As a leading scaffolding company, we often get asked questions here and there about scaffolding from our clients. In this article by Network Scaffold Services, we have gathered the top 5 questions and we have answered them for you in more detail. Continue reading to learn more about scaffolding. What Is Scaffolding Used For? Scaffolding is a temporary elevated platform used to support and provides workers with enough room while they perform their duties. Scaffolding is also used to store building equipment and materials without the hassle of going up and down ladders, meaning it’s a great time saver for constructors and much safer than climbing ladders. Can I Still Access My Building With Scaffolding? All of our operations can take place during off-peak hours, meaning no restrictions for daily access to your building. You may need to arrange a temporary pavement or street closure permit from your local council until work is completed. You will need to place safety barriers and signs on footpaths nearby to warn the general public to stay clear while ensuring there is pavement access for disabled members of the public. Do I Need To Apply For Permit? If scaffolding is erected within your property, you don’t need to apply for a permit. However, if the scaffolding is erected on or over a public road, highway, pavement or footpath, a permit will be required. Scheduling work during off-peak hours may be required for the permit to be approved by the local council. We can help with the application process but you will need to have the right paperwork in place and ensure it’s approved before any work begins. Can Scaffolding Be Erected On Uneven Ground? For health and safety reasons, scaffolding can not be erected on uneven ground. In doing so, could increase the risk of collapsing or falling of scaffold parts and endangering workers. The ground should be as level as possible and be able to support the weight of the scaffolding in all weather conditions. How Do You Manage Health & Safety? No matter how big or small the project is, the general health and safety of all parties involved is crucial. Our top priority is the health and safety of workers...
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When operated on safely, scaffolding can be an effective way for workers to reach very high levels in order to complete their tasks. However, when scaffolding is not used in a safe manner, it can be extremely dangerous. If the scaffold is considered to be unsafe on a building site, workers have the right to refuse to work on it. This is why it’s crucial for all managers and supervisors to know how to maintain a safe and secure working environment. Employers have the responsibility to ensure that any work performed is carried out in the safest way possible. For this article, we will share a few essential ways to ensure your scaffold will be safe and secure so that the end result of your construction will not only look impressive, but also so the project can be carried out without any accidents. Plan Ahead Being organised and making a plan will make your job easier as well as save you time and money. Planning ahead also ensures all the equipment to complete the structure will be readily available when the materials are required. By doing this, you will not be missing any important parts and your structure will meet all health and safety legislations. Having a well laid out plan in place allows you to visualise the structure. When placing orders for equipment and materials, you will have everything you need. Sketches can help illustrate the structure to your scaffold team so that they can visualise it too. All of this makes bringing your visualisation into reality significantly easier. Conditions of The Construction Ground Examining the conditions of the ground and the foundation of when your scaffold will be erected is crucial. Working on uneven ground can be dangerous as it can lead to collapsing scaffold parts which can endanger workers as well as passersby. Look out for any drains or patches of soft ground.Working on these surfaces can become problematic very quickly. The working grounds should be firm and even in all weather conditions, this is to support the weight of the scaffold as well as any load carried on it. Create A Safe Structure Using safety decking gives you a safe working platform for your workers....
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It’s cold, wet, and gloomy outside. That can only mean one thing, winter is officially here. Like any work that takes place outdoors, there are a few hazards that can risk the safety of scaffolders while working on a building site during the winter. To ensure a safe and secure working environment, Network Scaffold have written this article to outline the following guidelines to prevent work-related accidents and keep your building site safe this winter. Good Housekeeping The most common way to provide a safe working environment is to ensure the scaffolding team keeps on top of housekeeping work. A tidy and organised building site lowers the risk of potential work incidents not just in winter, but all year round. The scaffolding team should practise the following rules: Keep work stations clean and tidy. Disposal of waste on a regular basis. Report any near misses and accidents to management. Be cautious of cables to prevent trips or use cordless tools if possible. Keep access routes and fire exits clear at all times. Store building materials and equipment away properly. Increase Visibility Something many of us dislike about the winter is the shortness of natural daylight. Furthermore, daylight savings time doesn’t in this regard. During December, the early mornings can be just as dark as a night’s sky, and the sun sets during the late afternoon. During the day, visibility can still be reduced from dull, cloudy or foggy conditions. In the scaffolding industry, this can mean working long periods in dark to complete projects and tight deadlines. In one of our previous articles, we discussed the importance of light on a scaffolding site. If scaffolders are working on a building site and they don’t have full visibility, they might struggle to perform work to the best of their abilities. To put light on this subject, by adding sufficient lighting such as scaffolding LED lights and safety lights, scaffolders can carry out work to the highest standards. The lighting enables them to also navigate around any physical obstructions that might be blocking their work pattern. Check The Weather It’s important to keep updated on the latest hazardous weather conditions such as wind, thunderstorms, heavy rain showers, frost, ice, and chances...
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If you have ever visited Derby, or any surrounding areas for that matter, the chances are you will have noticed domestic and commercial scaffolding in some form or another. Scaffolding in Derby is one of the most important industries in the county and it is one of the reasons we enjoy singing the local industries praises so much. All of this being said, there are a few distinct different forms of scaffolding. Arguably the main difference between various types of scaffolding is whether the scaffolding is intended for commercial or domestic purposes. When scaffold erecting, establishing whether the structure is intended for domestic or commercial purposes is all but essential. Because of this, we have decided to detail some of the main differences between commercial and domestic forms of scaffolding. Commercial Scaffolding Before delving into what the main difference between commercial and domestic scaffolding is, we thought it best to detail what is meant by each term. As such, we thought why not start with commercial scaffolding. We thought it optimal to start with commercial scaffolding as commercial scaffolding is usually on a much larger scale. To put it plainly, commercial scaffolding is scaffolding designed for the repair and construction of traditional commercial buildings. Commercial buildings can include, but are not limited to; skyscrapers, corporate offices, construction sites and even inside shopping centres. In most cases, commercial scaffolding is taller than domestic scaffolding, this is unsurprising as typically commercial buildings are larger than domestic ones. Additionally, commercial scaffolding is usually exposed to the general public, because of this, the structure requires extra attention in regards to health and safety. Domestic Scaffolding Domestic forms of scaffolding are usually on a much smaller scale. This is because the scaffolding usually caters to smaller premises such as flats, houses or any other smaller domestic property. Despite being significantly smaller as well as not being on direct display to the general public, it does not mean there is less of a need for health and safety procedures and regulations. Correct and thorough health and safety is paramount to ensure the safety of you, the residents and the building structures. What Are The Differences? The main difference between commercial and residential scaffolding is the...
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We here at Network Scaffold are proud to represent the scaffolding industry in Derby and, more broadly, in the UK. Well we have touched on this in many of our previous blogs, we thought we should dedicate a whole blog to highlight some of the advantages of performing scaffold erection in Derby. While it might be virtually impossible to list all of the positives of performing scaffolding in Derby, we will do our best to try and do it justice. So without further ado, let’s look at some of the many benefits of scaffolding in Derby. Brilliant Health and Safety Standards Much like the rest of the UK, organisations in the scaffolding industry practise high standards of health and safety. No matter the industry, whether it be warehouse work or the vast construction industry, you can rest assured that in Derby, the health and safety of employees and other associates is always at the forefront. As we have previously mentioned in our other blogs, health and safety is incredibly important when it comes to scaffolding. This is because the act of scaffolding is largely considered a high risk activity. This means that the utmost care should be taken when exhausting different outcomes to ensure the overall safety of all involved. Great Business Opportunities Derby and even Derbyshire more broadly has many unique buildings and subsequently different business opportunities available. With there being so many different types of buildings and so many unique business opportunities, there are all manners of possibilities available to potential scaffolders. To put it simply; so many buildings require all manner of scaffolding. Whether that be temporary construction, domestic homes and just about any other premises in need of renovation. Friendly and Welcoming People Everyone we have worked with or have worked for in Derby have been beyond welcoming and friendly. The same can also be said for surrounding areas. While this can be a more superficial reason, wanting to work with people who are friendly and welcoming is always very important. So you want to work for, or work with, people who are friendly, accepting and welcoming, why not try working in Derby? We hope we have successfully conveyed why scaffolding in Derby is such...
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Health and safety in the scaffolding industry is very important. In 2019; a Labour Force Survey in Great Britain advised that there were over 600,000 injuries in the workplace. Whilst the UK has some of the very best health and safety regulations in the world, the workplace clearly still produces many challenges. Because of this, unsafe circumstances can occur. Erecting and maintaining scaffolding can produce many different types of hazards which result in injury. Being a well established supplier of scaffolding in Derby, we understand the importance of health and safety. Arguably in scaffolding more than any other industry. Personal Safety Starting off with arguably the most obvious reasons is the fact that personal safety is very important when it comes to construction. When an employee comes to work one of the many things they expect is to feel safe at work. Not only should employees work more efficiently but have a safer work environment will drastically improve employee mental health. Efficiency Working When a worker undergoes health and safety training they not only garner a better understanding of the health and safety aspects of their jobs but they grossly understand their roles more in-depth. As a direct result of this, their working practices can be significantly more effective and even more thorough. Accreditations By thoroughly exerting health and safety practices, you will subsequently obtain revelation and prestigious regulatory accreditations. This is a fantastic way to illustrate how incredible your company is. This also provides much needed weight to your potential clients or customers. Network scaffolding are accredited to many regulatory bodies, including the SSIP and the Worksafe Contractor. Contact Us Health and safety is very important and if you have any other questions regarding how to better implement health and safety regulations into your workplace, please do get in touch. For al things scaffolding related including access scaffolding in Derbyshire, please keep up to date with our...
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