Aluminium Scaffold Tower Guide

If you’ve never worked with tower scaffolds before, get some training or read my guide to safely working with tower scaffolds, budget is always a factor in construction, however you should never skimp when it comes to scaffold tower hire.

Before you hire a scaffold tower measure the height that you will be working at, the working height and platform height are different, some scaffold hire companies quote platform height, some use working height, working height is from the top platform of the scaffold tower plus the reach of an average person, therefore the platform height should be approximately four to six feet below the work point.

Square or oblong tower scaffold? if you are not able to use stabilisers whenever possible use a square tower, they are easier to erect and tend to sway a little less, square towers also offer better platform height variation and position.

Make sure the scaffold tower you are hiring comes with stabilisers, even if you think it’s a safe height, a fall from just six feet can be fatal or cause serious injury, if you can’t fit stabilisers tie the scaffold to the building using scaffold Eyebolts, don’t use gutter down pipes or window frames, tying to such things is as good as useless, gutters will be brittle with age, windows frames could be rotten.

Always ensure you are supplied with and read the scaffold tower manufacturers assembly instruction manual, which should come with the the scaffold tower you are hiring.

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Protecting others while you work from the tower scaffold, Never allow other people to work below you, or within six to ten feet of the scaffold tower, even a small object falling from the top of the tower can cause severe injury.

Use cones and bunting to section off an area around the base of the tower scaffold so that others will not be placed in danger by materials that may fall from the tower., note that bunting is useful in areas where there are few if any pedestrians around, if you are using a tower scaffold in a busy area use fixed barriers that can’t be simply moved.

If you leave the tower scaffold up overnight or move away from the tower leaving it unattended, remove any lower ladders or thoroughly block any access point to prevent children or others climbing up the tower scaffold.

On any working platform hand rails and toe boards should be fitted

Other things  to avoid when using aluminium scaffold towers!
Using a hoist, Don’t even think about it.
Sheeting up the sides, you’ll get blown over.
Using the tower on soft ground, the scaffold tower will probably fall over.

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When buying, hiring or using a scaffold tower always ensure it meets the European Committee HD1004 standard for industrial use.

Check all the tower scaffold fittings, check the tower stage sections for breakage or damage, hired tower scaffold gets a lot of abuse, when people dismantle them sections of the tower  are often dropped from the top of the scaffold tower resulting in damaged spigots and joiners or worse dented tube.
If the  scaffold tower tubing is dented to any great degree  do not use it, especially if you are going to place work materials on to the tower, dents in the tube will create weak points which could result in the tower collapsing.

Never stand on the top level of a tower scaffold without guard rails
Never try to erect a tower scaffold on your own, it can be done however if you fall or have an accident there  may be no one around to call emergency services.

Always make sure all recommend braces and tower stabilizers are correctly fitted, even if stabilisers are not recommend it’s much more reassuring working at the top of a scaffold tower knowing it’s not going to topple over!

Always use the access method as recommended by the manufacturer, staying within the tower scaffold when going up or down is always the safest way, climbing up the outside may be quicker and easier but the risk is simply not worth it.

Never exceed the manufacturers recommended safe working height, make sure the tower is upright and vertical, as you build the scaffold tower use a boat level several times as you go to check it for upright.

Make sure the wheel brakes are applied
Never climb up the outside of the tower scaffold unless it has a built-in ladder for the purpose.
If you have to fit a ladder to the outside contact the manufacturer or supplier and check to see if it is safe to do so.

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