Scaffolding - What you need to know

16 July 2007

Scaffolding is a commonplace construction component, but one that should never be taken for granted.  Incidents involving scaffolding are never far from the news.  Who can forget the major scaffold collapse in Milton Keynes April 2006 in which one affected workman died from his injuries.

All organizations and employees working with scaffolding need to be aware of the importance of maintaining a safe and stable scaffold.  Falls from height remain the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of major injury.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that scaffold arrangements are reviewed regularly and that reviews take account of factors which include, but are not limited to:

• scaffolding design implementation;
• arrangements for securing scaffolding to structures;
• intended and actual loadings on scaffolds, including the impact of wind;
• the risk of direct impact by construction plant or vehicles;
• the frequency and thoroughness of scaffold inspection arrangements;
• systems in place for the handover of new or adapted scaffolds;
• the training and competence of scaffold erectors;
• the adequacy of the scaffold foundations; and
• the prevention of unauthorized modifications.

Scaffold contractors are required to provide a suitable stable working platform that has been erected by competent personnel.  It is important that you have in place arrangements to ensure this and that these arrangements are reviewed regularly.  Once erected, it is vital that scaffolds are inspected regularly to ensure that they remain safe and stable, especially after any adverse conditions (i.e. high winds). 

The HSE have provided the following advice with regards to the design of scaffolds and the competence required to maintain a safe scaffold:

Design Issues

• All tube and fitting scaffolds should be designed by a competent person, unless a ‘basic scaffold’.
• System scaffolding should be designed and erected in accordance with the manufacturer’s or supplier’s handbook.
• Any proposed modifications, or alterations, outside the system scaffolding manufacturer’s guidelines should be designed by a competent person.
• Erection of designed scaffolding should be done under the direct supervision of an “advanced” scaffolder.
• Handover certificates should refer to any relevant design drawings.
• Inspection of designed scaffolding should be carried out by a competent person.
• Scaffolding should be ‘tagged’ to indicate when they are not in use.

Competence Issues

• Supervisors should be qualified to “advanced” scaffolder level.
• All employees should be competent for the type of scaffolding work they are undertaking and should have received appropriate training relevant to the system they are working on.
• Appropriate levels of supervision should be provided.
• Scaffold inspections should be conducted by an appropriately qualified person.
• Scaffold register should note defects and corrective actions taken.
• Appropriate qualifications may include:
o Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS).
o Relevant manufacturers training.
o Proposed CITB/NASC courses for system scaffolding.
o Proposed SA-FE (Safe Access-Fall Elimination) system courses.

Safe Systems of Work

Before scaffolders undertake work at height, it is necessary for a suitably competent person to carry out a risk assessment.  Based on the findings of such an assessment, a comprehensive method statement detailing BOTH erection and striking of the scaffold must be prepared. 

The Work at Height Regulations set out a hierarchy for managing and selecting equipment for work at height.  Clearly, scaffolders cannot avoid working at height; however, collective fall prevention and protection measures, i.e. temporary working platforms with guard rails or safety nets should always take priority over personal fall protection systems.

When a personal fall arrest system is used, consideration must be given to reducing the distance a person is liable to fall and the consequences of the fall, particularly the ease of rescue of a person suspended in a harness.

Except for “basic” scaffolds, it is normally necessary to carry out analysis and design of any scaffold.  Designs and calculations should include all fall protection measures that will form part of the finished structure.  This information must be available to site personnel who will erect the scaffold.

There may be a requirement for a permit allowing the scaffold to be based in the street or on another party’s land.

There should be a written plan to deal with in use inspections and procedures for modification, amendment and repair of a scaffold structure. 

Any incomplete scaffold, where someone may fall or where an object could fall and injure someone, needs to be clearly identified with warning signs and access restricted by suitable physical measures to prevent unauthorized access.

(Note:  For a guide to good practice for scaffolding with tubes and fittings, refer to NASC publications: TG20 - “Technical Guidance on the use of BS EN12811-1” and SG4 - “Preventing Falls in Scaffolding and Falsework”).
 

The Consequences

Employers have legal duties to provide safe systems of work for employees and to carry out suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of employees.

Unless the above measures are in place and adhered to, any issue relating to the use or abuse of the scaffold will expose the principles of the organization using the scaffold to risk, either commercial (through financial claims or more probably lost work) or worse through the courts.

The Health and Safety People Ltd run a number of scaffolding courses.  These are:

• “Scaffolding Inspection” course ideal for anyone with the responsibility to manage scaffold on site.  This course is 1 day in duration and is delivered at your site using your scaffolding.  With a maximum of 15 delegates, this course is delivered for just £650.00 + VAT and the certificates are valid for 5 years.

• “Safe Use and Erection of Prefabricated Mobile Scaffold Towers” course is  for anyone who has to erect and work from or who controls the use of prefabricated mobile scaffold towers in the workplace.  This course is ½ day in duration and is delivered at your site using your scaffolding.  With a maximum of 10 delegates, this course is delivered for just £400.00 + VAT and the certificates are valid for 5 years.

• “PASMA - Safe Erection and Dismantling of Aluminium Scaffold Towers” course is for anyone who has to erect and work from or who controls the use of prefabricated mobile scaffold towers in the workplace.  This PASMA (Pre-Fabrication Manufacturer Suppliers Association) course is 1 day in duration and can be conducted at your site or alternatively on a public basis at Liverpool, Slough, Basildon or Hickstead.  The course is £175 per person and the certificates are valid for 5 years.