- Alison Rogers
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With advice and basic scaffolding regulations forever changing, it can be tough to know when scaffolding is and isn’t necessary.
Luckily, that’s where we come in.
Our knowledge of scaffolding is built on 27 years as a company, and decades of collective experience on top of that thanks to our 30 “on the ground” teams and HQ staff.
Which is why we’ve decided to start pulling those big brains together in a series of valuable articles on our (*ahem*) fantastic new website.
First up; when is scaffolding necessary?
The simple answer: whenever a risk assessment deems it necessary.
Installing scaffolding always comes back to safety; if it can improve the wellbeing of staff and the general public, then you’d better be making use of it.
It is a fantastic control measure in minimising risks: a major role for any employer (outlined under section 2 (1) of The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 under the concept of reasonable practicability).
So, have you done enough to ensure the reduction of risk to your employees?
We’ve rounded up six vital times that you should always bring scaffolders into your construction project.
1 – Anytime people are working at height.
It may sound obvious, but working at height (aka, any distance that – if a person were to fall – could cause personal injury) is always going to bring with it an added element of danger.
By installing scaffolding, you are increasing the stability of your workers and reducing their risk of fall. You are ensuring all individuals feel secure on the job, so that they can complete the project with confidence and in the safest manner possible.
2 – When multiple people are working on a project.
The more people working on a project, the trickier it’s going to be to all scramble over that one ladder.
Unsurprisingly, having a flat, sturdy surface to work on is going to make the environment *just a tad* better for these individuals, as well as meaning they can all crack on at the same time.
This speeds up the construction of different projects and keeps the entire project safe, quick and efficient.
3 – If a building has different levels.
Again, this comes back to the efficiency of a project; picture how much longer it would take working on a multi-level building if you had to come up and down umpteen times, rather than simply working your way through the scaffold structure.
Not ideal, right?
In these situations, the scaffold provides easy access to the many parts of a building, enabling workers to focus on what they’re doing with far less difficulty. In addition, it means they can get up close and personal with those otherwise tough to reach sections.
4 – During challenging weather conditions.
There’s a bunch of extra safety precautions you need to take during difficult weather conditions (which we will cover in a future blog!), but the purpose of scaffolding becomes even more paramount when weather isn’t on your side.
It’s simple; tough weather has a huge impact on the safety of workers. As a result, a safety precaution such as scaffolding is no longer a “nice to have”; it’s a necessity.
5 – Whenever you have pedestrians nearby.
We mentioned earlier about how scaffolding protects those working at height – but what about the people underneath?
If your construction work is taking place in an area frequented by pedestrians, you need scaffolding. Because not only does scaffolding look after the health of workers, but the safety appliances including within the structure (such as barrier netting and fencing) also protects the public below from any loose debris and fallen equipment.
6 – Any time you are demolishing, building or repairing a building.
We like to end with something definitive.
We advise that any time you are demolishing, building or substantially repairing a building, you should have scaffolding on site. It doesn’t matter what the size is of the property or project. The hazards that any three of those situations will present means that scaffolding should be a core part of your construction plan.
Each project – both in its purpose and size – will require a different approach to scaffolding… but with the right team behind you (wink wink, nudge nudge) you won’t have to worry about navigating that tidal wave of information.