Why Use a Scaffold Tower Instead of a Step Ladder?

Scaffolding towers have become very popular pieces of DIY equipment. All over the web you can see them advertised and hire companies are promoting them massively. Why have they become so popular and why can’t you just use a step ladder?

It is fair to say that many tasks that you can do in a scaffold tower – particularly the towers aimed at the DIY market – could be carried out on a step ladder so why should you bother with going to the hassle of setting up a scaffold tower? Here are just two situations where a scaffold tower is a much better option than a ladder:

Uneven Ground

Werner-D8200-EQ-Series-3

Using a step ladder safely on uneven ground is next to impossible – if you’re using it outside and the land slopes away from your property there is no way that you are going to be able to use a step ladder. However, you can get scaffold towers that have adjustable legs which allow up to 18″ of adjustment. Having this amount of adjustment means that you can safely set up the tower so that the platform you are working from is horizontal. Conversely to this I have never seen a ladder that has adjustable legs.

 

 

 

 

Trimming the top of a long tall hedge

hedgetrim3Trimming a hedge can be a painful exercise – you set up your ladder, put the secateurs in your pocket, cling on to the shears and climb up to the top of the ladder and then precariously lean to trim your hedge in to shape. The reality of this method is that you can only safely trim within a 3′ radius of the ladder – which is probably about a minutes work, after this you’re back down the ladder (with the tools), moving it along the length of the hedge and the process begins again…back up the ladder… Even basic scaffolding towers have a platform length of about 5′ so this give an obvious advantage straight away over using a step ladder – one climb up the scaffolding tower and you can easily trim 11′ of hedge. You can leave your tools at the top whilst you climb down and push the tower along the length of the hedge.

You may argue in both of these situations that it seems like a lot of effort to go to to setup a scaffold tower to trim a hedge or clear out some guttering. The reality is though that these scaffold towers come in kits that are so easy to assemble that the time it takes you to put the tower together will be far less than the time taken to go up and down a ladder 50 times.

Contact Alloy Access for more information on scaffolding towers.

Read more

Why Use a Scaffold Tower Instead of a Step Ladder?

Scaffolding towers have become very popular pieces of DIY equipment. All over the web you can see them advertised and hire companies are promoting them massively. Why have they become so popular and why can’t you just use a step ladder?

It is fair to say that many tasks that you can do in a scaffold tower – particularly the towers aimed at the DIY market – could be carried out on a step ladder so why should you bother with going to the hassle of setting up a scaffold tower? Here are just two situations where a scaffold tower is a much better option than a ladder:

 

Uneven Ground

Werner-D8200-EQ-Series-3

Using a step ladder safely on uneven ground is next to impossible – if you’re using it outside and the land slopes away from your property there is no way that you are going to be able to use a step ladder. However, you can get scaffold towers that have adjustable legs which allow up to 18″ of adjustment. Having this amount of adjustment means that you can safely set up the tower so that the platform you are working from is horizontal. Conversely to this I have never seen a ladder that has adjustable legs.

 

 

 

Trimming the top of a long tall hedge

hedgetrim3Trimming a hedge can be a painful exercise – you set up your ladder, put the secateurs in your pocket, cling on to the shears and climb up to the top of the ladder and then precariously lean to trim your hedge in to shape. The reality of this method is that you can only safely trim within a 3′ radius of the ladder – which is probably about a minutes work, after this you’re back down the ladder (with the tools), moving it along the length of the hedge and the process begins again…back up the ladder… Even basic scaffolding towers have a platform length of about 5′ so this give an obvious advantage straight away over using a step ladder – one climb up the scaffolding tower and you can easily trim 11′ of hedge. You can leave your tools at the top whilst you climb down and push the tower along the length of the hedge.

 

You may argue in both of these situations that it seems like a lot of effort to go to to setup a scaffold tower to trim a hedge or clear out some guttering. The reality is though that these scaffold towers come in kits that are so easy to assemble that the time it takes you to put the tower together will be far less than the time taken to go up and down a ladder 50 times.

 

Contact Alloy Access for more information on scaffolding towers.

Read more

Scaffolding Types Explained

A putlog scaffold consists of a single row of standards, parallel to the face of the building and set as far away from it as is necessary to accommodate a platform of four or five boards wide, with the inner edge of the platform as close to the wall as is practicable.

The standards are connected by a ledger fixed with right angle couplers and the putlogs are fixed to the ledgers using putlog couplers. The blade end of the putlog tube (or putlog adaptor) is normally placed horizontally on the brickwork being built, taking care to use the maximum bearing area.

A putlog scaffolding differs from traditional independent-scaffolding as it is actually tied into the building bricks using ‘putlogs’ (or tubes) and putlog adapters. Step Scaffolding offers design and traditional putlog scaffolding for private and commercial requirements. All our scaffolders are highly trained and fully qualified and comply with all Government standards.

Where a putlog is required for an intermediate board support and it is opposite an opening in the building, such as window or doorway, the inside end of the putlog should be supported on an underslung bridle tube spanning adjacent putlogs. The bridle tube should be secured with right angle couplers.

Sway bracing is required at intervals not exceeding 30 M but, unlike independent tied scaffolds, ledger bracing is not required in the finished scaffold.

An independent scaffold consists of a double row of standards, with each row parallel to the building. The inner row is set as close to the building as is practicable. The distance between the lines of standards should be the minimum necessary to accommodate the required number of boards and toe boards.

A variation may be adopted in which the row of standards nearest to the building can be set back about 300 mm from the building face. This means that one of the boards of the platform can be laid between the inside row of the standards and the building face.Types of Independent Scaffold are:

Birdcage scaffold: A birdcage scaffold is an independent scaffold that consists of more than two rows of standards in both directions and is connected by ledgers and transoms. It is mainly used for work that is to be carried out on a single level, such as ceilings.

Tower scaffold: A tower scaffold is an independent scaffold consisting of four vertical members connected longitudinally and transversely.

Mobile Scaffold: A mobile scaffold is an independent scaffold that is freestanding and mounted on castors.

Hung scaffold: A hung scaffold is an independent scaffold that hangs from another structure, but is not capable of being raised or lowered when in use.

Read more

The Use Of Scaffolding On Construction Sites

Scaffolding is a temporary structure that is erected for use in the construction of either industrial or residential buildings. It allows for convenient working platforms that can reach many meters high. Scaffolding is necessary, because even if you were to use a tall ladder, a ladder will not provide the same level of stability. A ladder would not be very useful on a forty-story high rise building! Only with scaffolding can you safely reach those heights. On scaffolding you will have a large platform for your construction tools and a more usable work space. The platform will need to be surrounded by guardrails for extra safety.

Scaffolding is fairly easy to erect and shorter towers can even be set up by two unskilled people. In most instances though, when scaffolding is being used on the construction or remodeling of a tall building, only trained professionals are allowed to erect the towers. There are training courses available on the erection of scaffolding, and many safety rules and regulations to be adhered to. In most countries, there will be random checks conducted on the scaffolding on industrial construction sites to ensure that they meet all their safety regulation requirements.

In most cases scaffolding will be constructed out of steel pipes and wooden platforms. In some Asian countries, bamboo is still used to erect scaffolding. This is because bamboo is more cost-efficient and also readily available. There are certain weight restrictions for different types of scaffolding, and certain ratios of the steel pipe width and height to each other. If the safe base-to-height ratio is exceeded, the scaffolding should be tied with scaffold tubes and fittings. Each individual scaffolding tower will be its own structure, but it will be tied and connected to its neighboring towers for more security.

Here are some safety precautions to adhere to when using scaffolding:

When relocating towers, care must always be taken to ensure that the tower will remain upright. Particular caution must be exercised when moving the scaffolding tower over an uneven surface, as this may cause it to fall. No equipment should be left on the scaffolding platform whilst you are moving it. If the equipment falls it could injure someone standing below, and the weight of the equipment could also make the scaffolding less sturdy.

The tower should always be tied to the building in questionable weather conditions. Extreme caution should be exercised when there are high winds, as this could cause the scaffolding to move and sway. If the tower is not tall enough for its purpose, rather erect a taller structure of scaffolding. Placing boxes or ladders on top of scaffolding to gain extra height is extremely dangerous.

When scaffolding is erected, be it for industrial use or residential, the size and shape of the building must be taken into consideration. A trained contractor who specializes in scaffolding is always ideal, because they will be able to determine exactly what size of scaffolding. They will draw up a scaffolding construction and installation plan that is tailor-made for your building requirements.

Read more

Keeping Safe When Working With Scaffolding

Scaffolding is a provisional framework inside or outside a building to hold up construction and repair of buildings and structures. Scaffolding is a critical component in most constructions sites. The project can be large structures or smaller homes, but scaffolding is a necessary part.

When working with scaffolding it is very important to adhere to a set of robust safety standards. This is to ensure that on-site injuries are minimized and hopefully avoided all together.

To explain, the primary elements of basic scaffolds are: – Ledgers, Standards and Transoms.

Standards are perpendicular tubes which are used to relocate the entire weight of the structure to the floor where the scaffold rests. These kinds of Scaffolds are also called uprights. Ledgers are flat poles used to connect between standards. Transoms are always kept in the way which makes the right angle with the ledgers. It is an ordinary practice to place main transoms next to the standards to grasp the standards in place and to supply extra support to the boards. Main transoms will be associated by transitional transoms to supply extra support to the boards over and above the scaffolding.

Following are some safety measures to adhere to when using scaffolding:

When moving towers, care must always be taken to ensure that the tower will remain upright. Particular concern must be taken when moving the scaffolding tower over a rough surface, as this may cause it to fall. No equipment should be left on the scaffolding platform at the same time as you are moving it. If the equipment falls it could damage or harm someone standing beneath, and the weight of the equipment could also make the scaffolding less powerful.

The tower should always be tied to the building in dubious weather conditions. Acute concern should be taken when there are high winds, as this could cause the scaffolding to move and bend. If the tower is not tall enough for its purpose, rather erect a taller structure of scaffolding. Inserting boxes or a ladder or any heavy equipment on top of scaffolding to gain extra height is very dangerous.

When scaffolding is upright, be it for industrial use or residential, the size and shape of the building must be taken into deliberation. A trained contractor who specializes in scaffolding is always ideal, because they will be able to decide accurately what size of scaffolding. They will draw up a scaffolding construction and installation plan that is customized for your building necessities.

Read more

Evaluating the Quality of Scaffolding for Sale

You see that combination of bars that elevate a worker or support a structure from breaking down? That idea is called scaffolding. Scaffolding is an integral part of construction works and many other activities that require a person or a material to be elevated from the ground.

If you are planning to get into such kinds of works soon and you think about purchasing a brand of scaffolding, you should not worry about its availability, as there is a lot of scaffolding for sale out there. While this is true however, it is not a guarantee that you will find models with the best qualities. Before you spend your hard-earned money for it, you should know how to check its quality. With that, this article can help you.

Here is how you should evaluate the quality of scaffolding in the market:

Check the steel type
It will not be surprising if you do not know what type of steel your scaffolding should be made of. A lot of people do not know about it, even those that have long been working in the construction industry. So how do you know if you are picking top quality scaffolding for sale? Well, the first step is to determine the scaffolding’s kind of steel. The toughest scaffoldings are made of platinum or aluminium steels. Between the two, platinum-made models are tougher; however, scaffoldings made from such materials are generally expensive due to the higher value and availability of the main component (platinum).

Aluminium-steel scaffolding’s are not far from platinum models in terms of durability. What’s more amazing than this is that such scaffolding’s are more affordable. Do not mislead yourself from aluminum scaffolding’s 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.

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’s. 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 dollars more than to put the safety of the user at risk.

To conclude, finding reliable scaffolding for sale is crucial. Now that you have already learned how to do it right, no one’s safety has to be compromised.

Read more

How to Choose the Right Mobile Scaffold Towers

One of the most common causes of fatalities among workers is falling from height. As a matter of fact, PASMA, a premiere scaffold towers trade association released a statistical research revealing that almost one-thirds of fatally injured workers fell from significantly high location. Aside from reliable safety harness and suspension cables, mobile scaffold towers are among the most essential tools for people working on elevated locations. The question however is ‘how do you choose the right mobile scaffold towers’? If you have been asking this question too, you have found the right page for answers. Go over this entire page and be enlightened.

Here are some important considerations you should know to find the right mobile scaffold towers:

Always go for QC passed models
These days, there are a lot of such tools out there. Finding the right one can be very confusing. The easiest way to do this is by checking if there is a seal somewhere on the equipment indicating that it has passed all quality standards set by the law and the industry itself. In doing this however, do not forget that there can be a lot of brand imitations. Yo should know the authentic seal, which you should have learned if you conducted research about it.

Conduct Good Research
This step is not as difficult as you think it is. The internet is there to provide you with reliable information about how genuine ‘QC passed’ seal should look like. It may even give you specific details on how you will be able to distinguish mediocre-quality scaffold towers from the one with the finest qualities.

Read online reviews
Online reviews have long been helping consumers when it comes to having the assurance that they are not spending their hard-earned money on a product with poor quality. If you are in search of premium quality mobile scaffold towers or the equipment’s most reliable providers, online reviews can help you a lot. With the help of reviews, you would know if the promise of excellence and reliability by a product provider is really true.

You will know about the pros and cons that the equipment may offer. In addition to that, you will also gain insights from the actual experiences of real users. They may also be extremely generous to direct you to the best product providers.

If you will do this however, be sure that you are browsing a review page that is not paid by the product provider; otherwise, you will not obtain honest reviews.

Purchase from reputable product providers
Check the credibility of the store where you plan to purchase the equipment. It must be one that has been known for consistent excellence in the industry. You may also ask for its previous and existing clients regarding the quality of their products. This way, you’ll know if they’ve been consistently reliable.

Safety of workers should always be a top priority. If you are working on elevated locations be sure that you are using the right mobile scaffold towers.

Read more

Scaffolding for Sale Service

Scaffolding or also known as staging or scaffold is a provisional or temporary structure utilized in order to support materials and work crew. This is in order to help in maintenance, construction as well as repairing of bridges, buildings and other kinds of man-made structures. Scaffolding is used also in the adapted forms for shoring and formwork, concert stages, grandstand seating, exhibition stands, viewing or access towers, half pipes, ski ramps and other art projects.

With its great help in constructing and building different establishments, there is no wonder why there are many scaffolding for sale that offers its varying kinds.

There are companies that offer wide array of frames scaffolding for sale. It comes with several sizes for varied trades that can be matched with the existing inventory with the brand new universal scaffolding. But, it is important to consider the quality to maximize the amount of money you have invested for this.

When it comes to system, you can also find scaffolding for sale that provides optimum flexibility in order to conform in any required angle. System scaffold may be utilized in combination of a tube together with clamp scaffold. It is also good to have cup lock system for this function to be realized.

Plank is also essential in any scaffolding. It is important to look for stock quality of steel, aluminum together with its wood plank that comes in varied sizes. You may also have this in scaffolding for sale that requires careful selection to avoid untoward incidents.

Shoring panels are also needed that comes in wide array of sizes having a complete accessories line that will surely compliment the need. Clamp and tube are also a necessity for your scaffolding and this must be in proper function. If not, it is best to replace it and look for its great quality if there is scaffolding for sale. You may also find complete flexibility that will come in interchangeable components that will ease its assembly.
Scaffold systems must be given great importance also in order to provide support in the specific needs of your company. It is best to look for service provider that provides high quality of steel that scaffolds. It may include system, frame, clamp and tube, pedestrian canopy shoring and custom scaffolding. This is in order to fit and meet with a specified and existing inventory, whether it is a large industrial contractors or small contractors. This is in order to provide assurance as well as support services for the efficiency of job needed in order to take the company to its next level.

Scaffolding does not only make way to build a certain commercial establishment but it also provides security as well as protection to construction workers. Therefore, its quality must be given with much importance and attention to avoid the possibility of accidents that might risk lives of people. You need to carefully select in scaffolding for sale the best product of its kind for best result.

Read more

Mobile Scaffold Towers

When using any tool at height or work equipment in your construction site that includes scaffold tower, whether as a self-employed individual or as an employee, the works at height regulations can be a great help to you. You need to make sure that you will not only focus on the competent person building the tower but as well as the individuals, who use, specify, manage and supervise in the use of mobile scaffold tower.

A competent person is the one who can fully demonstrate necessary experience, knowledge as well as the authority that enables them to carry out the assigned job to them within the required level of responsibility.

They have to make sure that the training they undergone are helpful enough to make them more responsible and competent. They also need to fully understand the potential hazards related to their equipment or work, which are under consideration and detect those technical defects as well as omissions in the equipment. Aside from that, they also need to recognize and specify good remedial action in order to mitigate those implications.

Some of the basic guidelines that you need know with regards to mobile scaffold towers are as follows:
-You need to carry out the right risk assessment before you start working.
-You have to be competent enough so that you would be able to dismantle, build and carry out the pre-use of inspection on the tower and then complete the pre-use record of inspection according to the regulations
-the component of the tower should be inspected in good intervals and the appropriate record should be kept

In using mobile scaffold towers, the first thing that you need to remember is to never work on the platform without having any guardrails. It is also important not to stand on those unprotected platforms in the building and in dismantling the tower. You need to always follow the supplier and manufacturer’s manual for you to be guided with the right things to do.

It is also important to make sure that the manuals you have are available while using the tower, to the operatives erecting as well as to the person who supervises the work. If you don’t have the manual, then it only means that you cannot use the tower because the manual serves as an important guide in using the mobile scaffold towers in constructing buildings.

In choosing the mobile scaffolding towers that you can use in the construction of every building, it is very important to make sure that it is made of the best and the highest quality to ensure that it is safe and effective. It is also important to follow the things written in the manual to make the job done right and make sure the safety of the user. When you make use of mobile scaffold towers, you would be able to get the right amount of building skills necessary to make the building strong and done in the best and highest quality possible.

Read more

Mobile Scaffold Tower Insights

Scaffold towers are a very popular access solution used globally when the job at hand is at height. A scaffold tower is unique pieces of equipment that allow people to build or repair things that are too far off the ground to reach safely by ladder. Among other things, they help people do repair work on their roofs and things like painting the side of a home or even can be used for jobs like window cleaning at a height.

You can either buy your own scaffolding or rent it, whichever works out best for you. It really will come down to weather or not you will use the scaffold tower over a long period of time or even using one for short period but regularly then it might be more economical to buy a tower. If you need one for only a short period of time or very infrequently then it probably makes more sense to rent a tower.

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.

Another common type of scaffolding is suspended and 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 and make sure that the company you choose has an excellent customer service department.

Read more
scaffold towers accreditation
Savvy Business Gals