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TOPICS COVERED
- INTRODUCTION TO SCAFFOLDING
- TYPES OF SCAFFOLDS
- MATERIAL FAMILIRISATION
- TOOLS REQUIRED
- SAFETY WHILE WORKING
- TERMINOLOGIES
- LIGHT DUTY ACCESS TOWERS
- PRACTICALS

WHAT IS SCAFFOLD?
Scaffold is a temporary structure that
provides access, or from which
persons work, or that is used to
support materials, plant or
equipment.

Relevant Standard: BS 5973-1993

BS EN 12811-1(Temporary Work Equipment. Part 1
Scaffolds – Performance Requirements and General Design)

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Where work cannot be safely done from
the ground or from part of a building or
other permanent structure there shall be
provided either scaffolding or where
appropriate ladders or other means of
support, all of which shall be sufficient
and suitable for the purpose. And where
reasonably practicable, be suitable and
sufficient to provide safe access to and
egress from every working place.

Scaffold shall be erected by trained

scaffolders or other competent
persons possessing adequate
experience of such work.

All material for any scaffold shall be inspected

before use , by a competent person. Materials used
shall be of suitable quality and good condition, and
they shall be free from patent defect likely affect
their strength materially. Items not meeting the
standard to be discarded.

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 SCAFFOLDING
COMPONENTS

SCAFFOLD TUBES
 Tubes should be manufactured and tested in
accordance with BS 1139 Part 1
‘Specification for tubes for use in
scaffolding’
 Three main types of tube are in common use
through the scaffold construction:
 Black steel tubes
 Galvanized steel tubes
 Aluminum alloy tubes

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Scaffold tubes cont.

 Both black steel and galvanized steel

tubes possess the same properties,
except galvanized tubes are more
resistant to corrosion. These common
properties are:
• Outside diameter 48.3 mm
• Nominal wall thickness 4.0 mm
• Weight, approx 4.5 kg/m

TUBES
ACCORDING
TO BS 1139-1
GALVANISED
DIA – 48.3 mm
WALL – 4.0 mm
LENGTH – 6.3 m
WT – 4.5 kg/m

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 Tubes cont. Aluminum tube
 Aluminum tube has the same diameter as steel,
but is slightly thicker and much lighter. It is
more flexible than steel and not as strong.
• Outside diameter 48.3 mm
• Nominal wall thickness 4.47 mm
• Weight 1.67 kg/m
Aluminum tube is tempered using heat during
manufacture. Any further heat applied to the
tube may weaken it.

Repair of Tubes
Corroded tubes should be cleaned with a
wire brush and the extent of damage
assessed by a competent and experienced
examiner. Bent steel tubes may be
straightened using a rolling machine, but
bent aluminum tube should be thrown
out. Repairing scaffold tubes is a skilled
job and must only be undertaken by
specialists.

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 Tubes cont. Inspection
The ability of a scaffold to carry it’s load is
largely dependent on the strength and
condition of the of the tubes used in
construction. Consequently, tubes must be
checked to ensure they are:
 Straight
 Free from cracks, splits, bad dents and
excessive corrosion
 Cut square and clean each end

TUBES Storage
Scaffold tubes are generally supplied in
lengths of 6.3 m. Shorter tubes are
available from stock; for example,
transoms of 1.5 m and 1.8 m length.
Whenever possible tubes should be sorted
according to length and stored in racks with
Their ends flush. This make it easier to
identify and select tubes of the required
length.

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 TUBES
DAMAGES THAT CAN HAPPEN
TO TUBE DUE TO MISUSE

BOARDS
WHITE WOOD
ACCORDING TO
BS 2482
WIDTH – 225 mm
THICK – 38 mm
LENGTH – 3.9 m

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 BOARDS
MAXIMUM BOARD LENGTH – 3.9 m
SHORTER BOARDS ARE ALSO
AVAILABLE.

BOARDS CAN BE CUT USING A

HAND SAWACCORDING TO
SPECIFIC SITE REQUIREMENTS

BOARDS
OTHER BOARDS AVIALBLE

50 mm THICK x 225 mm WIDE

63 mm THICK x 225 mm WIDE

25 mm THICK x 150 mm WIDE FOR

TOE BOARDS

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 BOARDS
DAMAGES THAT CAN HAPPEN
TO BOARDS

BASE PLATE
BASE PLATE

STEEL
WIDTH – 150 mm
LENGTH – 150 mm
THICK – 4 mm

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 BASE PLATE
ALL VERTICAL
MEMBERS
SHOULD
HAVE A BASE
PLATE.
BASE PLATE
SPREADS
THE LOAD TO A
LARGER AREA

COUPLERS / FITTINGS

TO CONNECT / JOINT PIPES

TO FIX BOARDS

TO FIX LADDER

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 RIGHT ANGLE COUPLER
(DOUBLE COUPLER)
A COUPLER USED TO JOIN TUBES AT
RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER

BS 5973 (1993)
Ref BS 1139 Part 2
(1993)

Minimum SWL (SLIP

ALONG TUBE) – 6.3
kN (635 kg)

SWIVEL COUPLER
A COUPLER USED TO JOINING TUBES AT
VERYING ANGLES OTHER THAN RIGHT
ANGLE
SWL (SLIP ALONG TUBE) – 5.3 kN (535 kg)

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 GIRDER COUPLER
(BEAM CLAMP)
FOR CONNECTING SCAFFOLD TUBES TO
RSJs. UNITS MUST BE USED IN PAIRS.
LOADING REFER TO MANUFACTURER’S
RECOMMENDATIONS. NORMALLY USED FOR
SLUNG SCAFFOLDS.

PUTLOG COUPLER
(SINGLE COUPLER)

A coupler used for fixing a putlog or

transom to a ledger.

BS 5973 (1993)
Ref BS 1139 PART 2
(1991)
Minimum slip resistance 1.2 kN
SWL 0.53 kN

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BOARD CLIPS
A clip for fixing toe board
to a scaffold tube

BOARD CLIPS
A clip for fixing a platform
board to a scaffold tube

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 SLEEVE COUPLER
An external coupler
used to join tubes in
length.
Standards not in the same
level.
Ledgers not in the same bay.
Minimum(Tensional)
(Class A) SWL 1.5 kN
(Class B) SWL 3.0 kN

JOINT PIN
An expanding fitting placed in
the bore of a tube to connect
one tube to another coaxially.
Has no slip resistance

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LADDER CLAMP
Used to fix ladder to a pipe

LADDERS
Access to the scaffold

Commonly Aluminum
6.0 m and shorter
75 Degree, 4:1 ratio
1 m above platform
Adequately supported

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 GIN WHEEL

Used for raising and lowering components

and materials to a scaffold structure.
SWL stamped on the frame.
18 mm dia. rope to used

CASTOR WHEEL

Used for making mobile scaffolds

Should be erected on hard level ground
only, Ex: concrete ground.
SWL identified on frame of wheel

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DIFFERENT TYPES
OF SCAFFOLDS

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 Freestanding scaffold
Free standing structures which are
self-supporting and do not depend
totally on other structures for their
rigidity or stability. Three classes of
these structures are generally
recognized:

Free standing scaffold cont.

1. Light Duty Access Towers
Stationary and mobile for use inside buildings
(Imposed load not greater than 1.5 kN/m2)
2. Light Duty Access Towers
Stationary and mobile for in the open
(Imposed load not greater than 1.5 kN/m2)
3. Heavy Duty Towers
These are always built to design details.

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 TOWERS

FREE STANDING TOWERS

Ground should be level and suitable to erect
the scaffold.

Maximum bay length – 2.7 m

Min. Width – 1.2 m

STABILITY
Max height (outside) (inside)
Mobile – 3xW 3.5 x W
Stationary – 3.5 x W 4xW

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 FREE STANDING TOWERS

Bracing – On all sides on all lifts.

Plan brace on every alternate lift
starting at base lift

FREE STANDING TOWERS

Always try to lower or hoist

materials in side the tower to avoid
any overturning of the structure

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 FREE STANDING TOWERS

Access – by ladder on
small side in side tower

Should extend 1.0 m

above platform

Adequately tied

Mobile Towers Only.

Joints in standards should only be made
with sleeve or parallel couplers.
Wheels or castors not less than 125 mm
in diameter and fitted with brakes
which cannot be released accidentally,
should be locked into the base of the
standards. The safe working load
should be marked on the castor wheel.

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 Independent Tied
Scaffolds
A scaffold, which has two lines of
standards one line supporting the
outside of deck and one the inside.

INDEPENDENT TIED

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 Putlog Scaffold

A scaffold which has one line of

standards to support the outside
edge of the deck and utilizes the
wall being built or the; building to
support the inside edges

PUTLOG SCAFFOLD

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 Slung scaffold

A scaffold hanging on tubes,

ropes or chains from a structure
overhead. It is not capable of
being moved or lowered

HANGING (SLUNG)

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BIRD CAGE

CANTILEVER

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TOOLS
Box Spanner
Normal size – 21 mm
Spirit Level
With magnetic base

Hammer

Tape measure

SAFETY

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 SAFETY GEAR
Full Body Safety
Harness with
double lanyard

A tool pouch is
recommended to
avoid any dropped
objects

SAFETY GEAR
All other PPE is required as well

Overalls
Helmets
Safety Glass
Safety Shoes
Gloves
Any other site specific if required

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SAFETY AT WORK
Use full body safety harness with double
lanyard properly. Anchor in a suitable
place above shoulder level as far as
possible.

Most of the accidents happen while

moving from one place to other. Never
remove both lanyards from the anchoring
point simultaneously.

SAFETY AT WORK
Never through couplers, fittings &
materials. Always lift or lower using
suitable material bag, rope and gin wheel if
required.

Secure all tools to avoid any dropped

objects

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 SAFETY AT WORK
Use minimum three boards for temporary
platforms with correct spacing of transoms.
Temporary boards should be secured
properly.

Use the aid of near by structure or other

person to stand up long tubes and ladders.

SAFETY AT WORK
Install scafftag with “Do Not Use Scaffold”
during erection, modification and dismantling
to warn others

Inform scaffold inspector to

carry out inspection after erection
is complete.

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SAFETY AT WORK
Proper manual handling techniques should
be used to avoid any back injuries

WRONG CORRECT

TERMINOLOGY

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 SOLE BOARD
To spread the load
Commonly two up rights on one board
Minimum 610 mm if single up right

STANDARD
Vertical up right tube
members.

Takes all the load

Should have base plate

Should be level

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 LEDGER
Horizontal tubes running parallel to
the wall

TRANSOM
A tube spanning across ledgers to
form the support for boards or units
forming the working platform or to
connect the outer standards to the
inner standards.

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 TRANSOMS
Holds both rows of standards
Supports scaffold boards (1.5 m / 1.2 m)
Overhang from end transom – 2” to 6”

BRACE
A tube placed diagonally
with respect to the
vertical or horizontal
members of a scaffold
and fixed to them to
afford stability

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 FACADE BRACE
A tube fixed to the face of the scaffold
to avoid swaying. Also called sway brace

PLAN BRACE
A brace in a horizontal plane, normally
on tower scaffolds on corner to corner
standards

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 LIFT
The assembly of ledgers and transoms
forming each horizontal level of a
scaffold.

LIFT HEIGHT
The vertical distance between two lifts
measured center to center. 2.0 m

KICKER LIFT
FOOT TIE
Lift erected near to the ground.
Approx 150 mm from ground

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 BASE LIFT
First Lift from the
Ground

Max. 2.7 m, other

consecutive lifts
Max. 2.0 m

BAY
The space between the central lines of
two adjacent standards along the face of
a scaffold.

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 BAY LENGTH
The distance between the
centers of two adjacent
standards, measured
horizontally.

SCAFFOLD WIDTH
Distance between standards measured at
shortest point. (Board width)
Tied Scaffold
600 mm or 3 boards
Free standing scaffolds
1200 mm or 5 boards

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 HEIGHT
The height measured from the
foundation to the top assembly of
ledgers and transoms.

50 m un-sheeted & tied

25 m sheeted & tied

LENGTH
The length of a scaffold
between extreme
standards, sometime
designated by the
number of bays.

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 GUARD RAIL
A member incorporated in a structure to
prevent the fall of a person from a
platform or access way
470 mm max

1150 mm

150 mm

END GUARDRAIL
A guardrail placed across the end of a
scaffold or used to isolate an un
boarded part

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 TOE BOARD
An up stand at the edge of a platform
intended to prevent materials or
operatives feet from slipping off the
platform.

Min. 150 mm
Normally 225 mm

BRICK GUARD
A metal or other fender filling the
gap between the guardrail and toe
board and sometimes incorporating
one or both of these
components

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WORKING PLATFORM
The deck from which work is being
carried out. Should be close boarded

TOWER SCAFFOLDS

LIGHT DUTY
ACCESS
(1.5 kN/m2)

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 FREE STANDING
TOWERS
MOBILE STATIONARY

TOWERS ERECTION SEQUENCE

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TOWERS ERECTION SEQUENCE

TOWERS ERECTION SEQUENCE

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TOWERS ERECTION SEQUENCE

TIES
When towers exceeds the height to least
base dimension, it should be tied or
anchored at least 6.0 m or less

A tie is the components attached to an

anchorage or the building or framed
around a part of it or wedged or screwed
into it with a tie tube. Used to secure the
scaffold to the structure

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TYPES OF TIES - THROUGH

TYPES OF TIES - BOX

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TYPES OF TIES - BOX

TYPES OF TIES - LIP

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 TYPES OF TIES – SCREW/
ANCHOR
SCAFFOLD TUBE
IN SIDE

STEEL WIRE
ROPE TIED IN
EYE

TYPES OF TIES – REVEAL

NO MORE THAN 50 % OF TIES (NOT RECOMMENDED)

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 RAKER

END OF CLASS
ROOM SESSION

NOW PRACTICALS

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