Dornan Engineering Group at a London Data Centre

The Project

Dornan Engineering Group, part of the Turner Construction Company, has partnered with Nationwide Platforms to enhance MEWP safety and operational control at a major hyperscale data-centre project in West London. With hundreds of machines and personnel sharing limited interior space, on-site safety required a carefully managed approach. In light of this, the two companies implemented a three-pronged safety solution, combining intelligent secondary guarding, real-time telematics, and VR-based operator training.

Dornan is one of Europe’s leading mechanical and electrical contractors. Backed by the Turner Construction Company, it delivers major infrastructure and industrial projects across the UK, Ireland, and mainland Europe. Known for its high standards in safety and technical delivery, Dornan is committed to advancing best practice in every phase of its work, particularly in live, high-risk environments where quality and control are paramount.

On this project, Dornan replaced a previous supplier’s fleet with more than 200 powered access machines from Nationwide Platforms, each pre-fitted with SkySiren® PCS™ for Scissors and SkySentry™ telematics. The partnership also introduced Nationwide Platforms’ immersive VR training for operators as part of the service. The same model was later adopted at an ongoing project of Dornan’s in South Wales.
 

The Challenge

Data centres provide the physical infrastructure that powers everyday digital activity, from cloud storage and virtual meetings to social media, e-commerce, and software platforms. These facilities support millions of users simultaneously and must meet stringent security requirements, making the construction environment both high-value and highly sensitive.

A revised safety protocol was introduced midway through the project, requiring that a proportion of the mobile elevating work platforms be accompanied by a dedicated human spotter. The move was part of a broader area-wide response to improve entrapment prevention on large sites. However, when implemented at this scale, the requirement significantly increased site congestion. Navigating around 200-plus machines created serious spatial and operational challenges, particularly given the live nature of surrounding infrastructure and the complexity of the site’s mechanical and electrical installation phases.

Dornan required a solution that could enable tighter control of machines, reduce the number of personnel on site, and improve operator safety in a proactive rather than reactive way. With support from Nationwide Platforms, the team identified an opportunity not only to resolve the immediate challenge, but to advance their minimum safety standards by integrating data-driven fleet management, automated safety systems, and simulation-based operator assessment into a single, coordinated access strategy.

The Solution

The new strategy was built on three key pillars: the introduction of intelligent secondary guarding via SkySiren® PCS™ for Scissors, full integration of SkySentry™ telematics, and mandatory VR training of all operators before they ventured onto site. 

Over 200 scissor lifts and vertical masts were delivered to site, including 90 SJ16 vertical masts and 75 SJ3219 scissor lifts from Skyjack, all pre-fitted with SkySiren® PCS™ for Scissors and SkySentry™. Because the technologies were manufacturer-approved and pre-fitted, lead times were far shorter, allowing rapid deployment of a large fleet of machines during a crucial stage of the installation project.

SkySiren® PCS™ for Scissors uses ultrasonic sensors to monitor the operator’s surroundings in real-time. If the sensors detect an overhead or rear obstacle, they automatically slow and stop the MEWP before contact, giving the operator time to reassess and manoeuvre safely. Should the operator choose to proceed while a crushing hazard remains, the system’s pressure-sensitive bar acts as a secondary safeguard. Mounted in front of the platform controls, the bar triggers when the operator’s body is forced against it, immediately cutting machine movement, activating a strobe light, and sounding a high-decibel alarm until the hazard is resolved. This dual-layer approach ensures constant protection, even in dynamic and challenging environments.

Crucially, the introduction of the intelligent secondary guarding technology enabled further reduction in additional personnel on-site, in turn helping to considerably reduce PPI (People Plant Interface) risk.

Alongside the anti-entrapment safety system, every machine on site was fitted with SkySentry™, Nationwide Platforms’ cloud-based telematics and access control system. SkySentry™ provides a full suite of data capture and site control functions, including real-time machine location, card-based operator login, detailed usage data, geo-fencing, remote lockout, and weekly fleet performance reporting. Its introduction enabled Dornan to better understand utilisation rates and idle machine time, identify unauthorised machine usage, and reduce overall fleet size based on actual site needs rather than estimated demand. 

Each week, a report was issued to site leads summarising access patterns, daily run times, and fault alerts. This data provided the insight required to manage machines more efficiently, rotate underused units, and maintain uptime across all working zones. It also helped drive conversations around risk mitigation and behavioural improvement, particularly in relation to shared contractor use of MEWPs.

Mobilising the new fleet took place over a ten-week period and was followed by the deployment of a full-time Nationwide Platforms engineer based on site. As part of NWP’s managed service offering, the engineer provides real-time maintenance, technical support, and rapid response to any arising faults. Communication is supported through a dedicated WhatsApp group and bi-weekly meetings with site teams, allowing for fast decision-making and continuous feedback.
 

Operator Safety and VR Training

While SkySiren® PCS™ for Scissors and SkySentry™ reduced risks associated with entrapment, congestion, and unauthorised access, Dornan also recognised that site safety depended just as much on operator competence. To address this, the company integrated Nationwide Platforms’ immersive VR-based simulator programme into its induction process for all MEWP users.

Every operator completed a virtual assessment that replicated real-world scenarios—such as overhead strikes, entrapment risk, and poor spatial judgement—before being allowed to operate in live zones. Those who did not meet the baseline threshold received structured feedback and retraining before retesting. The process was rapid, data-led, and more predictive of real-world ability than standard classroom instruction. Since implementing the simulator, the site has reported no MEWP-related safety incidents and has recorded marked improvements in operator behaviour, including sharper hazard recognition and more efficient platform movement.

The simulator is now being adopted at Dornan’s South Wales site, where it is considered a baseline standard for all MEWP mobilisation. In conjunction with SkySiren® PCS™ for Scissors and SkySentry™, it forms a comprehensive, integrated safety framework, one that combines physical safeguards, digital oversight, and skills validation to ensure a consistently high standard of operator readiness.

Project Performance and Outcomes

By reducing the number of spotters required and enabling smarter control of powered access, Dornan has not only improved safety and operational efficiency on the London site, but also set a precedent for the role of technology in access management at scale. The integration of SkySiren® PCS™ for Scissors, SkySentry™ telematics, and VR-based assessment represents a new model of site safety, where risk is anticipated and controlled through a combination of real-time data, intelligent hardware, and verified human performance.

Marking a turning point in how large-scale contractors approach at-height safety, Dornan and the wider Turner Construction Company have established a new operational standard that reflects its wider commitment to proactive risk management, lean delivery, and future-facing infrastructure practice.

Simon Beckett, Strategic Accounts Director at Nationwide Platforms, said: “As the UK construction landscape evolves, we’re seeing significant growth in large-scale developments such as mega-sheds, data-centres, and gigafactories. All of these rely heavily on internal scissor lifts for safe and efficient access, so there’s a need for more advanced operator protection systems.

“Dornan’s approach to this project has been ground-breaking. By combining our SkySiren PCS™ for Scissors, SkySentry™ telematics, and immersive VR-based training, they’re setting a new industry baseline for MEWP safety. It’s been fantastic to support a contractor taking such a forward-thinking, systems-led approach to protecting their workforce.”

Sean Wardle, Logistics Lead at Dornan, added, “Dornan has been delighted to work with Nationwide Platforms and implement their MEWP safety system on our projects. This advanced technology enhances safety and brings significant operational benefits. 

“As part of the Turner Construction Company, Dornan recognise that ensuring the safety of everyone on site goes hand-in-hand with maintaining operational excellence. The adoption of smart safety solutions reinforces our commitment to creating a safer, more efficient working environment.

“We look forward to continuing to support forward-thinking initiatives that raise the bar for industry safety”.