“A plan on paper may seem simple, but assembling it is a different matter!” This phrase by itself summarises the responsibility of the Head Assembler, who is in charge of putting up the scaffolding designed by the design office. The challenge lies in the fact that it is a unique structure that must be assembled almost entirely by hand at several tens of metres above the ground.
A complex technical job
The assemblers’ job sometimes entails working at great height. The work site at the Royal Chapel was no exception! For example, work on the Chapel windows required access to certain parts inside the building but, in order to protect the floor, it was not possible for the structure to rest on the ground. It was decided to attach a new, internal structure to the external scaffolding by passing metal tubes through the windows, creating a sort of artificial cornice.
Careful management of the teams by the head assembler was vital to ensure the safe execution of the task. He was responsible for deciding how certain precarious steps were to be carried out.
