The Use of Scaffolding in Construction
Scaffolding is a temporary structure that is erected for use in the construction of either industrial or residential buildings. It allows for convenient working platforms that can reach many meters high. Scaffolding is necessary, because even if you were to use a tall ladder, a ladder will not provide the same level of stability. A ladder would not be very useful on a forty-story high rise building! Only with scaffolding can you safely reach those heights. On scaffolding you will have a large platform for your construction tools and a more usable workspace. The platform will need to be surrounded by guardrails for extra safety.
Scaffolding is fairly easy to erect and shorter towers can even be set up by two unskilled people. In most instances though, when scaffolding is being used on the construction or remodeling of a tall building, only trained professionals are allowed to erect the towers. There are training courses available on the erection of scaffolding, and many safety rules and regulations to be adhered to. In most countries, there will be random checks conducted on the scaffolding on industrial construction sites to ensure that they meet all their safety regulation requirements.
In most cases scaffolding will be constructed out of steel pipes and wooden platforms. In some Asian countries, bamboo is still used to erect scaffolding. This is because bamboo is more cost-efficient and also readily available. There are certain weight restrictions for different types of scaffolding, and certain ratios of the steel pipe width and height to each other. If the safe base-to-height ratio is exceeded, the scaffolding should be tied with scaffold tubes and fittings. Each individual scaffolding tower will be its own structure, but it will be tied and connected to its neighboring towers for more security.
Here are some safety precautions to adhere to when using scaffolding:
When relocating towers, care must always be taken to ensure that the tower will remain upright. Particular caution must be exercised when moving the scaffolding tower over an uneven surface, as this may cause it to fall. No equipment should be left on the scaffolding platform whilst you are moving it. If the equipment falls it could injure someone standing below, and the weight of the equipment could also make the scaffolding less sturdy.
The tower should always be tied to the building in questionable weather conditions. Extreme caution should be exercised when there are high winds, as this could cause the scaffolding to move and sway. If the tower is not tall enough for its purpose, rather erect a taller structure of scaffolding. Placing boxes or ladders on top of scaffolding to gain extra height is extremely dangerous.
When scaffolding is erected, be it for industrial use or residential, the size and shape of the building must be taken into consideration. A trained contractor who specializes in scaffolding is always ideal, because they will be able to determine exactly what size of scaffolding. They will draw up a scaffolding construction and installation plan that is tailor-made for your building requirements.
About the Author
Coastalhire is one of the largest plant hire companies in Southern Africa with over 90 branches in operation. To view the power tools and heavy machinery for hire visit http://www.coastalhire.co.za
Hong Kong’s ‘spiders’ stick to bamboo scaffolding
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