to improving equipment availability, it optimised the use of site stock. This reduced delivery and associated costs, which was passed
on to the contractor, as well as reducing the carbon footprint of the project.
