Safety first should be the two most important words for all constructions workers, especially for those working at height using scaffold towers, ladders or any other form of access equipment. Whether working on a single storey dwelling or taller industrial building, it is very important to consider all the potential hazards before starting any kind of work. It should also be noted that working from an elevated platform or podium can cause hazards for the people below as well as those on the scaffold tower.



Scaffold Towers can cause injury

Incorrectly erected and faulty scaffold towers or podiums are a major cause of serious or fatal injury for construction workers, that is the reason why strict woking standards have been introduced to reduce the number of accidents for those working at height. These standard practices reduce the occurrence of human error and other factors which may lead to such accidnts.

Construction workers are usually under the pressure to complete projects within a given time frame and it is all too easy for them to try and cut corners to save time. This is especially true when erecting and dismantling scaffold towers or podiums.

Even when the correct guidelines are followed it is still possible for accidents to occur. It goes without saying that attention should also be given to pedestrians or others working in proximity to the scaffolding.

Providing that simple guidelines are followed, the risk of injury or death can be greatly reduced, employers will also benefit by building creating a good safety record, this in itself can improve profitability by reducing the cost of insurance and other long term operating expenses.

Scaffold Towers Safe Practices

With regard to the safety of the scaffoldings towers and podiums, guidelines have been produced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) these guidelines should be followed strictly to help reduce and prevent the occurance of accidents.

To prevent scaffold towers from collapse, the manufacturers instructions should be correctly followed and no modifications should be made to the tower structure. The capacity, the bracing, the proper pinning and the components of the said structure should always be checked for damage before assembly.

The following important factors should always be adhered to.

1.Do not excced the manufaturers safe working loads ? The scaffolding should be able to support, without failure, its own weight and at least four times its maximum intended load. And with regards to the workers, they should never overload the platform of the scaffold towers.

2.Make sure all bracing is correctly fitted. All the brace connections must be properly secured to prevent it from dislodging.

3.Pins and locking Frames and panels must be joined vertically by stacking pins or coupling or any equivalent means. Frames and panels should be locked together.

4.Component checks Scaffold components that are from different manufacturers should never be used in a single tower. Different manufacturers will use materials that may nit be compatible with one another. Even scaffold tower models from the same manufacturer may differ in the way they are manufactured. Always check with the manufacture to be sure that components are compatible.

Scaffold Tower Maintenance

The scaffolding equipment should be maintained regularly to make sure that it is in good condition and operable. The scaffolding should be sturdy with all nuts and bolts tightened. Workers should not be permitted to use scaffolds that covered with snow or ice. It needs to be cleaned of snow and ice anD ANY BATTINGS should be checked prior to use to avoid slipping. And finally, never use damaged or improperly constructed scaffold towers. Accidents can never be completely stopped from happening, but at least they can be reduced by using common sense and following simply guidelines.