bs 5973

[outward bound]

Hi ,

Can anyone tell me if any part of the old 5973 is still accepted ? or if using this guidance is totally out dated.

Thanks guys !

 

[scaffy]

believe its being retired , another thread on here somewhere

 

[XxIANxX]

BS5973 to be formally withdrawn by end of 2010
The UK scaffolding industry should be fully conforming to the European Standard BS EN12811-1:2003 by the end of 2010 rather than the withdrawn British Standard BS 5973:1993.

A recent statement from the HSE has advised the scaffolding industry that time is now running out for the continued use of BS5973:

"As from 1st January 2011 the Health and Safety Executive will no longer acknowledge BS5973:1993 as a recognised standard for the design of tube and fitting scaffolding structures"

Philip White, Chief Inspector of Construction, HSE


However, BS EN12811-1 is a performance document and does not give detailed advice on safe systems of work for erecting, altering or dismantling scaffolds when erected using tubes and fittings. To overcome this, the NASC produced TG20:08 - Technical Guidance on the use of BS EN12811-1, which has been published as a guide to good practice for scaffolding with tubes and fittings.

 

[Gary_Frank]

Spot on Ian, though it's worth mentioning that TG20:08 (which effectively replaced BS5973 in November 2008) is a design guide which offers a workable solution for BS EN12811-1 compliance for tube & fitting scaffolds within the U.K.

To ensure you are meeting the requirements under the Work At Height Regs for erecting/dismantling your scaffolds then follow SG4.

 

[Rigger]

To re state what Ian posted

Text taken from NASC website

"The UK scaffolding industry should be fully conforming to the European Standard BS EN12811-1:2003 by the end of 2010 rather than the withdrawn British Standard BS 5973:1993.

A recent statement from the HSE has advised the scaffolding industry that time is now running out for the continued use of BS5973:

"As from 1st January 2011 the Health and Safety Executive will no longer acknowledge BS5973:1993 as a recognised standard for the design of tube and fitting scaffolding structures"
Philip White, Chief Inspector of Construction, HSE

"

I obtained a copy of EN12811 around Aug 2004 and saw the shortfalls when trying to apply it to T&F Like a lot of others in the game, I said feckit until someone could give us guidance on how to apply it. We carried on with BS5973 the standard I had used for years with no prolems.

It shows to me that no consultation took place with representatives of the UK scaffold industry in its preperation and is another example of the European Parliment issuing directives that its fundamental understanding of is minimal to say the least