What Causes Scaffolding To Become Damaged?
Scaffolds have become essential on many smaller and larger jobs around Australia including in major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. However, when buying or hiring scaffolding for your project, you’ll need to choose the highest possible quality that is strong and durable. That way, your scaffold will last the duration of your project and save you money over the long run. Complete Scaffold Solutions produces some of the country’s best scaffolding made in-house from quality Australian materials to strict specifications and exceeding AS1576. Please get in touch with our professional team today for scaffolding design, sales and rental on 1300 266 777.
In this blog post, our experienced staff go into what can cause your scaffolding and methods to prevent it happening again. So, without further ado, let’s dig in!
Major Causes Of Scaffolding Damage
General Wear And Tear
Whether you’re using scaffolding on a residential, commercial or industrial project, it will experience some general wear and tear. Being exposed to the elements such as rain, some types of scaffold can develop rust or other defects. Additionally, carrying heavy loads and workers may see some scaffolding systems weaken over time. Although slight deterioration cannot be avoided, the best way to safeguard against this is to choose aluminum scaffolding if possible and also conduct regular inspections of your setup as required by law. Not only will this help keep your workers and the public safe, it will also ensure your scaffold enjoys the longest lifespan possible.
Poor Scaffold Erection Procedures
It’s a fact that occasionally scaffolding may not be correctly installed due to dodgy operators and their time or monetary constraints. Complete Scaffold Solutions always follow all scaffolding Workplace Health and Safety Regulations when erecting an access system. Shoddily installed scaffolding systems can result in damage to people and property which no company can afford. If scaffold is incorrectly setup, framework could be put under uneven pressure and loads could become unbalanced. When you have an access system designed and erected by Complete Scaffold Solutions, you can rest assured it will be stable and safe.
Overloaded Scaffold
The load limits on scaffolding should never be exceeded. This can put the structural integrity of the entire system at risk and result in major problems. The professionals at Complete Scaffold Solutions strongly recommend construction managers monitor the amount of weight put onto a system including all workers, building materials and the scaffolding itself. It’s also important that labourers are mae aware of load limitations as well.
Incorrect Work Methods
Labourers who are not well-versed in WHS protocols can easily damage scaffold through carelessness. Incorrect handling of tools or building materials by new or inexperienced workers has the potential to affect the entire scaffold system. To minimize that chance of this occurring, all staff should undergo a comprehensive site induction and scaffolding safety should be included in daily toolbox talks.
Natural Environmental Conditions
Severe weather definitely has the potential to affect the safety of scaffolding systems. For example, tubing can be affected on extremely hot days and the stability of the entire structure can be affected by torrential downpours and strong winds. Therefore, it’s important to check for damage after wild weather and always adhere to Workplace Health and Safety regulations.
Order The Best Scaffolding Today
All of the above causes can potentially lead to damage to scaffolding equipment. To control for these risk factors, Complete Scaffold Solutions recommend a schedule of programmed maintenance conducted by knowledgeable and experienced staff. We also suggest providing adequate scaffold safety training for all workers onsite with regular refresher courses.
The team of experts at Complete Scaffold Solutions have decades of combined experience in the construction industry so you can rely on our professional advice and service. We hire out and sell a wide variety of access systems including steel and aluminium scaffolding. We also have a well-established reputation as Australia’s leading swing stage experts.
If you’re chasing the best Aussie-made scaffolding money can buy at an affordable price, please get in touch with us today on 1300 266 777.