Safety Tips You Should Know About Using scaffolding

When it comes to hiring scaffolding, safety is everything. Scaffolding is an important tool used in building construction, repairs and renovation. The tool helps the workers to easily access a part of a building and allows them to move freely to accomplish their tasks. Even though it is easy to buy a scaffolding, it is more cost effective to hire one. Most construction companies see hiring a scaffolding as a better option than buying one. If you want to rent a scaffolding, you can look around your area for a scaffolding hire company. When using scaffolding, you need to be careful so that you don't slip or fall. Here are some safety tips you should know about using scaffolding equipment: 

Wear a safety helmet

For high rise building constructions where scaffolding is used, you need to wear a safety helmet to avoid any potential injury or accident. Although all construction workers always wear a safety helmet, it is very important that it should not be removed at any point, especially when you are on the scaffold. It is a general safety guideline to avoid getting struck in the head by any falling object or if you mistakenly hit your head against any object.

Supervise the scaffolding installation

It is very important to make sure that the scaffolding is properly installed. You should get an expert or experienced construction foreman to supervise the overall installation of the scaffold. Such expert should be knowledgeable in installing scaffolding and should know the technical and safety procedures of the installation. Once installed, it should be inspected for stability and the inspector should make sure that he wears a protective helmet on his head. After it has been fully erected with proper access and guardrails, it should be inspected again.

Don't overload the scaffold

Scaffolds have a certain amount of weight load that it can hold up. Although, it can hold up four times its proposed weight load, getting it to hold more could be dangerous. Such weight will make it unstable and anyone can fall from it. You must ensure that the loads are kept to a minimum. You should always make sure that the boards and guardrails on the scaffolds are in place. They must be stable and adequate enough to keep the workers from falling or slipping. Do not stretch or climb the scaffolding, it always comes with a ladder that you should use for climbing. At no point in time should the scaffolding be overcrowded with people, equipment or materials for the building construction.

If there is any incomplete scaffolding, a warning notice should be placed there to alert anyone who wants to climb it.