The construction industry was one of the first sectors to be affected by the economic downturn with many SME's preoccupied with merely surviving in the current, financially punitive climate.

As overheads such as fuel and building materials continue to escalate, owners of small construction companies are even more aware of the necessity to ensure total employee safety as well as remaining completely compliant to health and safety regulations.

The fact is that accidents resulting from people working from height are still the most common in the UK with a staggering 35 fatalities recorded in 2008/2009.

This is what has fuelled Midlands-based aluminium design and development company the AD & C Group to launch its Alsure One Bay Stair Unit. The One Bay has been continuously developed to make it lighter, more robust and durable and improve its compatibility with widely adopted scaffolding systems.

Alsure's One Bay Stair Unit is a cost effective solution to a problem that has long blighted the construction industry and other businesses where it is necessary for employees and contractors to work at height.

The One Bay stair unit, designed to be used with standard tube and fitting scaffolding equipment offers a very, easy to assemble, light and cost effective solution that provides secure access and egress, guaranteeing employees or contractors safety protection. Each component included in the fully interlocking unit weighs less than 25 kilos and ensures complete compliance to current Health & Safety material handling legislation. 

AD & C group's managing director, Dave Smith believes that many of the SME construction firms that are struggling to ride out the economic downturn may be worried that protecting employees working from height could be a costly exercise. Many of the 'total' scaffolding solutions on offer in the current market place could be considered prohibitive for smaller construction firms and contractors that may perhaps employ less than four people.

Mr Smith explains: "Unlike other market solutions, which are good products, the One Bay is compatible with widely used tube and fitting scaffolding, which eliminates the need to buy expensive non standard systemised alternatives, saving considerable capital expenditure. It is light to carry, easy to erect so it ticks all the health and safety boxes such as the three point contact rule when carrying materials and the manual handling and lifting regulations.

"Falls from height still rank amongst the highest type of accident in the H&S statistics in terms of  fatalities. Companies that demonstrate a disregard for employee safety, and are proved negligent in the event of an accident, can face serious financial and judicial penalties.

"However the more probable scenario of a common back injury and the consequences of an employee being unable to work for a prolonged period can be extremely financially damaging for a small contractor."