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APi National Scaffold supplies and implements a wide range of scaffold technologies across a number of industry segments

Scaffold is one example of this, with examples stretching back to ancient times. To put it bluntly, no scaffold means no construction 鈥� at least not at height.

And while we have seen a number of truly innovative scaffold systems come onto the market in recent years, these tend to be designed for very specific construction applications.

For more straightforward construction projects, today鈥檚 scaffold is more or less identical to that used in the last century.

What has changed, however, is the demand for greater on-site safety, along with the need to progress projects quickly and efficiently, while keeping costs in check.

It鈥檚 for this reason that scaffold experts are as essential on site as the scaffold itself.

APi National Scaffold supplied state-of-the-art scaffold for a major project at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisconsin

With this in mind, a name that reverberates around the North American scaffold industry is Pistol Holliday, senior scaffold superintendent with APi Group鈥檚 National Scaffold division.

Safety top to bottom

With some 30 years鈥� experience, he is the first to admit that his is a largely traditional craft.

鈥淭here hasn鈥檛 been a huge amount of change in the scaffold systems themselves,鈥� he says, 鈥渂ut we have seen lots of change in terms of safety. Safety and scaffold now have to go hand in hand.

鈥淵ou can do everything right, but it鈥檚 still a dangerous job. You just have to move ahead systematically and follow procedures and you significantly increase those safety margins.

鈥淚n fact, I don鈥檛 generally worry about my people hurting themselves; I worry about something else hurting them. It鈥檚 generally a chain reaction, where two or three things go wrong, then we have a problem.

Safety protocols - especially tying off - are key to National Scaffold鈥檚 impressive record

鈥淭here are a lot of safety protocols, but the biggest thing for me is tying off. If everyone is tying off, they鈥檙e going to be ok. We have to buy into it and we have to hold each other accountable.鈥�

鈥淭o reduce risk as much as possible, everybody on the team 鈥� and on the project 鈥� . And it starts with me; that鈥檚 really important.鈥�

Advancing technology

The power sector is where APi鈥檚 National Scaffold team has made its name; in what Pistol calls the bread-and-butter projects, including a number in the nuclear sector. Other strong industries for the company include working on government and military installations.

Some of these projects can be large and complex, but Pistol maintains that 鈥渟caffold is scaffold鈥� and is keen to put his team to the test

National Scaffold was heavily involved in the decommissioning of the Asbury Power Plant in Missouri

His down-to-earth attitude to the job is infectious. In describing his most challenging project, he recalls a 鈥渟uper big coal burner鈥� saying 鈥淪ome of the scaffolds were technical, but it鈥檚 basically the same thing, only bigger.鈥�

While he sees little change in the on-site aspect of scaffold, Pistol acknowledges that technology is playing an increasing role, both around the structure and off-site.

In the hustle and bustle of the National Scaffold offices, you鈥檒l often find the team diving into the world of BIM (Building Information Modeling) and other 3D modeling systems. They鈥檙e not just playing with fancy tech鈥攖hey鈥檙e using it to ensure that every scaffold they put up is spot-on for the job at hand.

Think of it like this: just as those 3D models help predict clashes and make sure buildings are built right the first time, getting the perfect amount of scaffold and the best team on-site is crucial for APi National Scaffold crews to keep things moving smoothly and safely. It鈥檚 all about using the right tools and the right people to get the job done right.

Scaffold delivery systems are also changing. 鈥淲e are seeing a lot of development in access equipment, such as booms and lifts,鈥� says Pistol. 鈥淲hen I first got into the business, I thought there was no way robots would be taking my job. Then here come the booms. It鈥檚 actually pretty exciting stuff.鈥�

Pistol Holliday says National Scaffold is keen to take on more complex projects, such as the Climate Pledge arena in Seattle

While Pistol sees the process of erecting scaffold being a manual job for the foreseeable future, he also appreciates the benefits that technology can bring to a project, both in terms of replacing unnecessary manpower and making projects more efficient.

鈥淚f you can get materials to height with a lift, then you should use a lift,鈥� he says. 鈥淟ifts don鈥檛 get hurt.鈥�

A people business

While autonomous machines and 3D modelling software are playing an increasingly important role in construction, for scaffold companies seeking to grow their businesses.

鈥淚 have a great crew,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e built a reputation for on-time equipment delivery and a real can-do attitude from our on-site personnel, whether it鈥檚 setting up or dismantling.

鈥淎ll the major contractors know us,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e worked for some of the biggest general contractors in the world, but we鈥檙e now, as a team, looking to .鈥�

Pistol Holliday, senior scaffold superintendent with APi Group鈥檚 National Scaffold division

Pistol says National Scaffold鈥檚 reputation for customer service will be the key to unlock the next phase of the company鈥檚 growth. 鈥淚t really is the customer service and the on-site skills,鈥� he says, 鈥渢hat differentiate the good from the great鈥�.

He believes his years of experience give him an edge when it comes to taking the measure of a project and putting the right team in place.

鈥淟ooking at the whole project is one of my claims to fame,鈥� he says 鈥� and when he says that, he means literally looking at it. Whenever the company wins a project, Pistol heads to the site to appraise it, before assembling the team to undertake the work.

It鈥檚 a personal service that few companies can compete with, but he sees it as essential, saying, 鈥淎Pi鈥檚 difference is really the people, the relationships. As a division of APi Construction, we鈥檙e relatively young.  We differentiate ourselves by being there for customers and we have a large orgnanization supporting us in that.鈥�

Next-gen scaffold

Pistol also believes getting the combination of scaffold and scaffold team right can save clients time and money. As he says, 鈥淭he scaffold is the cheap part; it鈥檚 the manpower that gets expensive.鈥�

A birds-eye view of the scaffold in situ at the Fraser shipyards on the shores of Lake Superior

That鈥檚 probably never been more true than today, with a growing skills shortage, largely brought about by the so-called 鈥榞reat retirement鈥� and a shortage of young people looking to enter the industry.

Pistol doesn鈥檛 see the problem being insurmountable. A slogan of APi is Building Great Leaders and Pistol is fully behind the sentiment. 鈥淚 love seeing people who have grown with me stepping into leadership positions,鈥� he says.

Remembering his own early years in the business, he says, 鈥淭he old guys kept all that information close, which made it difficult to develop skills. Now we鈥檙e open 鈥� we鈥檙e not hiding anything. We want to tell new members of the team: 鈥榟ere鈥檚 what you can work toward鈥�.鈥�

And with the backing of APi Construction, with nearly 100 years in business, he has no doubt that he can continue to build skilled teams for any size of project. 鈥淚f you want to get good hands,鈥� he says, 鈥測ou鈥檝e got to put a few more dollars on that check and you鈥檒l start pulling talent from across the country. And we do a good job of treating people well.

Pistol鈥檚 dynamic personality has already taken National Scaffold to new levels of growth and, with a strategy of developing further through mergers and acquisitions, he feels confident that he can build teams to tackle any project.

鈥淵ou have to have a dynamic personality,鈥� he says, 鈥渢o be the guy who can really bring it together 鈥� a team mentality.鈥�

His vision for the company 鈥� to take the next step into megaprojects 鈥� is clear, as is his message for anyone looking for a career in scaffold: 鈥淚f you鈥檙e a hard worker and can build scaffold, I want you on my team鈥�.

Scaffold tech: the MonZon weather protection system APi Construction has partnered with MonZon to exclusively offer its PROTECT IT鈩� weather protection system in the US. APi National Scaffold , leveraging the MonZon PROTECT IT鈩� system for enhanced safety, build efficiency, and protection from the harsh elements. The system was developed by MonZon, in collaboration with a worldwide scaffold group, which identified challenges within the sector, including the requirement for an advanced temporary roofing system, to protect construction teams from the elements. Lightweight, flexible and ergonomic, the system creates a comfortable working environment in all weathers without compromising safety or reducing downtime and subsequently aids the rapid progress of projects. PROTECT IT鈩� allows for the mounting of asymmetrical/symmetrical, double-pitched/mono-pitched and mansard spans - and contractors can select one or two Keder tarpaulins, tailored to the weather conditions, which can be simply removed, to allow access for machinery or bulky loads.

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All images courtesy APi National Scaffold

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This article was produced by 必赢体育鈥檚 Content Studio, in partnership with experts from