Monday 11/10/08
7:40 am
35 degrees
Windy (5-10 mph)
Cold & windy day. Metal studs were being installed on the east wall of the gymnasium. One worker was in a lift while another was assisting from the ground. I have come to realize the scissor lift is the workhorse of this project. It is being used by everycrew and is constantly being moved around the interior of the building to access work in high spaces (I didn't think to count them at the time).
I started the observation today by walking around the site from the north in a counter-clockwise direction. At the north-west of the site there is a roofing staging area. The roofing membrane rolls are stacked and there is a delivery truck with a crane attachement. At the south-west corner
scaffolding wraps the corner of the building. The masonry wall (around the future stair well) has progressed up to the second floor level. No active work was being performed in this area.
At the south-east mechanical room gypsum was being installed on one face of the metal studs. I'm not sure when the electrical inspection is scheduled for. At the south-east of the site a raising scaffold was about forty feet up. The more I am around the raising scaffold the more I am amazed at how it works. Every 15 - 20 feet it is attached to the building. The main platform holds the mortar and block and a lower projecting platform is for the workers to place the block. This means the mortar and the block are at about waist level when they lift and place them. The a telescoping fork-lift is used to load masonry onto the platform. There were about 3-4 workers on the platform at any given point.
(After leaving the site I got to thinking about the possibility of a new piece of equipment. I have to work out a couple of sketches - but it involves combining a flatbed truck with a raising scaffold for easier mobilization and demobilization.)
Walking around to the gymnasium I watched metal studs being installed and what appeared to be a fireproofing contractor clearing away fireproofing from the metal stud framing. Checking that the safety inspection for the scaffold had been performed for that morning, I proceeded up to the second level.
Here I found two waste line manifolds, but on closer examination found (a) that only one penetrated the floor slab, and (b) each were comprised of elements which could be adjusted to allow the connecting pipe to slop in the direction of drainage. (this may have little applicable knowledge in the future, but it helps me get a better understanding of what may be involved in the installation process).
Walking past the manifolds I proceeded to the south roof. An 18" section of cementitious board has been installed along the perimeter of the interior side of the roof parapet. Also three metal curb frames, (5' x 20')
have been assembled. At the south-east corner of the roof I got to speak with a couple of the masonry contractors on the raising scaffold. In speaking with the foreman (I believe), as the scaffold swayed back and forth slightly, he told me he felt safer on the raising scaffold than the more traditional scaffolding over to the side. (Also, they are always looking for masonry labor, so I may have a job for the summer).
Then, I came back to the first floor gymnasium and noted some new materials being stored therein. Some steel sprinkler pipes were arranged near the north wall. Looking up I saw some large hangers which will eventually carry the roof drain piping. That's when I realized the correlation between where the materials were stored and where the hangers were located almost forty feet above. The path of the hangers above and the clear path below allow the scissor scaffolds to maneuver without having to relocate material. I didn't get a chance to ask how this was planned - but maybe next time.
Finally, I got to talk a little with a mechanical contractor who was installing rectangular ductwork. He explained the wrapping is a relatively new feature for protecting the ductwork. I learned about the Pittsburg joint used to seal the length of the ducts, that they were fabricated in Roanoke, VA., and that the mechanical company was a subsidiary of a larger civil contractor. (All that in 5 minutes).
Great site visit. Lots to think about. More to report next time.
7:40 am
35 degrees
Windy (5-10 mph)
Cold & windy day. Metal studs were being installed on the east wall of the gymnasium. One worker was in a lift while another was assisting from the ground. I have come to realize the scissor lift is the workhorse of this project. It is being used by everycrew and is constantly being moved around the interior of the building to access work in high spaces (I didn't think to count them at the time).
I started the observation today by walking around the site from the north in a counter-clockwise direction. At the north-west of the site there is a roofing staging area. The roofing membrane rolls are stacked and there is a delivery truck with a crane attachement. At the south-west corner
scaffolding wraps the corner of the building. The masonry wall (around the future stair well) has progressed up to the second floor level. No active work was being performed in this area.At the south-east mechanical room gypsum was being installed on one face of the metal studs. I'm not sure when the electrical inspection is scheduled for. At the south-east of the site a raising scaffold was about forty feet up. The more I am around the raising scaffold the more I am amazed at how it works. Every 15 - 20 feet it is attached to the building. The main platform holds the mortar and block and a lower projecting platform is for the workers to place the block. This means the mortar and the block are at about waist level when they lift and place them. The a telescoping fork-lift is used to load masonry onto the platform. There were about 3-4 workers on the platform at any given point.
(After leaving the site I got to thinking about the possibility of a new piece of equipment. I have to work out a couple of sketches - but it involves combining a flatbed truck with a raising scaffold for easier mobilization and demobilization.)
Walking around to the gymnasium I watched metal studs being installed and what appeared to be a fireproofing contractor clearing away fireproofing from the metal stud framing. Checking that the safety inspection for the scaffold had been performed for that morning, I proceeded up to the second level.
Here I found two waste line manifolds, but on closer examination found (a) that only one penetrated the floor slab, and (b) each were comprised of elements which could be adjusted to allow the connecting pipe to slop in the direction of drainage. (this may have little applicable knowledge in the future, but it helps me get a better understanding of what may be involved in the installation process).
Walking past the manifolds I proceeded to the south roof. An 18" section of cementitious board has been installed along the perimeter of the interior side of the roof parapet. Also three metal curb frames, (5' x 20')
have been assembled. At the south-east corner of the roof I got to speak with a couple of the masonry contractors on the raising scaffold. In speaking with the foreman (I believe), as the scaffold swayed back and forth slightly, he told me he felt safer on the raising scaffold than the more traditional scaffolding over to the side. (Also, they are always looking for masonry labor, so I may have a job for the summer).Then, I came back to the first floor gymnasium and noted some new materials being stored therein. Some steel sprinkler pipes were arranged near the north wall. Looking up I saw some large hangers which will eventually carry the roof drain piping. That's when I realized the correlation between where the materials were stored and where the hangers were located almost forty feet above. The path of the hangers above and the clear path below allow the scissor scaffolds to maneuver without having to relocate material. I didn't get a chance to ask how this was planned - but maybe next time.
Finally, I got to talk a little with a mechanical contractor who was installing rectangular ductwork. He explained the wrapping is a relatively new feature for protecting the ductwork. I learned about the Pittsburg joint used to seal the length of the ducts, that they were fabricated in Roanoke, VA., and that the mechanical company was a subsidiary of a larger civil contractor. (All that in 5 minutes).
Great site visit. Lots to think about. More to report next time.
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1 comment:
For many years industry has benefited tremendously from the use of scissor Lifts, resulting in increased production and less strain and injury to employees. Continual innovations mean that there is now a wider choice of features making the scissor lift a very useful piece of equipment.
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