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Mistakes To Avoid While On Scaffold Towers

For working at significant heights, one incredibly useful aid can be scaffold towers, and that’s only if they are correctly utilized. When, for an extended period of time, workers must function at height, they’re particularly ideal. It can be both inadvisable and uncomfortable if, for hours at a time, a worker has to use a ladder continually – scaffolding offers a much better solution.

Irresponsible use of scaffold towers, however, whether as a result of willful negligence or due to time pressure, can subject both bystanders and workers to extreme physical risk.

While using scaffolding, here are some of the most common mistakes observed by safety experts:

  • Use of cheap, inferior scaffolding
  • Ignoring or forgetting the safe workload
  • Moving in a careless manner while on top of the tower
  • Disregarding strong winds and continuing to work at height
  • Using other objects to gain more height while on the scaffolding

Let’s look at these individually.

Use of Inferior Scaffolding

When it comes to access equipment, you should spare no expense. Investing in good quality equipment is essential. Your workers are only as safe as your scaffolding and other pieces of machinery and equipment. Sometimes you actually do get what you pay for. Rather than settling for a budget product, purchase scaffolding as if your life depends on it – because it does.

Ignoring or Forgetting the Safe Workload

Just like when you’re using a ladder, there is a safe workload to keep in mind on scaffold towers. Taking more material, equipment, or people onto a scaffold than it is meant to support is a blatant risk. Neither should equipment or material be stored on the tower for long periods of time as this could potentially cause the platform to be weakened as a result. Not to mention, the material and equipment could also pose a danger to the people below.

Moving in a Careless Manner

It’s hard to believe that this topic even needs to be discussed. There is no room for shenanigans on a scaffold tower! Plain and simple.

Disregarding Strong Winds

Naturally, for winds up to a certain caliber, scaffold towers are designed to stand fast. During strong winds, however, it’s generally not recommended that you work on a scaffold tower. Common sense should always be used. Never throw caution to the wind – pun intended.

Seriously, however, in the last five years, the most common cause of fatal injury in the construction industry was falls from height.

Using Other Objects to Gain More Height

Sometimes, rather than using scaffolding, or in addition to scaffolding tower use, people will make use of other objects to get a little bit higher, or to access the bottom of the scaffolding itself. These objects could be a plastic box, a chair, a ladder, etc. Before you even consider this – STOP! This is a risk that should never, ever be taken, under any circumstances. No matter how tempting.

Starr Industries Provide High-Quality Work Platforms

At Starr Industries, to support the needs and demands of our customers, we offer a variety of scaffolding types. To construct our scaffold support systems, we use high-quality materials. Not only will they ensure safety for the public and on-site workers, they also provide the required support. We have worked on many projects in the scaffolding industry and our vast experience has stand us in good stead. Rest assured that our scaffolding experts will work hand-in-hand with engineering professionals to ensure that your scaffolding solutions will safely support both workers and equipment.

Contact us to find out more about our scaffolding support services for commercial uses such as advertisements, renovations and cleaning, lighting and camera set up, and more! We can be reached at 646-756-4648 or email us at office@starrindustriesllc.com. You can also fill out our convenient online form.

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