Setting Up the Work Area
Firstly, the work area should be clearly defined and barricaded off. Signage showing that scaffolding is being erected and is not yet safe for use should be displayed. Before you start, count and check off the various parts against a delivery docket or order to make sure that you have received the correct components.
Preparing the Foundation
Here a length of scaffold tube is being vertically lined up with the corner of the eaves. This aligns the scaffolding with the building. The parts for the first lift are laid out to roughly set up the positions of the sole plates. It’s easier to place ledgers and transoms between 2 sole plates than to measure. The sole plates are put into place. It’s important to make sure the sole plates form a firm foundation. The sole plates are leveled. This often means that the ground underneath them needs to be excavated. Use the base plate to compact down the sole plate. Now you need to check that the position of the sole plates and the base plates are correct. Careful preparation at this stage means a good foundation for the scaffold.
Erecting the First Bay
You can see how the layout of the base lift is starting to take shape. The base plates should be adjusted to compensate for uneven ground. When making adjustments to the base plates, ensure you have scope for adjustment later. Now the first Bay can be erected. Try to start at the highest point. Insert the base plates into the standards. Do this on both sides, working as a team, the standards are lifted and the transom is inserted into the lowest V connectors. Notice on the right how the standard has been rotated so the highest V connectors go along the faces of the scaffold. The standards at the other end of the Bay are then held in place and the ledgers are attached. The final transom is inserted linking the standard. This Bay is levelled using a Spirit level. The level is adjusted using the base plate adjustment. This is completed on all four sides. The distance from the building is now checked and the Bay is moved if required. If the Bay needs to be moved, use a lever to move the structure rather than manually lifting it. Often the sole plates are not in the perfect place and will need to be adjusted. You then need to check that the Bay is square. Do this by measuring the diagonal dimensions of the Bay. These measurements should be taken from the inside of each standard. An alternative method to check the square of a Bay is to see how the planks align with the transom. As you can see, in this case, the Bay needs to be adjusted. The pins and wedges are hammered into place, then the upper transom and ledgers are installed and fixed off. This is the first Bay completed. We know this Bay is level and square. The rest of the scaffold can be built off this first Bay.
Constructing Additional Bays and Platforms
The gap here allows for the hop up brackets. This is 1 type of modular scaffolding. Other systems exist such as cup lock. The rest of the bays for the first lift are now constructed. These need to be levelled and aligned with the building as you are going. If broken or damaged components are found, like this bent wedge, they should be set aside and the higher company informed about the faulty equipment. This lift is planked out to form a working platform to make it easier to add the upper ledges and transoms. An access Bay is then erected on the non-working face of the structure. A stairs system will be used inside the Bay providing easy access to the scaffold. The ground in this area is soft and a larger sole plate is used to distribute the load. The access Bay is erected in the same order as the bays in the main run. The transom is attached to a new standard and to an existing standard on the main run. Level the base plates as you go. Because of the slope on this side, the base plates need to be adjusted to quite different levels. The upper transoms and ledges for the access Bay are now assembled. At this stage, the first lift for all the bays of the main scaffolding are complete and now bracing needs to be added. The transverse braces are added to stop the scaffold distorting and swaying as each lift is added. These usually form a zigzag pattern. The braces fit more easily if two people work together to install them and the top is attached first. Transverse braces are added to the access Bay as well.
Completing the Scaffold
The stairs can now be lifted into place. These need to be carefully fitted over the transom. The area next to the stairs is then planked out. The return is constructed in the same way as the other bays. Check the level and square again. The ledges are rolled into place so the wedge drops into position. Transverse braces are added to the end of the return scaffold. The main run of the scaffold and the return are then tied together using tube scaffold and right angle couplers. The couplers are normally attached to standards. Couplers are always installed so the tube is supported by the open clamp. The tube is placed in the coupler. The couplers are then tightened. Notice how the spanner is attached with a lanyard when working at higher lifts. This means that if the scaff spanner falls out of the installer’s hand. It will not drop and put other workers at risk. The extra length of the tube is overhanging on the inside of the scaffold. Because this is not a working platform, this doesn’t create a risk. For additional strength and safety, check couplers can be used. The longitudinal braces are now added. Braces should be added to every 4th Bay. This means the gap between the braces is 3 bays. The planks from the base working platform can now be transferred to the next left to form the temporary working platform. The transom is lifted to provide headroom at the access point to the scaffold. The standards for The Next Level are now installed. Notice that when lifting the scaffolder has a straight back. The standards are passed up the right way so that they fit over the existing standard. Transoms and ledgers are put in place and act as temporary guard rails. Now all the transoms and ledgers for the next lift are added, which will be the working platform. Components should not be stored on the working platform. The main run and return need to be tied together. Bracing is added to form the zigzag pattern. The stairs are now lifted into place. The stair handrail should be bolted into place using the holes provided in the handrails and stairs. The planks can now be lifted to the next working platform. As scaffold becomes higher, it often becomes impractical to lift parts by hand, so they need to be lifted using rope. Ledges and transoms are added 500mm from the work surface to form mid-rails. Another set of ledges and transoms are added 1m from the work surface to form the final guard rail for the working platform. The tie between the return and the main run is now added. In this case, the extra length on the tube is made to hang out over the edge of the scaffold. Tow boards are installed by lifting the outer plank and rolling the tow board into place. Tow boards should be fixed to the standards using tow board clamps or wire. This needs to be completed on all ends. The steps up to their access Bay are too high to be safe and comfortable. In this case, a step will be constructed from tube couplers and a wooden plank. The tubes to support the stair are attached to the standards under the planks using couplers. The tubes need to overhang enough to accommodate the planks that will form the step. The tube at the other side is set up in the same manner. The wooden plank is then added and held in place with check couplers. This step is now at a safe height. The stairs have been installed, however, there is not enough head height. The stairs need to be repositioned. Now the problem has been solved. Form brackets or hop-ups need to be installed to allow a working platform between the scaffold and the building. First, the brackets are installed at each end of the platform. The tie bar is then installed between the brackets. The planks are added to form the platform. The platform is now safe and the guardrails and mid-rails can be removed. The scaffold is then checked. As a result of this checking, the need for a handrail to be installed at the top of the stairs became apparent.
Final Inspection and Completion
The final scaffold. The final inspection and scaffold tag needs to be completed. It’s good practice to always use high quality scaffolding material in Kolkata. Licensed scaffolder who was not involved in the installation process to complete this inspection. If everything is OK, the final parts of the tag are complete. The scaffold tag then needs to be clearly displayed at the process.
