The construction sector has some of the most fatal and non-fatal injuries and accidents around the world. It is an inherently risky job where a high level of accountability, thoroughness, and protocol is required to minimize risk.
Scaffolding is a safety measure in construction that comes with its risks and caveats. From the proper safety management and working at height training, working with these temporary structures requires considerable risk-aversion processes to be followed to avoid accidents.
In this content piece, we will look at the general rules around the scaffolding and what kind of safety measures are necessary for them.
Scaffoldings in Construction Work
Scaffolding is a temporary structure often used in construction sites to give workers a proper platform for working at heights. It is also used to support the supply of materials at higher elevations. Scaffoldings are generally referred to as the materials and components, whereas the scaffold is the structure itself.
Working at height can be very risky, and scaffolds do make it quite safer. However, these scaffolds come with risks and safety considerations. The law requires that these risks are properly assessed by the employer or contractor duty holders and the appropriate precautions to be taken whenever possible.
There are a few items dictated by laws and regulations:
- General requirements
- Safety barrier requirements
- Standard and bespoke designs
- Supervision and competence
- Inspection
Scaffolds – General Requirements
The scaffolds have to be constructed by and under the supervision of competent people. This general requirement is both for the workers on-site as well as for any manufacturers for pre-made scaffolding, such as for movable or portable scaffolds. This also applies to any alterations, such as changing the height, position, etc.
Most of these general requirements come from regulatory bodies, such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines.
Conducting new risk assessments and risk calculations is also necessary before any work is conducted using the scaffold. That means all the work to be done using the scaffold has to be planned out, assessed for risk, and controls to be put in place before the work begins.
A few more general pointers include:
- Making sure all scaffolds are wide enough to work
- Providing and ensuring safe access to the scaffold platform
- Preventing overhanging of scaffolding boards
- Providing fall protection where possible
- Halting any use of the scaffolding if altered by external factors, e.g., wind, or heavy rain.
Safety Barriers
Protections such as guard rails and toe boards should be provided to prevent accidents and falls. These rails and safety barriers need to be strong and sturdy and be tested to withstand forces such as falling brick stacks. These can also protect materials from rolling over or falling from the scaffold.
According to OSHA guidelines, fall protection should be available for all platforms that exceed 10m above the lower level.
Standard and Bespoke Designs
The general use of scaffolds is the same, but where they are used and how they fit can sometimes require additional or different designs. These bespoke designs require the manufacturer to provide any additional instruction as needed for use, while also ensuring that its design fits within the normal safety and use procedures as much as possible.
There are a few requirements for any scaffolding design being used, such as:
- The location of the construction site
- The intended use cases
- The time of use
- Maximum load
- Scaffold access
- Potential restrictions
- Specific requirements/additions
These are just a few examples of scaffold requirements that manufacturers need to know for any prefabs or pre-made scaffolds. Bespoke designs are generally used for scaffolds that may require additional tinkering.
For example, a cantilevered scaffold is only attached and supported from one side and requires additional safety considerations.
Supervision and Competence
All employees working on a scaffold or conducting any scaffolding work must be suitably competent. They also need to be supervised by competent personnel, which the employer or contractor has to ensure.
OSHA determines that a competent person should be able to recognize faults and determine the actions to take should any complications occur.
Inspection
The inspection process is a critical part of scaffolding work. Inspections have to be carried out before the scaffolding is used after installation, as well as before each work shift. In addition, if there is any potential alteration to the scaffold, such as high winds, an additional inspection needs to be conducted.
Bottom Line
Scaffolding is an important part of working at height. They are critical in construction and require plenty of safety rules to follow. Here, we have jotted down just a few of these safety requirements for general awareness and to ensure that anyone conducting the work takes proper precautions when doing so.
