Giving workers access to a vertical work space can be challenging. Completing various construction-related tasks while elevated presents some unique challenges and safety hazards that must be addressed in order to safely finish any construction project.
Scaffolding provides the framework for access to vertical work spaces by giving both workers and their materials a safe landing on which to stand. Utilizing scaffolding for your construction projects can be the easiest way to streamline the building process and ensure the safety of your workers. Investing in the right type of scaffolding is critical when it comes to the safety of your project.
Here are three common types of scaffolding that you can use when you attempt to increase the accessibility of elevated work sites on your construction projects.
1. SUPPORTED SCAFFOLDING
If you are looking for a versatile type of scaffolding to utilize on your construction site, then supported scaffolding could provide a viable solution. Because it is affordable and easy to erect, supported scaffolding is popular among modern construction crews looking to provide access to vertical work areas.
In order to safely utilize supported scaffolding, you need to ensure that you have a stable foundation that can serve as the base of the scaffolding. This typically means you’ll first have to take the time to level out the ground on which the scaffolding will be built.
After the ground has been leveled, you should complete a soil analysis to determine whether or not the ground will settle once the scaffolding is required to bear the weight of workers and materials. Once you’ve completed the soil test and set up the scaffolding, you should provide extra support to the scaffolding’s frame to reinforce long runs or extreme loads.
2. SUSPENDED SCAFFOLDING
If your construction site is unable to provide an adequate and stable foundation on which supported scaffolding can be built, you may want to rely on suspended scaffolding instead.
This type of scaffolding is suspended from the roof of a building that supports the scaffolding. No direct connection with the ground is required, making suspended scaffolding a viable option for workers who need to access the upper levels of a structure.
3. ROLLING SCAFFOLDING
Many construction projects require workers to move horizontally within an elevated work space in order to complete job-related tasks. Using a supported scaffolding system in a project that requires long runs can compromise safety, so you’ll probably want to utilize a rolling scaffolding system to provide accessibility instead.
A rolling scaffolding system functions in much the same way as a supported scaffolding system, but the base of the scaffolding structure is mobile rather than being fixed in a single location. A small section of scaffolding can be moved from one section of a structure to the next without requiring any down time, helping to ensure that your project timeline is not compromised.
Attention to safety is critical when utilizing rolling scaffolding since serious injury could occur if the wheels are not locked firmly in place while the rolling scaffolding is in use.
