VIC Members Meeting – May 2025
The Scaffolding Association Australia hosted its VIC Members Meeting on Wednesday 14 May in Melbourne, bringing together scaffolding professionals, industry partners, and new prospective members for a well-attended afternoon of discussion, collaboration and networking.
Led by Executive Director Jordy Adshead, the meeting opened with a strong sense of energy and connection in the room. Jordy acknowledged the importance of the state’s growing involvement and shared his decision to step down as VIC Chair to focus on his national leadership role. He invited members to consider nominating for the position to continue building momentum within the state.
Key Topics and Discussions
National Update and Upcoming Initiatives
SAA General Manager Erryn O’Brien delivered a detailed update on the Association’s progress at a national level. She highlighted strong membership growth across all states, the expansion of partnerships, and the continued success of SAA Insure, the Association’s group insurance facility. Erryn also introduced the recently released 2025/26 Partnership Program and shared early details of the upcoming Scaff25 National Conference & Awards Night, to be held in Sydney this November.
Scaffold Tampering Campaign
A significant focus of the meeting was the issue of scaffold tampering. Jordy presented sobering results from a national survey of more than 5,000 industry professionals—revealing that 95% had witnessed or been involved in tampering incidents. He outlined the upcoming six-month scaffold tampering campaign, led by SAA, which will address key safety issues through monthly focus themes across all states.
Jordy also reminded attendees that scaffold tampering is now considered a notifiable WorkSafe incident in Victoria, urging members to use this regulation as a tool for driving accountability. “Let’s drive the culture change ourselves—industry-led, from the ground up,” he said.
Workforce Development and Training
Jamie Stone, Coordinator of the Victorian Scaffolding Training Association (VSTA), provided insight into the state’s structured two-year scaffolding traineeship. With 18 trainees currently enrolled and 10 EBA companies involved, the program is helping deliver long-term, skills-based training—an important step forward for the industry. Jamie’s personal reflections on how far the trade has come over his 40-year career resonated strongly with the audience.
Innovation in Access Solutions
The Association also welcomed recent member Tom Fissenden from Alimak, who presented the company’s growing suite of vertical access solutions. These included the Scanclimber mast climber, the STS 300 hoist, and the Medius 350. Tom spoke to the benefits of innovation, hands-on training, and collaboration with scaffolding companies, and invited members to explore Alimak’s demo rig located in Dandenong.
Design Standards and Certification Guidance
Rob Thiess, SAA National Chair, spoke about the recently released Scaffold Design Process, the first of several national best practice guidelines now available to members. He also previewed upcoming guidance documents on tie systems, harnesses, and scaffold corrosion. Rob’s presentation stressed the importance of understanding the difference between design-quality drawings and engineer-certified documents. “Make sure what you’re getting is what you think it certifies,” he advised.
2D vs 3D Scaffold Design
The final presentation of the day came from Reon Tareha of Scaffold Design Australia, who offered a comparative look at 2D versus 3D scaffold design. His insights into the advantages and limitations of each method gave attendees practical takeaways to apply in their own businesses.
The meeting concluded with a well-attended afternoon tea and networking session, giving members the opportunity to connect, share ideas, and strengthen professional relationships. It was especially encouraging to see several new and prospective members in the room, eager to learn more about what SAA stands for and how they can be involved.
SAA extends its thanks to all who attended and contributed to the day’s success. Special appreciation goes to the VIC Committee, Paul Allwood, Jamie Robertson, Anthony Beasy and Reon Tareha for their continued support—and to Jordy Adshead, whose leadership has helped build such strong momentum for the Association in Victoria.
As Jordy summed up on the day:
“We’ve now got the horsepower to influence change.”
And in Victoria, that change is already gaining traction.
