Crippled Scaffolders

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XxIANxX

Guest
I know of half a dozen lads that are extremely bad on their legs due to arthritis bought on through the nature of the scaffolding industry. So how many companies are monitoring their employees health and how many more scaffolders will the introduction of the scaff step cripple
 
must be fair to cape here. i had a very bad accident offshore about 2 years back which kept me out for 7 months and cape done all they could to help me back to work. but i think you will only get this kind of care with the bigger firms...i have worked for many scaffold firms i and i know for a fact that that with many of them the p45 would have been through the door before i was out of hospital.
 
Most firms dont give 2 f.cks about your health,just your workrate,think nowadays were seen as numbers and not individuals,all off us are thought of as replaceable..
 
XxIANxX said:
I know of half a dozen lads that are extremely bad on their legs due to arthritis bought on through the nature of the scaffolding industry. So how many companies are monitoring their employees health and how many more scaffolders will the introduction of the scaff step cripple
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not many mate most dont give a monkeys the heath issues ive got through scaffolding will be brought up in court if this ecitb ticket dont get sorted
i think your knee caps suffer more as for your back and neck that comes
free lol.
 
XxIANxX said:
I know of half a dozen lads that are extremely bad on their legs due to arthritis bought on through the nature of the scaffolding industry. So how many companies are monitoring their employees health and how many more scaffolders will the introduction of the scaff step cripple
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Arthritris in the wrists, wear and tear over the years twirling a spanner.
 
Good point Ian and one I have pondered many times but alas no solutions as yet. As many on here I know come with many knots, aches and pains mainly from my back but luckily we have a magician of a chiropractor who lives locally who can chuck the biggest of men round her surgery and you leave feeling like a teenager again. The problem is Ian, I would love to send all the boy's for a few sessions but the fear is I am already admitting to doing something wrong by doing this. The result, I am no different from any other firm and currently hiding behind manual handling training and tool box talks.
 
brandy said:
Arthritris in the wrists, wear and tear over the years twirling a spanner.
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Used to get loads of problems with the wrist, now I have two different weighted spanners. Change them every month or so & not too bad now!!

Ragscaff
 
ragscaff said:
Used to get loads of problems with the wrist, now I have two different weighted spanners. Change them every month or so & not too bad now!!

Ragscaff
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Have'nt tried that, will give it a go, but lately I think it's getting into my arms. bit of a wreck.
 
XxIANxX said:
I know of half a dozen lads that are extremely bad on their legs due to arthritis bought on through the nature of the scaffolding industry. So how many companies are monitoring their employees health and how many more scaffolders will the introduction of the scaff step cripple
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Has the scaff step been proved that it will ''cripple'' us scaffolders ??
Because if going up 3 steps and down 3 steps is going to ''cripple'' us then how do companies sell these ??!!lol http://www.fitnesshealthzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/stair-master-free-climber.jpg

What needs to happen is to gradually change to light guage tube ,the step has nothing to do with it what's next a complete ban on ladders going through the lift ?
 
XxIANxX said:
So how many companies are monitoring their employees health and how many more scaffolders will the introduction of the scaff step cripple
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:laugh:

Fair dos. I am still laughing at that post and I first read it half an hour ago.

What a load of total codswallop! I'll bet you walk up 10 x more steps in your average day than you would up a Scaffstep and yet it's the Scaffstep that's likely to cause injury???

You know, I am beginning to think this forum is all about griping about everything and anything at every opportunity.

Health Surveillance is a legal requirement and is most often seen for certain COSHH substances and work with lead and asbestos. (You must also be fit to work at height and some companies carry out WAH medicals). Good employers do this. I know, I see it.

Surveillance for the use of a Scaffstep?

Give me a break.
 
thefatguy said:
:laugh:

Fair dos. I am still laughing at that post and I first read it half an hour ago.

What a load of total codswallop! I'll bet you walk up 10 x more steps in your average day than you would up a Scaffstep and yet it's the Scaffstep that's likely to cause injury???

You know, I am beginning to think this forum is all about griping about everything and anything at every opportunity.

Health Surveillance is a legal requirement and is most often seen for certain COSHH substances and work with lead and asbestos. (You must also be fit to work at height and some companies carry out WAH medicals). Good employers do this. I know, I see it.

Surveillance for the use of a Scaffstep?

Give me a break.
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.

You've edited out half the original post, where do I mention H&S for the scaff step . Maybe if you read it again it might sink in:rolleyes:
 
XxIANxX said:
I know of half a dozen lads that are extremely bad on their legs due to arthritis bought on through the nature of the scaffolding industry. So how many companies are monitoring their employees health and how many more scaffolders will the introduction of the scaff step cripple
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Ian, it's all there now.

How will the Scaffstep contribute towards crippling people?

Sorry. I just don't even begin to get it.

Construction workers (including Scaffs) will, inevitably, sucumb to the lifetime of manual graft their body has been subject to, but to suggest that the Scaffolder's step will 'cripple' is well off the mark.

An increased risk of manual handling injury maybe, but crippling people through it's use? As Harry Hill would say, 'MMMM, not sure'.
 
handbags on a monday think you boys wana get the spanners on for a couple of months
might do ya good lol!!!!!!!!
 
What about the older guys starting to use them. I've been on site last week using one. Twenty years stood on my feet, now having to step up & down. When you go up a ladder you climb then walk. The step up is repetative.

I know my old knees wont cope especially wearing all the s**t we have to.

Someone once upon a time thought the harness was great until they woke up & realised it was a very short term solution.

What trials were done & how long?

Are the step ups without the ladder going to be banned or are you happy with steping that distance all day long carrying out the job you know. I too feel that this action of stepping that distance is wrong, in the distance & the posture of the lower back. Hemping at that height over the handrail or ledger can not be within the lifting regs!

Also you state that working off ladders is not an issue, then why do you have restictions on this then?

Do all scaffolders over 35 have to go to the ECITB Island & get forgotten about!!

I would say Mr Fat guy you have not worn a spanner for a long time :notrust:


Ragscaff
 
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ragscaff said:
What about the older guys starting to use them. I've been on site last week using one. Twenty years stood on my feet, now having to step up & down. When you go up a ladder you climb then walk. The step up is repetative.

I know my old knees wont cope especially wearing all the s**t we have to.

Someone once upon a time thought the harness was great until they woke up & realised it was a very short term solution.

What trials were done & how long?

Are the step ups without the ladder going to be banned or are you happy with steping that distance all day long carrying out the job you know. I too feel that this action of stepping that distance is wrong, in the distance & the posture of the lower back. Hemping at that height over the handrail or ledger can not be within the lifting regs!

Also you state that working off ladders is not an issue, then why do you have restictions on this then?

Do all scaffolders over 35 have to go to the ECITB Island & get forgotten about!!

I would say Mr Fat guy you have not worn a spanner for a long time :notrust:


Ragscaff
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Ragscaff,

Repetitive injury is associated with the upper body - I don't want to bore you with the detail - but suffice to say I think you would be a world medical first if you got what used to be called RSI in your feet!:smile1:

No-one I know in the industry will attempt to say that the we has a perfect system of work, so you may have to do things occasionally you believe to be imperfect. It's about gradual improvement, changing attitudes, persuading people that there is a better way.

A perfect system of work would be one that meant fall protection equipment wasn't required, i.e. erecting in half lifts, with all lifts double guardrailed and toeboarded. I don't advocate the use of any such method, but there are non-scaffolding safety people out there that think that's what we should be doing. Imagine that, lamenting the day when all you had to do was to use a Scaffstep!!! Fighting or opposing these steps now will mean the HSE makes these decisions on the industry's behalf. Not in your interests. Not in mine.

I can't find where I said working off a ladder was acceptable -can you quote that for me please?:wondering:

Don't get me started on the ECITB again. The assessed route was the perfect opportunity for blokes like you to get into the CISRS. The fact that your employers missed the boat is criminal. I see misdirected frustration and anger on here all the time - surely it''s the employers that wouldn't cough up a measly £700 or so that you should be angry with!?

And finally. I suppose the name gives away the fact that I no longer twirl a spanner. (Ex-colleagues would say I never did!) :bigsmile: I have though been continually employed in the industry since the day I first set foot in the yard and I like to think I am as practcially minded as anybody. I am a stickler by no means but I do know that one scaffolding fatality per year is one too many and if doing things differently changes that then happy days!
 
Climbing up a ladder and carrying out heavy duty work off a step ladder are two seperate things. Maybe you should read this from the HSE
Stepladders
Before use
Before you use a stepladder, first ask yourself: am I fit to work at height? Then think about the condition and the position of the ladder.

A stepladder in good condition has:

Feet firmly attached
Clean treads
Secure locking devices
Secure fastenings when it is extended
A stepladder in a good position:

Is fully open
Is locked into place
Will not move at the bottom. See good practice in pictures[1]
Stands on a surface that is:
firm
level (see the diagrams below for safe limits on slopes)
clear
dry
not slippery
In use
Only work on a stepladder for a maximum of 15 - 30 minutes at a time
Only carry light materials and tools (up to 10 kg)
Do not overreach - make sure your belt buckle (navel) stays within the stiles
Keep both feet on the same rung or step throughout the task
Make sure you have a safe handhold available on the steps
Avoid side-on working, see good practice in pictures[2]

So the step ladder needs to be on a dry surface , no good in the rain then
Only carry light materials or tool upto 10kg , no good if you want to fix a 26 kg 21 ft tube in place and so on and so on
 
Ian, right and wrong.

You can pick holes in the current methods of work, of course you can. Why? Because as I said earlier in the thread, the system of work isn't perfect. However, it was designed by (world renowned) scaffold industry-based people with the best interests of the industry at heart. Add to this the backdrop of pressure from the HSE who would ideally want to see full compliance with WAHR 2005 and I don't think we have done so badly.

Talking of ladder use etc - the HSE's guide is just that - a guide! If you can justify anything you are doing by way of risk assessment and the assessment is suitable and sufficient (not my words!) then you are generally good to go. Every HSE Inspector I have met would be happy with adherence to industry standards even if there was arguably the odd conflict with legal requirements (WAHR!) and their own guidance. (INDG 402)

You talk of rain - if the step is slippery when wet then perhaps you shouldn't be using it. If, however the surface has some form of anti-slip surface (the ones I have seen all do!) then this will negate the effects of rain. Icy surfaces? Well that's a different matter and is the same as working on an icy or snow-covered lift or even walking on an acy footpath at whilst at work.
 
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