Workplace Advice on Introducing New Scaffolding Designs
Builders, carpenters, painters, electricians and specialists from a range of industries rely on scaffolding.
It is the asset that guarantees them safety and efficiency as they carry out their task.
When the moment comes to select a new brand for an environment, there are some key factors to look at.
Here is our workplace advice for commercial operators looking for a brand new scaffold model to utilise on site.
Surveying Workplace Environment Demands
Professional contractors and team members who are setting their sights on these utilities need to recognise what kind of environment they are working in. Whether it is tight and confined to large and open, there will be scope for supported, suspended and aerial lifted models. This may point towards modular brands, tube couplers, H-frames, singular, double, kwikstage, cantilever, trestle or patented alternatives. It is the type of search and assessment that needs to be pre-planned and managed ahead of time to identify the best fit.
Assessing Material Options
Thankfully commercial operators don’t have to settle for a type of scaffolding that is generic and inflexible. With these different projects in mind for indoor and outdoor environments, there will be varying degrees of suitability when it comes to the material composition. Suppliers in this market will extend everything from aluminium and stainless steel to timber and bamboo. This becomes a subjective exercise for professionals who need to examine what conforms best to weight demands, to durability and overall suitability for the task at hand.
Considering Weight Loading Parameters
No matter what kind of industry that operators are based in, the entire purpose of this investment is to ensure that there is a guiding structure that supports the weight of people using the design and the materials transported across various levels. By scanning for brands, it should be transparent to see how much weight the planks are able to hold at any one time before health and safety concerns arise. Once more, it is important to reflect on those requirements before making an educated decision.
Ease of Construction & Deconstruction
The act of arriving on a workplace scene to construct scaffolding at the start of a project before taking it down at the conclusion is not a small exercise. This can take a lot of time and effort while certain risks are involved regarding potential accidents. Before agreeing to terms on a utility, it is helpful to know how these structures operate from a logistical point of view and if they are easy or challenging to erect and dismantle, particularly for small business operators who switch from one site to the next with high frequency.
Setting a Budget
The best approach for commercial clients to take with these scaffold designs is to ask for quotes from outlets and to read over price lists. If an outright purchase appears too extensive, then a short-term lease or rental may be required. Others eager to secure their own investment need to see where the value is located and who offers the best return for their expenditure.
Taking Note of Industry Reviews & Referrals
With the available evidence pointing towards certain models in the market, it is beneficial for contractors to receive background information on various suppliers and brands. Who enjoys the best accolades from members? What do the 5-star ratings systems say about reliability for indoor and outdoor project spaces? What do they say is the best value for money? From online to offline case studies, gather data about scaffold quality to pinpoint the ideal model.
