Using Scaffold Towers
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Using an Aluminium Scaffold Tower
Posted by frankdow on 13 Aug 2009 | Tagged as: Using Scaffold Towers
Working with, and on tower scaffolds at height is a serious business, if you’re going to use an aluminium tower scaffold make sure you receive full training, don’t underestimate these beasts, between 2003 and 2004 in the UK, tower scaffolds were responsible for 67 fatal accidents at work and nearly 4000 major injuries.
Aluminium scaffold towers are widely used and provide an effective and safe means of gaining access to work areas at high levels, however it is extremely important that the scaffold tower be erected correctly and according to the manufacturers instructions, whether you are buying or hiring a scaffold tower the supplier has a duty to provide you with a full instruction manual which explains in detail the sequence of erecting the tower, never rush the job or cut corners when working at height!
Note. Erecting an aluminium scaffold tower will always require a minimum of two people.
Before you start, be aware that the scaffold tower is made from a conductive alloy, make sure that there are no overhead cables where you are erecting the tower so as to avoid electrical shock.
There are two methods recommended by the Health and Safety Executive, the first being the advance guard rail system which uses temporary guard rails fitted from the level below, this provides effective fall prevention, the upper level of the scaffold tower should never be accessed without these in place, this system greatly reduces the risk of the scaffold erectors chance of a fall.
The second method for Aluminium scaffold towers is for the erector to position himself halfway through the trap door, from this position he can safely add or remove guard rails before moving on to the next stage of the tower scaffold.
Stability of the Aluminium scaffold tower
The tower must be erected on hard, level ground, never use pieces of timber or brick bats wedged under the wheels!
Stabilisers or outriggers should be fitted at all times to ensure maximum stability, all fittings should be tightened securely, when moving up or down the tower always use the integral ladders in the centre of the scaffold tower, never use an extension ladder to gain access to the top as this will adversely effect the stability of the tower scaffold.
Moving the tower scaffold
Always check that there are no overhead power cables that the tower scaffold can come into contact with, before moving the tower reduce the height to below four(4) metres.
Never move an Aluminium scaffold tower when there are materials or people on any of the stages.
Always check that the ground where you are moving the tower to is suitably hard and level.