SAFE
SCAFFOLDING
PRESENTATION BY:
Bechtel Scaffolding Department.,
Habshan 3 Project, Abu Dhabi.
1
INTRODUCTION





Scaffold is an integral part of any major or minor construction
process, where activity at elevated locations is required.
Well constructed scaffold provides a stable platform from which
the work may be undertaken safely and with confidence.
Construction of scaffold involves principals of engineering that
must be complied with to obtain the required safe work location.
Poorly constructed scaffold provides opportunity for disasters
resulting in serious injury or death. Falls from height can kill.
This program aims to introduce you to the basic principals
applied to the construction of safe scaffold work platforms
on which your workmates DEPEND for their LIFE.
2
TERMINOLOGIES
THE A to Z OF GOOD SAFE
SCAFFOLD
3
TERMINOLOGIES

Adjustable Base Plate – a mild steel plate of at least 150 x 150 x
6mm thick with a threaded spindle and adjusting nut. The
maximum extension permitted on the spindle shall be 600mm
provided 150mm is located inside the tube.

Base plate – a mild steel plate with an area of at least 0.0225 m
sq. x 6 mm thick.

Bay – the rectangular space enclosed by 4 adjacent standards for
the full height of the scaffold or the equivalent space when
applied to a putlog scaffold

Brace – a tube incorporated diagonally across 2 members in a
scaffold and fixed to them to afford stability.
4
TERMINOLOGIES

Heavy Duty Scaffold – a scaffold designed for heavy duty work
with a safe working load of 625 kg.

Independent Scaffold – a scaffold consisting of 2 rows of
standards connected together longitudinally with ledgers and
braces, and transversely with transoms and putlogs.

Ledger – a tube fixed horizontally to the standards to tie the
scaffold longitudinally that may support the putlogs.

Lift – a height from the ground or floor to the lowest ledger, or
the vertical distance between ledgers.
5
TERMINOLOGIES

Light Duty Scaffold – scaffold that is normally erected for use
by electricians, painters, or general light duty maintenance
workers. SWL 180 kg.

Light Duty Suspended Stage - a working platform suspended
from overhead supports, including the means of lowering or
raising the stage, whether those means are operated by hand or
are power driven;
The overhead supports, attachments and tracks; and the means
of suspension. (usually a needle)

Medium Duty Scaffold – a scaffold that is normally erected for
use by carpenters, plasterers, and glaziers or similar trades. SWL
430 kg.
6
TERMINOLOGIES

Puncheon – a vertical member that is not supported from the
ground or base of the scaffold.

Putlog – a member fixed horizontally across ledgers or across a
ledger to an adjacent wall to support a working platform.

Safety Fitting – an additional right angle or swivel coupler
provided adjacent to the right angle coupler on a tube such as a
strut, tie, puncheon or cantilever. Designed to increase the
friction grip at that point.

Scaffolder – a person who, by direction of the employer, erects,
dismantles or modifies scaffold as defined herein. A person who
has been assessed by the employer as being competent to do so.
7
TERMINOLOGIES

Scaffolding – any platform of metal poles and wooden boards,
made into a framework supporting persons working at height.

Span – the distance measured along a member, between the
centre lines of adjacent supports of that member.

Standard – a vertical support.

Tie – a member used to secure the scaffold to a structure.

Transom - a transverse horizontal member, clamped to the
standards or ledgers by right angle couplers.
8
CREW














The size of an individual work crew shall not exceed seven (7) persons
including supervision.
The crew shall consist of six scaffolder and a foreman or supervisor.
The supervisor or foreman shall be provided with the following work
tools as a minimum.
Safety Harness & Lanyard
Magnetic Spirit Level
Five (5) Meter Tape measure
Adjustable wrench or Scaffold Key (with rope)
Hammer (with rope)
Tool Belt
The work crew are to be provided with the following as a minimum
Safety Harness & Lanyard
Adjustable wrench or Scaffold Key (with rope)
Hammer (with rope)
Tool Belt
9
GENERAL ERECTION PROCEDURES







There are many types of scaffolding that may be erected on a site,
some of which are documented in this Guideline. The physical
environment of the work area will determine the type of scaffold to
be erected. However, there are safety precautions and
recommended work practices common to all scaffolding.
The design of the scaffold must be based on sound engineering.
Foundations or supporting structures are to be solid and adequate
to support the scaffold.
Sufficient suitable material to erect the scaffold must be available.
Scaffold shall tied and braced for support and rigidity
Each scaffold must be provided with adequate clear access.
Each scaffold shall be provided with the correctly designed
working platforms, Working platforms provide clear work areas,
and the provision for materials. Working platforms shall be fully
planked with kickboards, hand rails and if necessary, mid rails. All
scaffold shall be inspected and all access shall befitted with
SCAFFTAG Safe to Use or Do Not Use Scaffold
10
GENERAL ERECTION PROCEDURES

Each scaffold shall be provided with safe, secure access free
from obstruction, scaffold of twenty (20) meters or longer shall
be provided with two (2) access/egress points.

A Safety harness shall be worn for all scaffold erection and
dismantling work at or over two (2) meters in height.

Scaffold of two (2) meters or more in height, shall have
guardrails at NLT and NMT one (1) meter, and a mid rail at
NLT and NMT point five (0.5) of a meter, from the working
platform positioned immediately below.

At all times scaffold must be fitted with Safe to Use or if under
construction Do Not Use Scaffold SCAFFTAG signs
11
Line Drawings &
Pictures of
SAFE SCAFFOLD
USE THESE PICTORIALS TO HELP YOU TO
IDENTIFY THE PRICIPALS OF SAFE SCAFFOLD AND
WORK PLATFORMS AS DESCRIBED IN THE
PRESENTATION.
12
Material Inspection
13
Material Inspection
14
Girder Couplers/Bolted Spigot
15
Scaffold Component
16
Mobile Scaffold Caster
17
Scaffold Component
18
Scaffold Platform units/Plane view
of column box
19
Ties
20
Unsafe Foundation
21
Ground Support
22
Foundations
23
Plum of Scaffold
24
Support Spacing for Planks
25
Securing Planks
26
Gin Wheel
27
Scaffold Lifts
28
Scaffold Measurements
29
Transverse Bracing
30
Transverse “zigzag” bracing
31
Longitudinal face Bracing
32
Typical Bracing
33
Scaffold Joints
34
Raker
35
External Ladder Access
36
Scaffold Terminology
37
Scaffold Terminology
38
Typical Tube and Coupler Scaffold
39
A Typical “Independent Run"
Scaffold
40
Under hung Scaffold
41
Tower Scaffold
42
Bracket Scaffold
43
Typical System Scaffold
44
Scaffold Work Platform
45
Access
46
Mobile Scaffold
47
Spur Scaffold
48
Beam Cantilever Scaffold
49
Spurred Needle for Suspended
Scaffold
50
Drop Scaffold
51
Stair towers
Stair towers when used must have:
A stair rail consisting of a toprail and a midrail on each side of
the stairway.
A toprail of each stair rail system capable of serving as a
handrail, unless a separate handrail is provided.
Sufficient space on handrails, and toprails serving as handrails, for
employees grasping them to avoid falling.
Stair rails and handrails surfaced to prevent punctures or
lacerations to employees, and to prevent snagging of clothing.
Ends of stair rails and handrails constructed so that they do not
constitute a projection hazard.
A space of at least 3 inches between handrails, or stair rails used
as handrails, and other objects.
A distance of no less than 28 inches and no more than 37 inches
from the upper surface of the stair rail to the forward edge of the
tread, in line with the face of the riser.
52
End of Scaffold Presentation
53