I am Chris Ison, and I have over 18 years of experience in commercial construction Safety Management, with previous experience in construction and personnel management roles spanning over a decade. I believe that I bring a pragmatic approach to WHS, and my focus has always been on improving safety processes and supporting smarter, more efficient work practices. I’m familiar with WHS legislation, and one of my main objectives is to consistently deliver safety within the parameters of legislative compliance.
As a WHS Manager, part of my role is to act as the gatekeeper for change. Tried and proven equipment and processes are familiar and safe, so when “minimising the risk” is your bread and butter, you have to be careful not to reject new innovations just because using them for the first time is risky. That being said, my first instinct when asked to review the FrameMaster 50/60 system for consideration on one of our projects was to reject it off hand. My concern was introducing an unfamiliar system and processes to a high-risk activity, but as I investigated it the benefits became obvious.
After expressing my initial doubts, I was given the opportunity to observe the FrameMaster 50/60 System set up as a demonstration, and I was genuinely impressed by its versatility and practical design. Although I still haven’t seen how it will handle live implementation, its potential to improve safety and efficiency during construction is clear.
FrameMaster is a high-strut formwork crash deck system designed for integration with conventional modular falsework setups. It features enhanced edge protection and supports safe, sequential installation and removal and once complete provides a strong crashdeck as well as a handrail/meshguard combo for the underdeck leading edge.
On paper, the system is well reviewed. The Framemaster final engineering report is extensive and includes full-scale destructive testing conducted by a NATA-accredited laboratory. These tests confirmed that the system meets the requirements of AS 3610.1-2010 Formwork for Concrete and demonstrated appropriate load-bearing capacities while maintaining conservative safety margins.
The system’s design appears to offer improved resistance to buckling and better load distribution compared to conventional frames used in a high strut configuration. The report also highlights that yielding occurs before buckling, minimising the risk of sudden failure.
FrameMaster has already been used in NSW and is now making its debut in the ACT construction industry. It’s scheduled for installation by Pacific Formwork on the Construction Control 1A Constitution Project. I think this is a potential step forward for our industry, and I’m hopeful that once any teething issues are ironed out, FrameMaster will prove to be a valuable addition to current practices.
