Being the only thing that separates the builder from the ground, scaffolding boards are not something that should be taken lightly since they are literally keeping you, in a general construction site, alive. Even after being outlawed close to seven years ago, the sale of non-compliant scaffold boards is still dominant in the market and has managed to make up 20% of the total market. After there was an inappropriate naming of grade A scaffolding boards which were not in compliance with any of the latest laid out product quality standards (therefore making them also not compliant to HSC standards). Even after this outlawing, scales have begun to climb again with these boards accounting for 20% of scaffolding boards in the UK.
The British standard is clear and directly shows how it covers aspects of scaffolding such as board construction, board sizing, and timber quality. You cant however be completely sure whether scaffolding boards are compliant or not. Therefore, here are some things you can check on to help you know whether the boards are compliant with the standards.
- Correct support span (2.5m max for 63mm boards and 1.5m or 1.2m ma for 38mm boards.)
- A kitemark containing the suppliers identification or any other third party accreditation.
- Initials indicating whether the boards have been visually or machine graded.
- The number and year of the British standard BS2842
The issue of supply and demand is one that is at par with the price.
Since there is a large market for timber scaffold boards, companies fear losing their buyers and hence tend to supply the customers with what they ask for to avoid losing the sale to ay competitors. From this, there is a large surplus of seconds which some manufacturers use to maximize the revenue from the timber they buy.
Main types of scaffolding boards
38mm x 225mm
This grade is suitable for support of up to 1.5m and is only selected by use of machine grading. It comes from lengths of 4.8m to 0.6m and is preferred where higher flexibility and higher boards are a factor.
63mm x 225mm
Is a grade of scaffold boards 63mm thick and is suitable for support at centers of up to 2.5m. They can either be machine strength or visually graded. Are commonly referred to as timber or scaffold battens. They are used for Cuplock or Kwikstage scaffolding. On ordering the boards, be sure to check whether they match the correct system and have also been precision-cut to the designated lengths.