Scaffolding can be dangerous work for industry professionals. Intimidating heights, long hours, and heavy materials all contribute to the risky nature of the job. Luckily, the industry has a number of standards in place to protect against injury and fatal falls.
A study from the NASC Safety Report shows that injury, falls from a great height, and fatal falls are at an all-time low:
“The number of accidents and injuries recorded by NASC members fell to an all-time low in 2017, with just 89 incidences occurring on-site throughout the year. The NASC Safety Report reveals there were just 17 major injuries recorded in 2017, down 37% from 27 in 2016, and 89 incidences in total, down from 96 in 2016. There was also a 46% reduction in falls from height and 36% reduction in manual handling injuries year-on-year. Additionally, no members of the public were injured around NASC member scaffolds in 2017.”
While the study is now somewhat dated, the results helped shaped industry standards today. How can we continue to make scaffolding safer? In this post, we explore the top 4 ways we can make scaffolding work safer.
Health and Safety Training: Ensuring Teams Have the Knowledge and Practical Know-How
The most responsible scaffolding firms ensure that all of their staff members are trained in the right safety rules and regulations, and have sound knowledge of how to work with scaffolding safely - as well as training in how to handle any issues that may arise.
All of our staff at Cambridge Scaffolding are fully Health & Safety trained, with full knowledge of how to safely use scaffolding materials and expertise in how to handle a crisis.
Use Safety Gear
Scaffolding teams should always come well prepared with the correct safety gear: helmets and harnesses should be used by every worker to prevent injury. In addition, safety ropes can also be used by workers and can secure pieces of scaffolding or other gear.
Go for Team Players
Scaffolding is all about teamwork. The right team of scaffolding professionals will be mindful of the roles, positions, and experience of their fellow team members and know how to listen to and support those they are working with to get the job done.
Head-strong workers may not think through their work, take directions well, or be mindful of the needs and experience of their team members. Team players look out for team members and work together to ensure work is undertaken to the best of their ability.
Understand Weight Controls
Scaffolding is limited by different weight capacities. Some teams may take a relaxed approach to weight capacity and can overload their structures. This is highly dangerous. A safety-focused team will always take the weight capacity of each scaffolding structure into account and monitor it carefully to ensure that structures are never overloaded.
Safety and Scaffolding
Scaffolding safety is composed of various elements, such as the right attitude and knowledge of the team, as well as the correct gear. As such, the best scaffolding teams take a holistic approach to scaffolding safety.
Cambridge Scaffolding prides itself on a fully-trained, responsible, and experienced team. To find out more about us, click here.