Scaffolding

[andy1496]

I've just scared myself silly with a quote for the cost of hiring some scaffolding

I have managed to find some for sale but was wandering if there is anywhere I can get information on erecting it safely? It doesn't look like rocket science but I want to do a proper job as my son and I will be working on it.

Thanks

Andy Brown

 

[TexMex]

I don't want to sound like a big girls blouse, but, scaffolding can be a death trap if not errected properly. It's like a lot of things. The individual tubes, brackets and boards are as low tech as they come, but it's assembly is tailor made on every job. This makes it somewhat of an art.

Even before you start using it, the potential for injury during construction is quite high. I'd be surprised if any scaffolders would attempt to answer this query. It's somewhat akin to asking a Corgi guy, "I am attempting to replumb all the gas in my house. Can you tell me how to do it safely?"

If you decide to go ahead with this, I suggest you find a good book on the subject and read it thourougly before picking up a single tube.

Would it not be possible to use a Tower instead. You can get some quite wide ones nowadays. Even these need to have outriggers if you go too high, but there is not such a steep learning curve in their assembly.

 

[hammy]

my missus was the manager of a construction training company, if
ONE piece of scaffolding was damaged or missing or if it was
declared unsafe - they had to get rid of it.

Such scaffolding usually ends up auctioned off, some DIY'er would
jump at the low price. The potential for disaster is huge, if a bit of
WONKY scaffolding falls onto a member of the public, then the
owner of said scaffolding better have PLENTY insurance......

I'd go with the tower suggestion myself, tons of companies sell it
at a reasonable price.

 

[masona]

I've just scared myself silly with a quote for the cost of hiring some scaffolding

How much was it ? Did you shop around ?

I'm afraid it is a skilled job, you have to know all the measurement plus rule & regulation including ground condition.

At work we are not allow to altered any scaffolding otherwise sackable offence.

If you put up a scaffolding yourself make sure only you used it, if someone else has a accident, they could sue you for damaged. The H & S will be knocking on your door as well.

Not trying to put you off but please think about what you're doing.

 

[BiGDave]

Ask the scaffolder how much his public liability insurance is,and you will not be suprised by his quote, scaffs that I have dealt with for many years are paying in the region of £30-35K a year. These are not large firms, just samll with 3 or 4 employees. He has to have it and someone has to pay for it.

 

[morgan59]

do yourself a favour mate and ring a reputable scaffolding firm. the legislation covering scaffolding is evolving at an alarming rate and contrary to popular belief, scaffolding is a highly skilled and dangerous job. The reason you think it looks easy is because a good scaffolder makes it look like that. what's the scaffolding going to be used for? what sort of loadings are you putting on it? whose the competant person who will inspect it every seven days and sign the F91? how you going to tie it in? is the scaffold going to be sheeted or unsheeted? these are questions that need to be answered before you even start to think about erecting a scaffold.

The law states scaffolding must be erected by a competent person and anyone (even a homeowner working on there own property) can be prosecuted for endangering life for erecting unsafe scaffolding.

With regard to a tower scaffold, technically you still need a 'plsma' ticket to erect a tower and a tower must never exceed two and a half times it's smallest base dimension without being suitably tied. any structure over 6.00metres must be tied or less it theres a risk of the structure falling over.

and remember they are tubes and boards, not poles and planks