The company(Rio) chose against using SBS and went with the refractory contractor to supply the scaffolding

Outcome – Scaffold build was poor and way behind schedule, only 30% built in the 36 hours allocated

Solution – Tony and his men from SBS completed the entire scaffold in under 12 hours – that’s outstanding with nothing said but “we are happy to help” SBS stripped 2 vessel scaffolds in a single 12 hour shift – it was hard to believe it was possible. You had to see it to believe it.

Tony and his team from Side by side came up with way of building scaffold or design for the flash tank underflows scaffolding that dramatically increased the utilisation and efficiency of removing and installing the flash tank underflows.

Additional assistance was also given by SBS when we were thrown into an emergent shutdown of unit 2 in April. SBS were able to continue prep for the May shut and support the emergent shut ensuring there were no delays.

Outcome – Every scaffold was built and dismantled in half the time taken by every other scaffold company used on site SBS were the company we constantly turned to for assistance and they never let us down

Again Rio chose against SBS and decided to use the UGL scaffolders to build and dismantle the scaffolding.
The furnace scaffold construction was way behind the schedule of 36 hour, It took a total of 60 hours to build. This previously had taken between 36 & 48 hours to build and 36 hours to dismantle by CBH in 2006, 2007 & 2009

Position – When the Boiler shut was almost a week behind schedule and many of the originally engaged resources had left site to go to other jobs we were faced with more possible delays in removing the scaffold.

SBS took 1 only 12 hour shift to dismantle the entire furnace scaffold. That is a record for Yarwun with the previous best ever time being 24 hours to my knowledge.

Tony and his team from Side by side came up with way of building scaffold or design for the flash tank underflows scaffolding that dramatically increased the utilisation and efficiency of removing and installing the flash tank underflows.

Additional assistance was also given by SBS when we were thrown into an emergent shutdown of unit 2 in April. SBS were able to continue prep for the May shut and support the emergent shut ensuring there were no delays.

Outcome – Every scaffold was built and dismantled in half the time taken by every other scaffold company used on site SBS were the company we constantly turned to for assistance and they never let us down

For the first time in the history of Yarwun we have been able to completed 100% clean and NDT inspection of all 10 flash tanks in a digestion unit. This achievement would not have been possible without the achievements of SBS.

Fact 1 – Internal scaffold were used to inspect the inside of the flash tank’s prior to 2010. We engaged rope access companies because the scaffolds always took to long and we were un able to clean the tanks because of the time taken to scaff and clean the tanks. The scaffold took 28 to 36 hours to build for every flash tank depending on size.

In unit 3 – SBS took no more than 12 hours in the small vessels and no more than 18 hours in the last vessels – at this rate we will possibly consider Scaffing each tank again as a strategy instead of rope access as it allows a better safer clean and inspection.

Fact 2 – The scaffolds normally have taken similar time to strip because they are inside a vessel and every component has to go through a door only 600mm in diameter. The Best ever known time to strip a scaffold was by a Scaff team from Monos run by a man called Tiwi it took 12 hours with 6 people

SBS best ever to my knowledge was 2.5 hours with an average of about 3 hours SBS have saved Yarwun as much as 18 hours off the critical path that can be directly related to lost production as these were the critical path jobs.

Future state

I recommend Yarwun as a site engage Side by Side as the primary and preferred scaffold company. I would not use anyone else. They have proven to me they are flexible, safe and so much more efficient than any other scaffold company that has ever been used on this site.

To Whom It May Concern

Side By Side (SBS) Scaffolding and Rigging are currently employed by Boral Cement Ltd to provide extremely high risk safe access work and general scaffolding duties at three Southern Highlands of NSW cement and lime manufacturing facilities owned and operated by Boral Limited. The sites are Maldon, Marulan and Berrima.

SBS’s day to day activities include the installation of all types of scaffolding:

• Drop down suspended access scaffolds
• Cantilevered type scaffolds
• The installation of swinging stages
• Overhead protection decks
• General basic type scaffolds
• Access using ropes into various vessels and confined spaces on site.

SBS employees work under extreme conditions including excessive heat, winds, heights, dust and noise and often in any combination of these elements.
They utilise system scaffold on site including Cuploc, Super Cuploc, Wedge loc, Tube and Fitting and Ladder Beam type scaffold components.
All of SBS’s employees are highly skilled in the erection of scaffolds and have qualifications ranging from intermediate to advanced scaffolding, rope access accreditation, rigging, forklift, EWP and confined space entry qualifications.

I have known the Directors of Side By Side Scaffolding and Rigging (Tony, Jason and Mike Werahiko) for the past 15 years whilst they have all worked as Scaffolders and Riggers on the Boral Cement Ltd site at Berrima NSW. I am the Mechanical Maintenance Superintendent on this site and I have been consistently impressed by their attitude towards safety as well as their work ethic, determination, performance and overall experience on the job. All of the Directors have excellent interpersonal and communication skills which have always allowed for an extremely productive working relationship between Side By Side, site contractors and employees of Boral on this site.

No job is too big or too small for this company. They are a highly organised, trustworthy and reliable company and I have always found them very accommodating in any task that I have requested ……….. and on many occasions under enormous pressure to get cement production back on line.

SBS recently completed a $15 million maintenance shutdown of this plant, of which their contract amounted to over $2 million. This is an enormous amount of scaffolding, with crews working around the clock to bring the shutdown in on time. Their performance was second to none with no reported injuries and all tasks completed on time and under budget. SBS continues to provide Boral Limited with new innovative ideas to get things done more efficiently as well as delivering welcomed cost reducing initiatives, and none of this at the expense of safety on the job.

As the Maintenance Superintendent at Berrima, I have SBS “on call” 24 hours a day. Since starting work on the Berrima site some 15 years ago they have never let me down when called out in the middle of the day or night to provide safe access for others to utilise.The leadership skills and passion for excellence that SBS have amongst their work teams gives me great confidence in getting any job done safely, on time and within budget and I have absolutely no hesitation in highly recommending Side By Side Scaffolding and Rigging to any present or future employer who requires the use of their services.

Raif Hilmi

Mechanical Maintenance Superintendent.

Boral Cement Limited.
Taylor Avenue, New Berrima NSW 2577, Australia.

Phone: 02 48602241
Mobile: 0401892650
Email: raif.hilmi@boral.com.au