Scaffolding

Scaffolding is generally relatively straightforward; however, it comes in a variety of options to choose from. Scaffolding gear includes bamboo, steel, aluminum, and timber systems, with standard and modular configurations.

Scaffolding is necessary wherever the risk assessment indicates so. Its application is required by law as a safety precaution at places where employees are engaged at height to ensure the job is carried out safely. 

Scaffolding supports workers and materials on construction sites during building, making cladding and facades, repairing and maintenance of different structures, from condominiums to bridges. It's also used in adapted designs for theatre and concert stages, formwork and shoring, exhibition stands, grandstand seating, access/viewing towers, ski ramps, half pipes and art projects.

There are eight standard types of scaffolding, including:

• Aluminium units
• Steel models
• Single design
• Double design
• Kwikstage Scaffolding
• Scaffold Towers
• Cantilever Scaffolding
• Trestle Scaffolding

Lightweight and portable, aluminium is a popular option among construction workers. It's easy to assemble and suited for repairs, painting jobs, or electrical cable installations.

Steel is appreciated for its security and durability. Steel scaffolding is a variety of a single model, only built from a different material. It can be used for any construction project to promote additional safety at all heights. 

Bamboo has been used in Asia instead of steel for a long time for several good reasons. Bamboo boasts a greater tensile strength than steel; it's sustainable, renewable, environmentally friendly, and above all -affordable.  

Single scaffolding is prevalently used for brick masonry tasks. It is composed of standards, ledgers, putlogs, and braces; all joined together to provide stability and durability. A single design is typically erected parallel against a wall at a distance of approximately 1.2 meters.

Double scaffolding is used mainly for stone masonry jobs, featuring not one but two rows placed together to create a sturdier frame. A stronger and more stable structure can handle the weight of stone and other heavy materials carried over it. 

Commonly used by painters and window washers, this type is suited for tall buildings. Its recognisable form is suspended from the rooftop, hanging on ropes or chains, easily lowered or raised per need.

This versatile type is designed to serve multiple purposes. It's created from galvanised steel that allows it to sculpt itself to the shape of the structure it envelops. For that reason, the kwikstage scaffolding is the preferred choice for angular buildings or directional bridges.

Made from steel and equipped with special couplings and frames, this design is exceptionally useful to construction workers engaged at heights for cladding, roofing, and other tasks.

Cantilever scaffolding is designed to angle out from a building to bypass the obstacles preventing standard shaping. It has limited usage and requires various examinations before installation.

Prevalently used indoors for painting jobs, repairs, and electrical cable works, this model is supported by tripod-like movable ladders. The trestle has limited usage with a top height of five meters.

Aerial lifts can be divided into three main categories: scissor lifts, boom lifts and telehandlers. All of those are mobile, adaptable platforms designed to carry heavy loads and workers to the spots difficult to reach. Aerial lifts are employed in cases when the building doesn't require a standard supporting frame.

While a plethora of different parts can be involved in the construction of scaffolding, the main elements involved in common tube and coupling are the same. These scaffolding pieces connect the frame and support its working platforms.

A standard is a tube or pipe or tube stretching vertically to connect the mass of the structure directly to the ground. The base of each standard is attached to a base plate to distribute the weight it bears. On average, taller structures require multiple sets of standards fastened on top of one another.

Ledgers or runners are placed between the standards, extending horizontally along the length of the scaffold. By forming a network, they further support the safety and weight distribution of the structure, at the same time defining the height for staging worker platforms. Each bay is secured with ledgers at the front and back of the framework. 

Transoms, also called bearers, are placed on top of ledgers at 90-degree angles to define the bay width. Transoms support the standards by keeping them firmly in position while securing the boards or planks for the workers to walk on.

Constructing and using scaffolding has safety as the number one priority. There is a multitude of official guidelines necessary to consider and follow to comply with the law and ensure the site safety and access of workers. They provide information for workers, employers, and customers on when scaffolding is needed, along with instructions on what type is appropriate for the job, what are the maximum heights and loads of each model, when the customisation is required, and more.  Before a scaffolding purchase, check the system’s intended use, height, and load requirements against applicable safety guidance.

It's strongly recommended to consult those checklists and meet the requirements, assuring that the workers are going to handle their tasks in a safe environment.

If you need assistance to find the right scaffolding for your home or office, ArchiPro provides a connection to the various professionals, ready to assist with all requirements and questions. Simply click "Contact supplier" on the product's page, or visit the supplier's website directly from the product's page.