The Benson Weir footway closure on the River Thames is more than just an inconvenience for Thames Path walkers; it signals a major, necessary infrastructure renovation by the Environment Agency. When a critical structure like this needs serious repair—driven by corrosion and impact damage—the priority shifts entirely to safety, efficiency, and project continuity.
At SafeSmart Access, we’re proud to have supported this vital UK project by providing the high-level, adaptable access equipment required to get the job done safely.
The Access Challenge
Repairing a weir is a complex operation. It involves working over water, on uneven banks, with constantly changing water levels, and around heavy construction plant. This environment demands access solutions that are quick to deploy, highly stable, and versatile enough to handle every stage of the renovation.
To meet the site’s needs, SafeSmart delivered a suite of robust, UK-compliant systems:
AdjustaStairs:
The riverbanks and excavations created constantly changing vertical access needs. Our self-levelling, AdjustaStairs provided instant, safe, 45-degree stairway access to and from different levels on the site. This eliminated the use of less-safe ladders, ensuring workers could carry tools and equipment with both hands securely.
Safeloaders:
Heavy vehicles are essential for delivering materials and removing debris. Our SafeLoaders were deployed to provide secure, mobile access to the flatbeds of trucks. This eliminated the dangerous practice of climbing onto vehicles, protecting workers from falls during loading, unloading and inspection processes.
Podium Platforms:
For lower-level, stationary work—from detailed inspections to light maintenance tasks—our Super Maintenance Podium Platforms provided a fully guarded. This collective protection ensures workers are safe, stable, and productive without needing to rely on time-consuming personal fall arrest systems for simple tasks.
Pedestrian Bridges:
Crossing small excavations or gaps in temporary works can pose a major trip and fall hazard. Our Pedestrian Bridge solutions ensured a clearly marked, stable, and guarded walkway, maintaining smooth, safe workflow across the site.
Beyond the Hardware: Navigating Project Momentum
The Benson Weir project highlights a common challenge in large-scale infrastructure: keeping project momentum when key operational factors are constantly in flux. Our work extended beyond simply dropping off equipment; it involved a deep, consultative partnership.
🤝Supporting Personnel Changes
In any major project, new faces arrive. We understood that onboarding new team members to products and different solutions is essential for maintaining safety standards. SafeSmart proactively worked with the Benson Weir team to provide swift, effective guidance and documentation, ensuring any new contact was quickly up to speed on the compliant use, inspection, and assembly of our gear. This dedication guarantees that compliance isn’t compromised by staffing shifts.
⏱️Streamlining Decision-Making
Large public works projects involve numerous stakeholders, often resulting in decision-makers being heavily scheduled and difficult to pin down. SafeSmart’s sales strategy focused on being flexible, consultative, and ready to support internal debates. By providing comprehensive information covering both hire and purchase price options, we empowered the Benson Weir team to make the most fiscally and logistically sound choice for their long-term project needs, keeping the process moving forward despite scheduling demands.
The work at Benson Weir is a testament to how the right, adaptable access solutions—supported by a committed, flexible supply team—are critical to the smooth and safe running of the UK’s essential infrastructure projects.
Ready to enhance your workplace safety? Explore SafeSmart’s comprehensive range of work platforms including the industry-leading SafeLoader, Work Platforms, Bridges and Temporary Stairs systems, designed specifically for UK commercial applications. Call us on +44 (0)845 382 1000 or email [email protected]
