- Full Elevation Access Scaffold
- Internal Confined-Space Tower
- 30m long x 14 m high External Scaffold System
- NASC TG20:21 Compliant
- Access for Building Repairs, Safe Removal of Existing Ductwork & Confined Internal Plant Space
Specialist Independent Scaffolding for Urban Areas
Access Solution for a Confined Space in Leeds City Centre
As one of Yorkshire’s premier independent scaffolding contractors, Working Platforms has built an unbeatable reputation for delivering complex commercial access scaffolding and specialist city centre scaffolding in Leeds.
From multi-storey external repairs to intricate confined space scaffolding in live urban environments, our NASC TG20:21 compliant access systems are engineered to solve the toughest site constraints.
The Lisbon House project on Wellington Street, Leeds, demonstrates our capacity to design, erect, and manage high-risk independent scaffold structures in tight city centre footprints—delivering total safety, structural integrity, and zero operational downtime for our commercial clients.
Watch Our Full-Elevation, Independent Access Scaffold Video
Watch the video here and explore the full project below.
Case Study: Full Elevation Access for Lisbon House, Leeds
Lisbon House sits on Wellington Street, in the thick of Leeds city centre — tight for space, overlooked on every side, and hemmed in by neighbouring buildings and a constant flow of pedestrians and traffic. Working Platforms was appointed to deliver two connected access solutions: a 30-metre run of scaffold rising 14 metres up the building’s rear elevation, and a free-standing internal tower scaffold erected inside a confined plant space to allow existing ductwork to be safely removed.
Because university environments are particularly sensitive, coordinating works within occupied buildings requires meticulous planning, competent scaffolders, and a focus on crash deck scaffolding safety.
PROJECT DETAILS:
Full-Elevation Access, Internal and External, Built for the City
- The Challenge: Providing access to a high-rise building in a densely populated, city centre location with frequent passers-by. Vital health and safety protection is required for both the public and workers on the 14-metre building. Internal access was also required for the safe removal of existing ductwork.
- The Solution: An independent external scaffold spanning approximately 30 metres in length and 14 metres high was designed and combined with a free-standing 18-metre internal scaffold tower. All were erected within TG20:21 guidelines.
Full-Elevation Independent Scaffold: Built to NASC TG20:21 Standards
The external scaffold spans approximately 30 metres in length and rises 14 metres up the building's rear elevation, tied back securely to the structure at tie points spaced in accordance with NASC TG20:21 guidance.
Because the site sits so close to occupied buildings, pedestrian routes, and glazed frontages, the working lifts were sheeted in debris netting once erected—containing dust and material at the levels where work was taking place and keeping the site around it clean, controlled, and safe for everyone passing by.
Working lifts were boarded out with tight, level decking to give safe access at each stage of the job, with full edge protection maintained throughout the structure.
Ground level was kept organised throughout too — a segregated compound, Heras fencing to the public footpath, and materials and waste managed in designated areas rather than left to accumulate around the working face.
Access & Safety at the Centre of a Live Leeds City Building Site
Every operative on site worked at height in full fall-arrest PPE, clipped on and inspected before use, for the duration of the build. With Wellington Street's pedestrian footfall, neighbouring occupied buildings and Leeds' skyline of high-rise development immediately overlooking the site, the job demanded the same discipline a busy city centre always does: a securely fenced compound, clear signage, controlled deliveries, and a structure that was never left in a state that could put the public — or our own team — at risk.
“City centre sites like Lisbon House don’t give you room for a second attempt — the scaffold has to be right first time, every lift, every tie, every day it’s up. That’s exactly the standard we hold ourselves to.”
– Stevie Gawthorpe, Director, Working Platforms Scaffolding Specialist
Specialist Confined Space Scaffolding: An 18m Internal Access Tower
The more technically demanding element of this job was internal: a free-standing scaffold tower, 18 metres in height, built entirely within a confined plant space to give safe access for the removal of existing ductwork. Working in a footprint that tight, at that height, leaves very little margin — every lift had to be planned, and ties and bracing designed to suit the confines of the space, again in line with TG20:21 guidance, rather than a standard open elevation, with the tower built and inspected in stages as it rose, rather than as one continuous run.
Confined space access of this kind carries its own distinct risks on top of standard working-at-height controls — restricted means of escape, limited ventilation, and no room for error in how the structure is sequenced. Our team planned the build around those constraints from the outset, so the tower gave the ducting removal team safe, stable access at every level without the space itself becoming the hazard.
The Result: Proven Independent Scaffolding Contractors for Leeds & Yorkshire
A 30m long, 14m high independent access scaffold and a complex 18m internal confined space scaffold tower — both designed and erected to NASC TG20:21 standards on a live Leeds city centre site. The project provided all working trades with safe, stable, and compliant access from day one through to handover.
Independent Scaffolding FAQ
An independent scaffold is a free-standing, double-row scaffolding system that stands on two rows of vertical standards without relying on the building facade to support its vertical dead load. Instead, the scaffold structure is fully self-supporting on its foundation and is tied back securely to the building at calculated intervals solely for lateral stability. Widely specified by Quantity Surveyors and Structural Engineers for commercial building repairs, masonry restoration, and facade maintenance across Leeds and Yorkshire, independent scaffolding provides stable, multi-level working platforms that conform to NASC TG20:21 safety standards.
NASC TG20:21 is the definitive technical guidance standard published by the National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) for tube and fitting scaffolding in the UK. TG20:21 provides pre-calculated, standard designs for common scaffolding structures—including independent tied scaffolds, birdcage scaffolds, and loading bays—ensuring they are erected with verified leg loads, tie spacings, bracing, and wind load safety factors without requiring bespoke structural engineering calculations for every build.
At Working Platforms, all our independent scaffolding installations across Leeds and Yorkshire are fully compliant with TG20:21 operational e-Guide specifications, giving main contractors and site managers audited safety compliance from day one.
Why Work With Us
- Access Expertise: Serving Yorkshire and the wider Northern England region with local knowledge and rapid emergency response times.
- Accredited Professionals: Our team consists of fully insured, experienced scaffolders who strictly adhere to the highest health and safety standards required for public sector work.
- Tailored Solutions: We design and erect bespoke access solutions and scaffolding systems to meet the exact spatial and safety requirements of your building.
Require Specialist Scaffolding in Yorkshire or UK-wide?
Partner with audited scaffolding specialists for your next commercial build or refurbishment! From tight city centre footprints on Wellington Street to complex confined-space industrial access across West Yorkshire, Working Platforms provides fully engineered, SSIP-accredited independent scaffolding.