Scaffolding Services

Good Quality Scaffolding Services Faqs

• What is scaffolding contract services in construction & maintenance work?
  • The Scaffolding Contract is a written document endorsed by the scaffolding contractors and service hiring company. It is considered a fair contract produced by people on both sides of the scaffolding components and services supply chain. It can be used for any scaffolding works whether on a small-scale house extension or big construction multiple projects. It is set out as a form of contract for the erection, hire, and dismantling of the scaffold.
    
    The construction industry is recognising it as a default document when agreeing on terms and conditions with scaffolding contractors. It provides an alternative to the long and complicated contracts produced by some professional bodies. Anyone commissioning scaffolding works welcomes the ‘scaffolding contract’ whether it is used for small building maintenance work or larger construction projects.
    
    The scaffolding contract document includes conditions covering items, such as:
    • The scaffolding contractor’s responsibilities,
    • It also deals with the period of hire required for the project,
    • Dates of commencement and dismantling of the scaffold,
    • Costs for any extra hire,
    • Health and safety of workers,
    • Instructions for any changes to the scaffolding structure and the basis for pricing those changes,
    • Payment to the scaffolding contractor and ending the contract.
    • Inaddition, there is an agreement to have any disputes decided by an adjudicator as well as the right to go to court.
    
    Thus it lists each parties’ rights and responsibilities and is in an easy to follow format.
• What are scaffolding services?
  • Scaffolding services are a temporary means of support provided to different trades, such as building projects, construction industries, Oil & Gas, Petrochemical sector, etc. from the beginning of project design making, foundation, erection, construction work, training of workers, maintenance of the temporary platform, etc. It includes:
    • Scaffolding Hire / Rental Services
    • Providing means of access to project sites, scaffold,
    • Providing a temporary platform i.e. scaffold to work from and/or to store or support materials,
    • Protecting workers working at the construction site and on a scaffold.
    • Project execution, right from the time of excavation, foundation laying, erection of structures, equipment installation, etc.
    • Structural support in the form of a stable and strong scaffold for safe access of construction workers and building material.
    
• What are scaffolding hire or rental services?
  • The scaffolding hire or rentals services comprise of providing standard quality scaffolding equipment, other required scaffolding products, scaffold erection services to different industries including construction companies, power plants, refineries, pulp and paper, petroleum, chemicals, and manufacturing companies.
    
    The scaffolding rental services are flexible on the following terms and conditions:
    • Scaffolding company delivers only all the necessary components/materials to the hiring company’s project site and the latter one can assemble to build the scaffold,
    • The scaffolding company provides composite services, such as deliver components, assemble them, and dismantle the scaffold after work gets finished.
    • The scaffolding services can also be combined with any of other services, such as thermal insulation or refractory to minimize contract management
    requirements.
• What is a scaffold safety planning service?
  • Any scaffolding company specialized in providing planning service for building the safe scaffold for a different kind of building construction or maintenance based on various parameters:
    
    • Review blueprints of project,
    • Work orders,
    • The project schedule,
    • Written requirements to determine where these scaffolds should be used,
    • Select the appropriate-sized scaffold for each job,
    • Decide the type of scaffolds required for the project, such as light, medium, or heavy-duty, and
    • What weight of workers and materials are required to bear the load. For
    
    
    example,
    • Light-duty scaffolds can support 25 pounds per square foot.
    • Medium-duty scaffolds can support 50 pounds per square foot.
    • Heavy-duty scaffolds can support 75 pounds per square foot.
    
• What factors should be considered in scaffold safety planning?
  • There are different factors that must be considered at the time of scaffold safety planning, such as:
    
    • The shape and structure of the building to be scaffolded,
    • Distinctive site conditions,
    • Special features of the building structure concerning the scaffold-like overhead electric power lines or storage tanks),
    • The proximity and condition of surrounding buildings,
    • Weather and environmental conditions of the area,
    • Fall protection requirements for workers using scaffolds,
    • The type and amount of scaffold equipment needed to access all areas to be worked on,
    • Proper storage and transporting of scaffolding components, construction materials, and equipment,
    • The manner in which workers will access the scaffold, such as via ladders, stair rail systems, etc.
    
• What is scaffold design?
  • Scaffold design is a requirement of the construction work at height. When a scaffold is assembled to a generally recognized standard configuration for a project then the scaffold should be designed by bespoke calculation, by a competent person, to ensure it will have adequate strength, rigidity, and stability while it is erected, used, and dismantled.
• What does a scaffold design include?
  • A scaffolding design must include the following information:
    • The location where the scaffold will be placed.
    • The nature and condition of the supporting structure and ground beneath the scaffold.
    • Information on the building or structure the scaffold will be erected against, along with any relevant drawings or dimensions.
    • The time period the scaffold is expected to remain in place.
    • The intended use of the scaffold.
    • The height, width, and depth of the scaffold, along with any critical dimensions which could affect the scaffold. • The number of boarded lifts.
    • The required quality materials to construct the scaffold,
    • The erected scaffold must support its own weight and at least four times the maximum intended load.
    • The scaffold design must give a realistic assessment of maximum intended loads on the scaffold at all stages of erection and loading, such as expected wind loads.
    • The scaffold must be designed to ensure that it can support the weight of both horizontal and lateral loads.
    • Construction and loading must comply with engineered designs and manufacturers’ requirements.
    • The maximum number of workers allowed to use the scaffold at any given time.
    • How the scaffold will be accessed, such as external ladders, staircase, or ladder bay.
    • Whether the scaffold has any sheeting, brick guard, or netting requirements.
    • Whether there are any specific requirements or provisions in place, for example, the provisions need to be made for hoists or mechanical handling.
    • Information on restrictions that could affect the erection, alteration, or dismantling processes, such as access times.
• Who should design a scaffold for a construction project or building maintenance work?
  • Scaffold designers are civil or structural engineers who specialize in the design of temporary structures or platforms for construction work at the building project site. They will be qualified and experienced within the field of temporary supporting works, specialized in the design of scaffold i.e. a niche within a niche! However, tube and coupler scaffolds over 125 feet in height must be designed by a registered professional engineer.
• Who is responsible to design OSHA standard scaffolds?
  • In the construction company scaffold safety is the most important factor. OSHA recommends that scaffolds more than 125 feet in height above the base must be designed by a professional registered engineer. Because these scaffold height restrictions reflect the hazards and structural stress when working at such heights.
• What qualifications do a scaffold designer need?
  • Entrance into the scaffold designing field generally requires a degree in civil engineering. The alternative route is working for a company in scaffold design and qualifying towards a higher national qualification in engineering before degree study.
• What information a client must provide to the scaffold contractor & designer?
  • At the beginning of the planning process for scaffold, the client should supply all of the relevant information to the scaffold contractor to ensure that an accurate and proper design process is followed. For example:
    • The location of the project site,
    • The time period for the scaffold is required at the site,
    • The intended use of the scaffold,
    • The critical dimensions like height and length of the scaffold required for the project,
    • The number of boarded lifts,
    • The maximum working loads to be imposed and the maximum number of people working at the scaffold at the same time,
    • The type of access onto the scaffold-like ladder bay,
    • Whether there is a need for sheeting, netting, or brick guards,
    • Any specific requirements or provisions like a pedestrian walkway,
    • The nature of the ground conditions or supporting structure
    • Information about the structure or building the scaffold will be erected against with dimensions and drawings,
    • Required restrictions that may affect the erection, alteration, or dismantling of the scaffold.
    
• What information the scaffold contractor or designer should provide about the scaffold?
  • The scaffold contractor or designer should provide relevant information about the scaffold before its installation. This includes document and drawing along with the followings:
    • The type of scaffold required for a project like a tube and fitting,
    • The maximum bay lengths,
    • The maximum lift heights,
    • The platform boarding arrangement and the number of boarded lifts that can be used at the same time,
    • The safe working load and load class,
    • The maximum leg loads,
    • The maximum tie spacing both horizontal and vertical,
    • Details of additional elements like standard configuration,
    • Other information relevant to the design, installation, or use of the scaffold,
    • Reference number and date to enable recording, referencing, and checking
    • To ensure stability for more complex scaffolds, drawings should be provided with specific instructions.
    
• Which scaffold structure requires a design?
  • The scaffold structures that need to be designed are the followings:
    1) The scaffold to be erected at dead shores
    2) The scaffold to be built at flying shores
    3) The scaffold to be built at raking shores
    4) The scaffold to be built at offshore
    5) Support scaffolds
    6) Bridge scaffolds
    7) Marine scaffolds
    8) Boiler scaffolds
    9) Steeple scaffolds
    10) Cantilevered scaffolds
    11) Truss-out Scaffolds
    12) Access Birdcages
    13) Façade retention
    14) Access scaffolds with more than the 2 working lifts,
    15) Buttressed free-standing scaffolds
    16) Temporary roofs and temporary buildings
    17) Loading Bays founded on the ground
    18) Mobile and static towers outside base/height limitations
    19) Freestanding scaffolds outside base/height Limitations
    20) Temporary ramps and elevated roadways
    21) Staircases and fire escapes
    22) Spectator Terraces and Seating Stands
    23) Towers requiring guys or ground anchors
    24) Pedestrian footbridges or walkways
    25) Slung and Suspended scaffolds
    26) Protection fans, Nets, and Pavement Frames
    27) Power line crossings
    28) Lifting gantries and towers
    29) System scaffolds outside users guide parameters
    30) Signboard supports
    31) Sealing end structures
    32) Temporary Storage on Site
    33) Masts, Lighting Towers and Transmission Towers
    34) Advertising hoardings/banners
    35) Any other scaffold structure subject to:
    • Vibration
    • High Loading
    • Long term duration
    • High-risk areas
    • Loading from passenger/goods hoists
    
• Which scaffolds don’t require a design?
  • Some scaffolds can be erected with a compliance sheet and don’t need a design. These scaffolds are:
    • The independent tied access scaffolds having a height of 50 meters
    • The interior birdcage scaffolds
    • The lift shaft scaffolds
    • The chimney stack scaffolds
    • The free-standing towers up to 10 meters internal or 8-meter external height
    • The tied tower scaffolds up to 50 meter high
    • The independent access scaffolds with pavement lift
    • The independent access scaffolds with the cantilevered spurred platform.
• Who should inspect the scaffold before and during the work shift?
  • A competent person should inspect the scaffold at a construction site before and during each work shift. And during the inspection, if a defect or damage to the scaffold is discovered, the scaffold must be tagged out and not be used until repairs are made. Attach tags at the access point of the scaffold.
• What is a common tagging system used for scaffold?
  • The common tagging system for scaffold uses the following tags:
    • Red tag indicates unsafe i.e. do not use.
    • Green tag indicates safe i.e. ready to use.
    
• What are the manufacturer’s instructions for scaffold use?
  • There are the following instructions for scaffold use at construction sites:
    • Use scaffolds according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
    • Never load a scaffold beyond its maximum intended load or rated capacity.
    • Do not use makeshift methods to increase the working height of the scaffold platform, for example with ladders, buckets, or blocks.
    • Scaffold workers must not work on platforms covered with snow, ice, or other slippery material.
    • The employer must provide suitable access to and between scaffolds, for example, portable ladders, hook-on ladders, attachable ladders, and stairway-type ladders.
    • At the time of dismantling the scaffold, check to ensure that the scaffold has not been structurally altered in a way that would make it unsafe.
    
• Who can alter a scaffold?
  • A scaffold can be altered and dismantled only by a competent person and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor.
• What are scaffold manpower supply services?
  • Construction company manpower comprises workers and employees who provide their services in construction projects. It includes masons, carpenters, riggers, scaffolders, etc. So, the need for scaffold manpower supply-company arises because it is very difficult for the real estate to hire construction workers from outside. So they take the help of scaffold manpower supply companies.
• What is OSHA scaffolding certification training?
  • A scaffolding certification training is the most important requirement for construction workers working on scaffolds. The scaffold should be used only by professionals with forklift training, knowledge, and experience. To prevent serious accidents, only professionals who have completed a scaffolding safety course should work on scaffolds.
• Why construction employees need scaffolding training?
  • Scaffolding components and scaffolds can be unsafe in untrained employees’ hands. Therefore it’s an employer’s responsibility to ensure their scaffold workers have a hazard-free working environment and to provide the training they need to protect their safety on the job.
• What are scaffolding policy rules services required for safe scaffold erection and use?
  • Safe scaffold erection and use policy and work rules are based on:
    • The sound design of project structure,
    • Selecting the right scaffold for the project,
    • Assigning required skilled workers and personnel,
    • Training to staff or employees how to use the scaffold,
    • Fall protection
    • Guidelines for proper erection
    • Guidelines for use
    • Guidelines for alteration and dismantling
    • Inspections