Maintaining safety standards with high quality Scaffolding planks

Do you know what is the reason behind the death of 2.3 million people annually?

No, it is not any terrorist attack. The real culprit is Scaffolding planks. It is estimated that in today’s construction industry, an incredible 2.3 million construction workers perform some type of work on scaffolds, which is roughly 65% of the construction workforce.

Construction industry heavily make use of the scaffolds which are available in variety of forms including supported, suspended, and rolling. Scaffolds are crucial in the construction industry, and save both time and money when used properly. However, there are several concerns that employers and employees alike must be aware of when erecting, working on, or disassembling any type of scaffold.

Although most of the accidents can be prevented with Scaffold Safety guidelines:

Falls:

One of the general occurrence is the accidents caused by falling from scaffolds which can be checked with general safety guidelines. Injury or death from falls can be attributed to such things as a lack of guardrails, improperly installed guardrails, or failure to use personal fall arrest systems when required. Fall protection on scaffolds must be used when working at heights of 10’ or more. However, many safety conscious general contractors and project owners require 100% fall protection at 6’ or greater, including work performed on scaffolds. This is stricter than what the standard requires. The means of access must be determined before erection of the scaffold, and employees are never allowed to climb on cross braces for either vertical or horizontal movement.

Scaffold collapse:

Another major occurrence is Scaffold collapse which is majorly due to improper construction, so the proper erection of scaffolds is of critical importance in preventing this particular hazard. When building, moving, or dismantling a scaffold, a knowledgeable person, also known as the scaffold competent person, must be present. The competent person must consider the weight the scaffold will be required to hold, including the weight of the scaffold itself, the materials, and the workers. Therefore, it is important to remember that each scaffold component is an intricate part of an entire system and is only as strong as its weakest link.

Caught or Struck by the falling materials:

It has been found that a relativity high number, if not same, injuries and deaths due to scaffolds occurred because the people were struck by materials or tools that have fallen from scaffold platforms. Toe boards or netting must be installed on work platforms to prevent loose items from falling to the ground or lower level work areas when there is a hazard to employees walking or working below. Housekeeping on and around scaffolds is also an issue that must be addressed on a constant basis.

Australia based New Bridge Services is a licensed manufacturer and direct supplier of a wide range of industrial and construction- support products. These include skip bins, hook lift bins, and scaffolding equipment.