Shoring Technology Interest Group
STIG is one of two very new CPA Special Interest Groups formed at the end of year 2000. The shoring sector of the construction industry is a small but very important part of the whole. Prior to STIG, it was fragmented with inconsistent ways of conducting its business. There was a need for shoring equipment companies to benchmark, share experiences and to produce standard practices and guidelines in all aspects of hire. There has been a dramatic technological development in recent years which has extended the range of equipment. This new equipment and the new applications need to be explained and promoted to the users of shoring equipment, that is, the contractors and sub-contractors who employ the operatives that are responsible for installing it on site.
With the latter in mind, STIG has produced a leaflet "Proprietary Shoring Equipment" that explains as briefly as possible the equipment available and the applications for which it can be used. It is available as a free publication in hard copy from the CPA offices or as a download from this website. It will be followed some time later by a manual giving much more detail on the equipment, the applications and its safe use.
STIG has also published a short statement on the use of "hanging (or restraining) chains". It is current practice throughout the UK to use chain assemblies to support shoring frames when installed within an excavation. There is often considerable confusion as to whether these chains should be regarded as lifting equipment. Hanging or restraining chains are not (and must not be) used for lifting or lowering a load and therefore fall outside the scope of LOLER.
STIG is looking to address all documentation in their sector involving its interaction with its customers and procedures for the hand-over of equipment on a construction site. It is also currently working on extending and improving the training standards for operatives and new STIG supplementary conditions to the CPA Model Conditions of Hire.
The Safety In Shoring Manual (The Proprietary Shoring and Piling Equipment Manual)
is now available from the CPA at £15.00 per copy, please contact the CPA Office for further details.
*An addendum to the Safety in Shoring Manual is now available to download. this one-page addendum brings references to legislation and standards up to date at March 2009.
Download Addendum to the Safety in Shoring Manual>>
STIG Downloads
CPA Safety Guidance - Risk Assessment for Shoring & Piling Operations (STIG 0403)
This safety guidance contains a generic list of possible hazards that may be present when planning and executing excavation and shoring related operations including piling. The list has been produced to enable the user of shoring equipment to produce site-specific risk assessments for shoring operations as required by the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1992.
Plant hire companies who supply shoring equipment should make their customers aware of this guidance and provide them with a copy when necessary.
The Technical Committee is in the process of revising all the publications that have been produced by STIG. They are currently completing the amendments and compiling revised guidance. However, due to the complexity of the work required, the revisions will not be completed until later this year. Once the revision of the guidance is finished it will be submitted to the HSE for their endorsement.
STIG Supplementary Conditions
Download STIG Supplementary Conditions >>
Information on Propriertary Shoring Equipment (STIG 0201)
Download Information on Propriertary Shoring Equipment >>
Information on Hanging Chains (STIG 0202)
Download Information on Hanging chains >>
This interest group requested that the CPA assist in devising an 'individual' questionnaire for their particular needs. This questionnaire is produced quarterly and the results are sent exclusively to the members of the STIG group.