If you are looking for new or used scaffold towers for sale or if your looking to hire, then contact us today!

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“Should I hire or buy scaffolding?”

This may be a question that you are struggling with but there is no right or wrong answer.

The following points should make your answer somewhat easier.

Reasons to Hire Scaffolding:

• The project is expected to be completed in 3 months or less
• The project height is at a height of over 6 meters
• The project may be on a curve or have an awkward shape and so hired scaffolding may be required
• You are unfamiliar or unqualified to build, erect, and dismantle your own scaffolding

Reasons to Buy Scaffolding:

• The project may be expected to be completed after 3 months
• The scaffold you need is 6 meters tall or less
• The project is simple, and involves only straight line elevations
• You have a safety program in place, as well as fully trained personnel qualified to safely erect and dismantle scaffolding

At Alloy Access, we are dedicated to providing high quality scaffolding. If you are looking for new or used scaffold towers for sale or if your looking to hire, then contact us today!

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Common uses for scaffolding are;

1. For construction
2. For repairs and renovations
3. For events

1 – For Construction

Regardless of the scale of construction jobs, big or small, they usually require scaffolding. This is so that workers can complete jobs safely when working at height.

Some Common examples of the types of scaffolding are:

• Supported scaffolding – Work platforms are supported by a sturdy base made from poles, brackets, and frames.
• Suspended scaffolding – If supported scaffolding is unpractical for the job, scaffolding can be suspended from the roof.
• Rolling scaffolding – the base of scaffolding can have wheels installed. This enables the scaffolding to move.

2 – Repairs and Renovations

Buildings are rarely knocked down or demolished unless they have exceeded their lifespan. This is why repairs and renovations are regularly conducted to maintain the structural integrity and safety of buildings.

When it comes to historical structures and landmarks, repairs and renovations are all the more important in order to preserve the culture and identity they represent. In some cases, famous buildings and landmarks need to be reconstructed, which is where scaffolding is needed as well. In such cases, customized scaffolding may be used to meet the unique challenges of working on the structure. For instance, scaffolding must not rest or touch the surface of statue. Engineers will usually turn to special scaffolding designs for these.

3 – Events 

Last but not the least, scaffolding is also widely used by the events and entertainment industry. From concert and live events stages, to lights and sound systems, scaffolding is used for different applications. For example, grandstand seating may be temporarily assembled in an arena or outdoor stadium for a major concert if a large volume of people are expected to attend.

Since scaffolding products are modular in their design and use, they can be built over, under, and around almost any project specification. However, only trained professionals should oversee the construction and dismantling of scaffolding to comply with safety regulations.

While there are many firms that provide scaffolding rental services, the general public is recommended to work only with firms that have a proven track record of success and safety. Don’t wait around, contact Alloy Access today for new or used scaffold towers or if your looking to hire.

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Safety precautions must be maintained when working at height. Working on scaffolding can be safe if the protocols and practices are properly observed.

Ensure your safety and your worker’s safety by following these 10 scaffolding safety tips!

Get Proper Training

It is vital to train and educate every worker who will be working on or near scaffolding on how the scaffolds are designed and operated.

Workers should be trained and educated in:

• How to get on and off of the scaffolding safely
• How to prevent falls
• How to respond to emergency situations while on the scaffolding.

Ensuring the safety of workers on scaffolding, and the people below it is a priority. Therefore this training is essential.

Be Prepared

Thorough inspection of the scaffolding should always be carried out before use.

• The base should be secured
• It should be level
• It should be adjusted to any lean in the building
• Guardrails and planks must be safe and secure after installation
• Make sure that weather conditions will not put workers at risk on the scaffolding

Understand Load Capacity

During the design stages of scaffolding, one of the main mistakes that is made is failing to consider all of the different types of load that the material will be under during construction and setup. In order to maximize the safety of everyone involved, do not attempt to overload the scaffolding with more workers than it is rated for in order to save time. Also take care to ensure that it is not overloaded by equipment, and that nothing is pushing against any guardrails.

Secure the Platform

Scaffolding is designed to be braced by or entirely attached to a building. If bracing isn’t properly secured, scaffold movement may dislodge an end, which will reduce the stability of the scaffold. There are a few types of brace retention or locking systems on scaffolds. These systems need to operate freely during assembly and dismantling, and also be able to lock in order to prevent the brace from dislodging. You shouldn’t try and replace the proper parts supplied by the manufacturer with nails or other miscellaneous substitutions.

Take Advantage of Guardrails

When taking the design of a scaffold into consideration, a construction company must ensure that any scaffolding over 10 feet high has guardrails on the three sides facing away from the building, at the very least. The side facing the building is still a danger, so it is recommended to have them there as well. Guardrails should not be viewed as a replacement for true fall protection gear, which should be worn at all times while on the scaffolding.

Keep Organized

Scaffolding structures are notoriously cramped, so it is extremely important that tools are not left out and are put up neatly on the scaffolding itself. Keep all of the walkways free from obstructions and trash that might be able to cause a fall.

Balance Yourself

Scaffolding must be perfectly level in order to minimize the risk that workers can fall off and be injured or killed. Still, stay alert when on a scaffold, and watch your balance at all times.

-Use Protection

This can include things like head protection, fall prevention gear, and non-slip footwear. It is essential to wear these measures at all times in order to maximize your safety, and the safety of all who are around you.

Ensure that these safety tips are followed to prevent nasty falls or accidents. Your workers will know how to operate properly on scaffolding.

If your looking to buy new or used scaffold towers or if your looking to hire, then contact us today!

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Complete risk assessments should be conducted by employers when the job requires working at heights. With plenty of jobs at the risk of danger and accidents, building and construction seem to be the most accident prone. This is due to the risk of falling off of the scaffold tower.

Carrying out risk assessments are important as they save employers from the massive costs and trouble associated with handling accidents. Proper safety gear and industrial grade scaffold towers should be provided to supplement the risk assessments.

Measuring the Probability and Severity of a Hazard is as Follows:

Availability of Safest Equipment and Gear 

If you are an employer, make the job safer and easier for workers by providing the highest quality gear and equipment. A high-quality aluminium scaffold tower is a lightweight option that minimizes the risk of injury in case the tower falls on an employee.

The option of mobile scaffold towers allow for better mobility. The risk of falling from height during movement is much more reduced. Safety gear such as helmets should always be provided. The use of theses should be officially enforced.

Identification of Safer Access

Your employees don’t need to risk their safety to access higher places. In many cases, the desired location is accessible through safer means such as staircases or platforms with railings. Make sure safer routes and means are encouraged even if they cost a little more time to reach the desired location. However, if there is no other means, always make sure the workers are using the highest quality scaffold towers.

Analyze the Secondary Risks

The surroundings and terrain are secondary factors that can provide more risk than the height itself. Huge and sharp objects surrounding the scaffold tower can multiply the risk even if the fall isn’t too high. If possible, employers should make sure the perimeter is clear, and traffic around the area is limited as much as possible.

You should always invest in higher quality equipment and scaffold towers to minimize the risk of accidents. You can find a wide range of suitable scaffold towers provided by Alloy Access.

If your looking to buy new or used scaffold towers or if your looking to hire, then contact us today!

You can also find us on Facebook.

Did you know that scaffolding was used in ancient Greece at least 500 years BC? If you didn’t, you are not alone. The majority of people think that scaffold towers are a modern development. Historical records show that scaffold towers were frequently used in Egypt, Nubia and China in their ancient cultures. Many early African cultures also made use of them.

In the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo designed his own scaffold tower so that he could reach the apex of the chapel.

Typical scaffold towers are fitted with castors so that the tower can move. The castors lock securely into place when the tower is in use. The platforms on which work is carried out are accessed by internal ladders.

Scaffold Towers: Purpose, Structural and Safety Requirements

When working at height for long periods of time, scaffold towers are the best for the job as this is the purpose of their design. In comparison to a ladder, the platforms are much more comfortable and safer to stand. Overreaching is a major danger associated with standard ladders. To avoid overreaching when standing on a standard ladder, it must be moved constantly, while scaffold towers allows for greater and safer reach from the secure platform.

Scaffold Towers: An Overview of Their Components

There are three major components of a scaffold tower:

• Bars
• Frames
• Platforms

The bars and frames, which are usually made from aluminium or steel, provide the framework for the tower. Aluminium tubing is preferred because it’s light in weight and highly resistant to corrosion.

The bars are components that join the frame sections together. In many modern scaffold towers, nuts and bolts are not needed, and a tower can be set up quickly by one or two workers. Once the tower structure is erected, the platforms that provide the tower’s working surface are fitted. These are made from seasoned wood, and come in a variety of thicknesses. Their length can vary, with the maximum being approximately 2.5m.  Other platform materials include steel, aluminium or laminate boards.

The Basic Components of Scaffold Towers

A scaffold tower’s base section is one of its most important components. A solid and stable base unit means the tower will be safe for working at height for extended periods. Remember, though, that a scaffold tower’s base is only as stable as the surface on which it’s erected. That surface should be clean, dry and free of impediments.

Although tempting, it’s never wise to use the cross braces to access a tower. Always use the tower’s integral ladder. One of the most important components of a scaffold tower is its bracing system. Always connect frames and panels with diagonal and/or crosswise braces. This will ensure that the vertical members are laterally and adequately braced.  Because the sections of the tower are stacked, it’s critical to use cross braces/bars to keep the structure square, level and plumb. Brace connections can become dislodged so always ensure that they are secured.

The Importance of Regular Inspections

Before using a scaffold tower, a competent, qualified person should perform a safety inspection. This is especially important for newly erected structures. An inspection is also needed if there have been extensive alterations to the tower or if there has been an event that might compromise its integrity. If a tower is left in place for more than seven days, it’s wise to re-inspect it. If an inspection uncovers any parts or components of the tower that are deemed unsafe, the defect should be clearly marked. The tower should not be used until the condition is resolved by repair or replacement of the defective part. .

Scaffold towers are the preferred access method for working at height for extended periods.

Alloy Access are Ireland’s leading provider of access solutions. If your looking to buy new or used scaffold towers or if your looking to hire, then contact us today!

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Although ladders can be helpful, perhaps renting some scaffolding could be a better option if you need to work at height. Traditional extension ladder could possibly do the job, but it may be easier and safer when you’re standing on the platforms of scaffolding.

The tools that you should use for each job:

Job: Pressure Washing Your Siding

Tool: It is advised to stand on scaffolding when using a pressure washer to clean up siding. When the water is spraying, you will need strength and balance that is capable of holding the pressure of the water. If you are standing on a ladder, the pressure washer can make it slippery and unstable.

Job: Putting Up Christmas Lights

Tool: There’s certainly no harm in using scaffolding to put up your Christmas lights, but the fact that you need to move along the edge of your gutters (if that’s where you’re displaying the lights) makes this job a little easier with a ladder. Scaffolding will keep you stable for this task, but you’ll need to disassemble and set up the scaffolding sections multiple times to get the job done. Mobile scaffolding could suit but as long as you’re careful, a ladder is the way to go.

Job: Cleaning Your Gutters

Tool: Like putting up Christmas lights, cleaning your gutters is a job that will require you to move from one end of your home to the other. This makes this task easier with a ladder, given the ease with which you can climb down, slide the ladder along a few feet, and then climb back up. While you’ll need to be careful to avoid leaning too much to either side when you work, a ladder is ideal for this task if you have someone holding the base for you.

Job: Replacing A Window

Tool: If you are replacing one of the second-floor windows in your home, scaffolding will keep you safe while you work. Windows, even when they’re small, are very heavy. This means that climbing a ladder while attempting to hold onto a window is a bad idea. On scaffolding, you can set the window down beside you while you make any necessary adjustments, and then mount it in place with standing securely.

If you are considering hiring or buying new or used scaffolding, Alloy Access is your one stop shop! Contact us today!

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It is legally required to work safely with scaffold towers. It is also an extremely critical way of avoiding nasty accidents. Assessments should be carried out before any worker steps foot on scaffold towers. This assessment should confirm that there is no alternative to working at height. It should also confirm that the most suitable equipment has been selected for the job in hand.

Workers need to be aware that aluminum and the thin-wall steel towers are relatively light. This can result in the towers overturning easily with incorrect use. To ensure the required core strength, all parts must be in their correct place. The danger associated with parts being left out is that the towers can collapse.

The Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association has approved two methods for erecting the towers. They have been developed in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive. However, all manufacturers also have the duty to provide the instruction manual which explains the erection sequence and this should include any bracing requirements. The same applies to any organisations which hire the towers.

1. Advance guard rail system make use of guard rail units which are specifically designed for the job. These guard rail units are locked in place form the level below and moved up onto the platform level. They provide collective fall prevention and are put in place before the operator accesses the platform in order to fit the permanent guard rails. It is the progressive erection of guard rails from the protected areas at the lower level which makes sure that the operator will not be exposed to the risk of falling from an un-guarded platform.
2. “Through the trap” method involves the operator taking up a working position in the trap door of the platform. From this position he can add or remove the components which are acting as guard rails on the level above the platform. This method is designed to make sure that the operator does not stand on an un-guarded platform, yet can install the components to a particular level while he is positioned within the trap door of that level.

All operators must be trained in the health and safety aspects of ensuring that the scaffold towers are stable. They must also be fully trained in the use of the towers, as well as knowing about moving the towers. Before use, the scaffold towers must always be inspected by a competent person. Additionally extra safety precautions need to be taken when the work is being carried out in a public place. Finally all operators should be trained in the dismantling of towers.

Alloy Access are Ireland’s leading provider of access solutions. Contact us today! You can also find us on Facebook!

In construction, if jobs and activities require a person or even material to be elevated several feet from the ground, scaffolding is an integral piece of equipment for this.

It is not guaranteed that you will find scaffolding with the best quality even though there is plenty of scaffolding available for purchase. You don’t want to end up spending a lot of money on scaffolding towers to end up low-quality models. It is vital that you should know how to check its quality first.

How to Evaluate the Quality of Scaffolding

1. Check the steel type
The toughest scaffold towers are made of platinum or aluminium steels. Platinum-made models are tougher but they are generally more expensive due to the higher value and availability.

Aluminium-steel scaffolding is not far from platinum models in terms of durability. This type of scaffolding is more affordable. Do not mislead yourself from aluminum scaffolding from stainless-steel made varieties as they might look exactly alike, especially when they are both new. Both materials are not prone to rust for a long span of time but the disadvantage of stainless-steel scaffolding is that its steel is relatively softer than the aluminum.

2. Purchase from reputable sellers
The best way to find top quality scaffolding for sale is to consider those sellers that have long been known for excellence in the industry. Such product providers cannot afford to lose the credibility of their good name by selling low quality scaffolding. For this reason you have the assurance that you are only dealing with reliable merchants. Of course, it would be better if you will find a product seller that has both experience and good name. This proves how reliable they can be.

If there is a bit of a drawback that such move has, it is that prices of scaffolding items might come a little higher. This is due to the fact that the materials to make a top quality item also do not come cheaply. Well, it is better to spend a few euros more than to put the safety of the user at risk.

Alloy Access are Ireland’s leading provider of access solutions. Contact us today! We’re also on Facebook!

It is very important for any job that the safest equipment is being used. When working at height, the safest equipment to is a are scaffold tower. They are used worldwide for jobs that require elevation several feet from the ground. A scaffold tower allows workers to build or carry out repairs on sections of buildings that are too far off the ground to reach safely by ladder.

Scaffold Towers Also Help To:

1. Carry out repair work on a roof.
2. Paint the side of a house.
3. Clean windows at a height.

At Alloy Access, you can either buy your own scaffolding or rent it.

What Is Scaffolding?

Scaffolding is simply a structure made from metal poles and planks that is held together by couplers and other attaching devices. Most scaffolding is made from steel/aluminum and wood products. The framework itself is generally composed of metal and the platforms and planks are wood. Some scaffolds are fixed while others are mobile.

• A mobile scaffold tower is freestanding and can be moved about by its casters and wheels which are placed on the bottom of its poles. It doesn’t have to be disassembled and reassembled each time that it is moved. This makes it preferable when you need to do work over a large area. This type of scaffolding, however, can prove to be dangerous if its wheels aren’t locked properly once it is in place.
• Fixed scaffolds are built, in place, right next to your building or home.
• Putlog fixed scaffolding has uprights placed against its outer edge and is supported against the adjacent structure. Independent fixed scaffolding has uprights on both sides of its platforms and doesn’t use the adjacent structure for support.
• Suspended scaffolding is used mostly on high-rise buildings for window washing purposes. The scaffolding is basically just a platform that can be raised up and down the structure as needed. This type of non-towering scaffolding is commonly used today.

Scaffold towers are a great way to do construction and repair work on your home/commercial project as long as you are careful when selecting the type of scaffold you want. Be sure to find out warranty information before you buy. Also, inquire about safety precautions and installation instructions.

Alloy Access are Ireland’s leading provider of access solutions so contact us today! You can also find us on Facebook!