When working with scaffolding it’s essential to take precautions that ensure the safety of yourself and others. There are certain things that you should avoid doing at all costs when working on scaffolding, as they can be dangerous and risk serious harm. In this article, we’ll explore five common mistakes that people make while working on scaffolding that can put themselves, their colleagues and others in danger.
Planning is key
One of the biggest mistakes, especially when first starting scaffolding operations, is failure to plan. Proper planning and preparation enable Inner City Scaffolding to highlight any potential risks/hazards that may present themselves on site. All aspects of the job need to be considered such as build limitations, safe working methodology, partial erect and dismantle factors, along with maximum service load capacity and task durations. Some aspects cannot be fully planned for, such as the weather. It is however important to take unpredictable elements into consideration when planning and implementing scenarios, along with suitable resolutions.
Loading Capacity
Not fully assessing the loading capacity is a common mistake people can make, which can lead to disastrous consequences such as collapses and accidents. You should never assume that the scaffold has the capability of supporting the weight of your tools and materials either during its build, dismantlement or in service usage, without verifying its capacity first. Reviewing the design, manufacture guidance and hand over information for load limits, along with other safety guidelines is always a good place to start.
Steady, Secure and Even Footing
A common mistake in scaffolding is failure to ensure the footing is steady, secure and even, which could result in an increase of slips, trips, falls and possibly collapse. Take your time ensuring the scaffold is level and has stable foundations, plus access points, before building or climbing onto it. In the case of uneven working surfaces when founding scaffolds, consider using adjustable base plates or levelling methods by design to help provide balance and support. The stability of the scaffold along with even, congruent access ultimately determines how safe it will be to access, egress and work on.
Maintenance & Inspection
Scaffolding safety isn’t just about setting up properly, it also requires inspecting and maintaining the equipment. Over time, scaffolding can become compromised by exposure to weather, overuse, or accidental impacts. Checking for defective or missing components before using the equipment and quarantining then replacing any damaged parts immediately should become a routine for all reputable scaffolding companies. Inner City Scaffolding regularly inspects all of our scaffolding by performing routine maintenance, such as inspection for cracks, warps and knots on 38mm decking; splits, burrs and rust of 48.3mm tube, along with reworking of scaffolding couplers plus lubricating their moving parts.
Height Limits
Overreaching occurs when a worker leans or stretches too far from the scaffolding in an attempt to reach something beyond their current position. This puts the worker off balance and increases the risk of falling and serious harm. Your reach should never extend beyond the guard rails of the scaffold platforms.
Each type of scaffolding has its own set of maximum height restrictions which are determined by design and load capacity. Exceeding these limits put unnecessary stress on the equipment, increasing the chances of collapse. It’s essential to read and follow implicitly the design and manufacturer guidelines for height limitations, and never exceed loading conditions outside the parameters of design i.e., past the last point of tie.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can improve the safety of your scaffolding operations, plus reduce the risk of accidents, incidents and unplanned near miss occurrences. Being a member of the Scaffolding Association and subscribing member of the NASC, Inner City Scaffolding is committed to raising safety standards in contract scaffolding.
