Checklist: Who Inspects Scaffolding?

When working in the construction industry in London, it is important that you understand the Health and Safety regulations while working on site. Your Scaffolding specialists can read this like the bible.

So, what do I need to comply with working at heights? Read on to continue the checklist.

The Regulations Act 2005

The Regulations act 2005 applies to all work that is carried out at height where there is a risk of falling and is liable to cause personal injury. The Duties on employers, the self-employed and any person who controls the work of others (such as facility mangers or building site owners) maybe contacted when work at height is going ahead. scaffolding direct london-Solihull |London have put together a checklist on the Health and Safety regulations.

Those with duties under the Regulations must ensure that:

• All work at height is properly planned and organised
• Those involved in height work must be competent
• The Risks from work at height are assessed and must be appropriate with the work equipment that is being used.

What is Short Duration with the Construction Industry?

Short duration work means that tasks that are measured in minutes by the inspector rather in hours. For example, replacing a few broken tiles on a roof and adjusting a television aerial is known as Short Duration.

The Scaffold Design Checklist

It is intended and important to clarify when a scaffold design is required and the training required at what level of training shall be given for erecting, dismantling, altering, inspecting and supervising.

All scaffolding inspection should be carried out by a competent person whose combination of knowledge, training and experience is appropriate for the type and complexity of the scaffold.  Competence may have been assessed under the CISRS or an individual may have received training in inspecting a specific type of system scaffold from a manufacturer/supplier.

The Design

It is a requirement of the ‘Work at Height Regulations 2005’ unless a scaffolding tower is assembled to a generally recognised and standard configuration. The Tube and fitting of scaffolding must have proper guidance from manufactures, the scaffold should also be designed by a bespoke calculation. This will ensure that the scaffolding will have adequate strength, rigidity and stability while erected, used and dismantled.

At the start of the planning process, the user should supply relevant information the contractor providing the scaffolding to ensure that there is an accurate and efficient design process. For Example, this should include (Read the checklist):

• Site Location – (e.g., London, West Bromwich)
• ETA of the scaffolding being erected
• Intended use
• Height and Length of any critical dimensions which may affect the scaffolding.
• Maximum working Loads.

Prior to installation, all scaffolding must be erected, dismantled and altered in a safe manner. This can be achieved by the guidance provided by the HSE, or by following guidance provided by the manufactures of the scaffolding.

For scaffolding that fall outside the scope of a generally recognised standard configuration the design must be such that safe erection and dismantling techniques can also be employed throughout the duration of the works. To ensure stability for more complex scaffolds. Any Proposed modification that takes the scaffolding outside the scope of a generally recognised standard should be designed by a competent person and proven by calculation.

Working Safely on a Scaffold Tower

Safety begins from the moment workers start assembling the scaffold towers. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when erecting scaffold towers, and never deviate from them by using non-standard or jury-rigged parts.

Many reputable scaffold tower manufacturers have formed alliances with the Health and Safety Executive to develop sound methods by which scaffold towers are assembled, used and disassembled. The country of origin of scaffold towers is an important consideration as well.

It’s wise to choose a tower manufactured by a reputable UK or EU company, rather than one from Asia, where the manufacturing and quality requirements are not as high. Quality is critical, and as important as price & value when working at heights to ensure health and safety, so be sure you choose your tower scaffold with great care. At Scaffolding Direct London |London Hire, we have exacting standards for the scaffold towers we sell. In addition, we support our products with superior customer service.

What are the Best Materials?

Aluminium and Steel have always been the best choice for scaffold towers. However, fibre glass has also become an option with contractors as its economic, but Aluminium has generally been accepted as the most reliable to use – it’s the lightest and the most practical and durable for a scaffolding tower.

About are Products

Our scaffold towers feature two wheels to facilitate moving. The bracing is fully colour coded, which facilitates erection and ensures that the tower is correctly assembled and braced. We also furnish stabiliser bars with a footprint that’s larger than our competitors’. We’re pleased to offer our popular aluminium tower with ultra strong 40mm diameter tubing that delivers exceptional strength. Assembly is quite simple and straightforward.

The tower comes in 4 sizes and can be used indoors as well as outdoors. It has a maximum safe working load of 150kg. The platform is adjustable in 300mm increments. End height adjustment is included. This means the tower can be deployed on stairs. Finally, the tower comes from an ISO 9001:2008 manufacturer. The ISO 9000 set of standards represent international agreement on a set of quality standards. The result? Better products and better accountability. This tower offers great value for the price.