Scaffold towers are safe because they’re specifically created to ensure safety when working at height. They should be erected and dismantled by a qualified and competent person. They should also be used by trained persons to avoid any accidents.
How can you ensure the scaffold tower is erected and safe to use? Let’s have a look At the key elements; you’ll need to consider whether or not the tower is safe to use or not
How to ensure scaffold tower safety
Scaffolding can be a hazard if their safety is compromised. Some of the incidents that interfere with scaffold tower safety include poor erection and dismantling methods, missing components on the tower, and misuse of the tower.
Safe erection and dismantling
It’s the manufacturer’s and supplier’s responsibility to issue a manual showing how to safely erect the tower. The person supervising and erecting the tower should have access to this information. The tower should have a safeguard rail system where there are temporary guard rail units in place before permanent guard rails are fitted.
There’s also the 3T method where the operator uses the platform’s trap door while working to avoid standing on an unguarded platform. By following the right erection sequence, it is easier to ensure the scaffold tower safety is maintained.
Maintaining the scaffold tower stability
You should ensure that the scaffold tower is erected on a levelled ground with supported base plates and locked castors. You should also avoid erecting the tower beyond the stipulated height and ensure that the stabilisers are installed when needed according to the instruction manual.
Complying with the safety standards
From having guard rails, toeboards, to an access ladder, it’s crucial to ensure that the scaffold tower complies with the safety standards. You should ensure that the tower has all the components upon purchase or hiring. A tower scaffold safety checklist will help you to get started.
The towers should also be assembled upon assembly and at intervals of seven days. The inspection findings should be recorded and kept until the next inspection. If any faults are found, you should stop any work immediately until the tower is fixed and safe to use again.
Safe scaffold tower usage and moving
For safety purposes, you should ensure that the scaffold tower isn’t used in strong winds or with broken or missing components. It shouldn’t be used if the components are incompatible.
To safely move the tower, you should ensure that it has a 4m height and that there are no obstacles like power lines overhead. When moving the tower, you should ensure that the ground doesn’t have any potholes and you should only push or pull from the base only.
From the safety guidelines above, we can agree scaffolding is a safe option as long as it is compliant with all the safety standards. Having a competent expert handle the erection, inspection and dismantling is another way to ensure safety isn’t compromised. It is also advisable to avoid moving a scaffold tower when there is someone atop to avoid any accidents.