A blog written by BFT Mastclimbing...

The first question you might ask is - what does MCWP stand for? It is an acronym for Mast Climbing Work Platform. Also known as mast climbers, they are ideal for any type of construction or maintenance programme that you are undertaking.

Mastclimbers are a motorised platform attached to one or more vertical masts that are fixed to a building.

A work platform travels up and down the mast and it is controlled so that materials and personnel are transported to the required level. When not in use, an MCWP can be securely parked at the base of the mast, which can improve safety and reduce the risk of people stealing from site.

What are the time benefits?

Mastclimbers can be built and dismantled in a relatively short amount of time, especially when you compare it to scaffolding. A small number of ties are used to attach the platform to the structure they are facilitating access to, which helps to improve construction times. The difference between scaffolding and MCWPs in terms of time is stark.

For example, on a building that was 12 to 14 floors high, mastclimber erection would take no longer than two days. For scaffolding, you would be looking at 16 days. Similarly, when dismantling an MCWP, it would take two days, whereas scaffolding would take 14 days. Saving this amount of time could be crucial in delivering your project.

What are the safety benefits?

Around 52,000 construction workers were affected by musculo-skeletal disorder, according to a 2017 study. MCWPs allow workers to work in a normal, natural body position because the height of the platform can be adjusted. This is different to scaffolding, as workers are often stooped over in a fixed position. This can help your workforce from a health perspective in terms of looking after their posture and it ensures that you are looking after your employees.

What are the other benefits?

Value for money is another consideration you should take into account. Over £1billion a year would be saved in the construction industry if MCWPs were used instead of scaffolding. This is down to the costs of setting up and dismantling the platforms.

The visual impact on the environment is also significantly reduced because less equipment is required for mastclimbing. With fewer pieces of equipment comes less traffic to sites, which can decrease noise pollution around construction and maintenance sites.

BFT is proud to provide quality mastclimbing services for construction and maintenance requirements on buildings across the UK. They offer bespoke solutions as well as a range of different mastclimbing options to best suit your project requirements.

From the BFT150 Mastclimber for heavy duty builds, to the lightweight BFT90, their range of equipment will perform any number of construction access tasks you need them to.

BFT can provide MCWPs for the most demanding construction, renovation and maintenance projects across the country.