Month: November 2019

Site managers have a lot on their mind when they arrive to a workplace.

Amid all of the health and safety regulations that are in play, it is the specified use of scaffold where dangers can quickly emerge.

Due diligence has to be undertaken before they are erected on site, ensuring that enough foresight has been invested into the selection process.

Time to outline what that criteria looks like, establishing the standards and thresholds that should be applied to these items across industries big and small.

Appropriate Scaffold Category

Certain operators will require scaffolds that are designated to a fixed position whilst others will require a level of versatility to maneuver between one location to another. This is where certain operators will begin their search looking for one of three unique profiles: built from the ground up, suspended or supported. Construction workers and developers alike will differ in terms of their fixed positioning, striking a balance between safety and ease of movement.

Transparent Weight Load Parameters

One of the most common occurrence of accidents, injuries and deaths that take place with scaffolds are a result of overloading with the weight parameters. Placing added power tools, debris and people onto the boards is a recipe for disaster, particularly when these weight loading parameters should be clearly communicated and defined. Much of this awareness will be a result of professional training and certification, but even DIY operators should be able to gauge from the packaging itself just how much weight can be placed on the planks before it will collapse.

Ease of Establishment & Packaging

The very process of mounting scaffolds can be arduous and difficult for operators who are switching locations depending on their project requirements. Especially for sole contractors who are painting or installing items from a height, they need to ensure that the process of erecting the structure and dismantling it is safe and secure. Many of these items will be transported with the aid of trucks, utes or heavy vehicles that can withhold their loading capacity, so it is vital that they do not experience any structural damage or become compromised during these regular intervals.

Safe Entry & Exit Points

The points of entry and exit are fundamental for site managers who want to invest in the best scaffolds on the market. Those builders, developers and contractors who don’t find such joy from the structure can experience a bottleneck effect where individuals struggle to safely maneuver from one position to the next. Extra measurements can be utilised in the form of guardrails and harness links, but it is the entry onto the platform and exit off the platform that will determine how valuable the item actually is at the workplace.

Warranty Protection Measure

Scaffolds are significant investments. Even for large organisations who oversee a number of big projects for their clients, this type of equipment has to be carefully selected and managed. That is where the inclusion of a warranty protection measure comes into play, ensuring that the purchase is covered in case of damage, fault or when the brand is in need of an upgrade. Site managers are always in safer hands knowing that their asset will be covered should an emergency occur or when a fix has to be engaged. It will be peace of mind for professionals who already have a lot of responsibility resting on their shoulders.

Many of these issues can be alleviated for site managers who acquire scaffolds from reliable providers. Once they understand that their products have been certified and there is a sound system of customer service in place, many of the other considerations can be easily negotiated.