Hi, my name is Brooke, and I used to run the HR department in a factory. I filed a lot of injury reports and helped a tragic number of people make claims for workers' compensation or WorkCover. In many cases, the accidents involved convener belts. By seeing what not to do, I really learned what should be done in terms of conveyor safety. I love writing and wanted to convey some good will to the world through a blog – I also love puns. In this space, I plan to post on conveyor belt safety as well as other posts related to a range of industrial equipment. I hope these posts help to protect you and your workers.
Construction and renovation work in both commercial and residential environments might necessitate working at height in order to perform tasks on areas that are hard to reach from the ground. If you are working on such a project, you will need to acquire scaffolding for the work. This temporary structure is designed and built as a raised platform that can support a crew of workers and building supplies. It is important to select an appropriate scaffold for hire to ensure safety and ideal support in your worksite. Here are the main scaffolding structures to consider for hire.
Supported
The supported scaffolding is probably the most popular choice in the modern construction industry. This structure is designed to provide considerably high elevation for the tasks while ensuring that the platform can support considerable weight. Generally, this scaffolding is built from a load-bearing base on the ground. Posts, frames and horizontal bearers are added upwards to provide a steady and rising elevated platform. The design is considered safe compared to alternative work platforms because it is not fabricated to accommodate movement. Moreover, the structure can be modified for extra support depending on the building materials or height required. Unfortunately, the lack of mobility can be limiting in some building projects.
Mobile
You will need to select between mobile and static scaffolding during your construction or renovation project. As mentioned, stationary supported platforms are considered more stable and safer. On the other hand, the mobile alternative is more versatile and will allow you to use a single platform for several tasks. Basically, these types of scaffolds can be supported on castors or wheels to facilitate movement. There are also truck-mounted scaffolds which enhance transportation of the platform in and out of the worksite. If you choose a mobile scaffold, it is important to commission daily inspection before use. The constant movement makes the platform more vulnerable to instability, but diligent maintenance and care will mitigate most hazards.
Suspended
As implied, suspended scaffolding is designed for suspension from the roof or an alternative tall construct. Basically, it is utilised when the supported scaffold is not an option during the project. For example, building a scaffolding base is impractical and uneconomical if you are performing window renovations on the upper floors. This is because a supported platform would necessitate damage of the ground around the building and unnecessary use of scaffolding materials. The suspended structure will limit the financial and labour repercussions of your work-at-height project.
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