Safety Points When Erecting Aluminium Scaffolding

Modern science and technology move quickly, and new techniques, new materials and new processes appear year after year. New high-strength materials keep emerging, and high-strength aluminium alloys are being used ever more widely. As the working performance of aluminium quick-assembly scaffolding becomes better known, it is increasingly used in China by enterprises and institutions, hotels and cleaning contractors for equipment maintenance and cleaning. YANGST specialises in the INSTANT aluminium scaffold ranges: SPAN400, SPAN500, SPAN400-S, SPAN400-D, SPAN500-S, SPAN500-D and TVX.

However, because suppliers do not always train users adequately, and because site labour turns over quickly, some safety risks inevitably remain in the use of aluminium scaffolding.

The safe erection procedure and the points to watch are set out below.

1. Safety inspection

Before erecting or using an aluminium scaffold, check the following without fail:

1. Check every component and make sure nothing is damaged; replace or top up missing parts immediately.
2. Check the welds: no weld should have started to crack or fail.
3. Check the tubes: no cracks, and no obvious dents from crushing or impact. Any tube with a dent deeper than 5 mm must not be used.
4. Keep the thread of the adjustable legs clean and lightly oiled.

2. Erection sequence

To achieve the greatest possible safety during erection and use, please follow these steps.

1) Erecting

- Check all components on site (see the product configuration list);
- Make sure the ground on which the scaffold is erected and moved gives stable, firm support;
- The maximum overall load of each scaffold set is 750 kg, and the maximum load on a single platform deck is 250 kg;
- During erection and use, climb only from inside the scaffold;
- Never use boxes of any material, or any other object, on the platform to gain extra working height.

2) Lifting

- When erecting, lift components with reliable material such as a proper lifting bracket or strong rope, and wear a safety harness;
- Non-standard or large scaffolds require outriggers or counterweights, as the rules require;
- Use counterweights at the base to prevent a large scaffold from tipping;
- Refer to the configuration table for the use of outriggers;
- Where outriggers are used, consult the supplier or manufacturer and work under their guidance. Counterweights should be of solid material, placed on the overload legs and secured so that they cannot be removed accidentally.

3) Moving

- An aluminium scaffold may only be moved horizontally by pushing the base of the tower by hand;
- When moving, watch for live electrical equipment nearby, especially overhead cables;
- No people or loose material may remain on the scaffold while it is moving, to prevent falls;
- Take extra care on uneven ground or slopes, and watch the orientation of the castor locks;
- With outriggers fitted, the outriggers may only leave the ground by enough to clear obstructions. While moving, the height of the scaffold must not exceed 2.5 times the smallest base dimension. For example, a 9 m tower must be lowered to 7.5 m before it is moved.

Points to watch with a mobile aluminium scaffold:

- Everyone must leave the scaffold, and all loose material must be cleared from the platform and from the ground;
- Push the scaffold from its base;
- Never pull the scaffold from the top;
- When the scaffold is not being moved, every castor must be locked and all accessories laid flat on the ground.

4) Use

- Watch for strong winds and gusts outdoors. Stop work when wind speed exceeds 7.9 m/s (above force 4); tie the scaffold rigidly to another solid structure when wind speed exceeds 13.8 m/s (above force 6); dismantle the scaffold in advance if wind may exceed 18 m/s (above force 8). Beware of wind eddies created by buildings.
- No high-voltage cables or other obstructions may be present in the working area.
- Do not misuse components, especially damaged ones or ones of the wrong specification.
- Raise or lower components, tools and materials on a rope inside the base of the scaffold, and make sure neither the platform nor the tower is overloaded.
- A fully erected scaffold is a working platform, not a walkway.
- Horizontal forces, such as those from power tools, can make the tower unstable.
- Use a stairway when tools or materials are carried up frequently.

3. Erecting indoors and outdoors

1. Height-to-base ratio, indoors: the maximum platform height is 3.5 times the platform width. A 1.35 m wide platform must not be higher than 4.7 m.

2. Height-to-base ratio, outdoors with no wind: the maximum platform height is 3 times the width. A 1.35 m wide platform must not be higher than 4.1 m.

Note: outdoors the height of an aluminium scaffold must be limited even more strictly - never more than 3 times the width.

3. Outriggers indoors: the working height is 3.5 times the width. Fitting ST1 standard outriggers increases the effective width to 3.47 m, so the maximum height rises to 12.15 m.

4. Outriggers outdoors: the working height is 3 times the width. Fitting ST2 large outriggers increases the effective width to 5.83 m, so the maximum height rises to 17.5 m.

5. External factors: the main influences are lateral force, wind and externally applied force, together with ground conditions and obstructions. When an operative drills into a wall with a power drill the pressure applied produces an equal and opposite reaction, so the working height must be reduced accordingly.

Watch the ground before work starts and check the whole area:

- the ground must be level
- there must be no steps (unless specifically required)
- there must be no gaps
- all debris must be cleared
- watch for tall hazards
- ceiling height
- beams
- suspended items
- cables and the like