SCAFFOLDING AT FAWLEY

The illustration shows scaffolding erected for the inspection of the Catalytic Cracking Plant at the Fawley Refinery of the Esso Petroleum Company Ltd. This plant is shut down annually for a period of four to six weeks and the scaffolding is erected about six weeks beforehand. It is a good example of the importance and work involved in this type of maintenance. On this unit alone, the complete scaffold absorbs 180,000 feet of tube, 55,000 steel fittings and 12,000 scaffold boards. Most of the tube has to be hoisted to heights of 250 feet and this incorporates the use of jib scaffolds of from 100 to 200 ft. above ground level. A hoist tower is also erected to bring up the maintenance teams and tools, this rises to 180 ft. and serves six of the nine floor levels of the plant. Each floor is connected to the tower landing stages by tubular steel scaffolding constructed to form extensions of the floors. The tower incorporates two diesel powered hoists and an indicator system of telephones and flashing lights connects the landing stages to the main hoist control room at ground level. Located on the first floor are heavy components which during shutdown are taken to machine shops for strip down. These weigh up to 10 tons and their removal is facilitated by erecting up to floor level, a 30 ft. flat topped tower, flush boarded on top. This is connected to the floor by timber beams and a narrow gauge railway.