A vital part of any build project, the scaffolding often doesn't get the attention it deserves. Benfield ATT can supply scaffold for all of our timberframe Design & Build projects, but if we are not the site manager, you will need to take the following into consideration...
Scaffold
- Are all of our scaffolds and work platforms erected, altered and dismantled by competent persons?
- Do we have handover certificates for all work platforms and scaffolds?
- Is there safe access method (ladder) to the scaffold platform?
- Have all uprights been provided with base plates (and, where necessary, timber sole plates) or prevented in some other way from slipping or sinking?
- Are all of the uprights, ledgers, braces and struts in position?
- Is the scaffold secured to the building or structure in enough places to prevent collapse?
- Are there adequate guardrails and toe boards or an equivalent standard of protection at every edge from which a person could fall 2 m or more?
- Are intermediate guardrails fitted?
Where guard rails and toe boards or similar are used:
- Are the toe boards at least 150 mm in height?
- Is the upper guardrail positioned at a height of at least 910 mm above the work area?
- Are additional precautions, e.g. intermediate guard rails or brick guards in place to ensure that there is no unprotected gap of more than 470 mm between the toe board and upper guard rail?
- Are the working platforms fully boarded and are the boards arranged to avoid tipping or tripping?
- Are there effective barriers or warning notices in place to stop people using an incomplete scaffold, e.g. where working platforms are not fully boarded?
- Has the scaffold been designed and constructed to cope with the materials stored on it and are these distributed evenly?
- Does a competent person inspect the scaffold regularly, e.g. at least once a week; always after it has been substantially altered, damaged and following extreme weather?
- Are the results of inspections recorded in our company records or site diary?
