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XxIANxX said:
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

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Heres the HSE guide to the use of step ladders (lets face it thats what the scaff step is)
1 Only carry light materials and tools (up to 10 kg)
2 Do not overreach - make sure your belt buckle (navel) stays within the stiles

A couple more issues to think about
Click to expand...

What a load of .........

A couple of notes ''Only work on a stepladder for a maximum of 15 - 30 minutes at a time'' how long to put a double on and fix the hand rail ? as mentioned in other threads it is the lesser of 2 evils .If you can't work safely on one of them steps then lets have it right you shouldn't be scaffolding, should you xxianxx ?

Before you use a stepladder, first ask yourself: am I fit to work at height? this is barrel scraping xxianxx look at the other options how bad are they ?? this option has been adopted by many so what's the greivence ?
 
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RedViking said:
What a load of .........

one of notes ''Only work on a stepladder for a maximum of 15 - 30 minutes at a time'' how to put a double on and fix the hand rail ? as mentioned in other threads it is the lesser of 2 evils .If you can't work safely on one of them steps then lets have it right you shouldn't be scaffolding, should you xxianxx ?
Click to expand...

That was not one of the formentioned clever boy. The arguament is that the scaff step doesn't eliminate the risk of falls from height . Keep Up :rolleyes:

These were the points made

Heres the HSE guide to the use of step ladders (lets face it thats what the scaff step is)
1 Only carry light materials and tools (up to 10 kg)
2 Do not overreach - make sure your belt buckle (navel) stays within the stiles
 
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XxIANxX said:
Oh and you can still fall backwards off the scaff step so the handrail is not really collective fall prevention:D
Click to expand...

Ian, doesn't the inside ledger act as your inside handrail when stood on the step? i know its not ideal when stood on a 500mm platform but it is stil there for if you overbalance?

if you are erecting a scaffold thats five boards wide and you have the four boards on to work off, you have the sg4 handrail in place, from the inside of your scaffolders platform you have your inside standards and then atleast a 225mm gap where your inside board would be? surely there should be some form of collective fall equipment for that or is the wall classed as that?

any thoughts??
 
TomP said:
Ian, doesn't the inside ledger act as your inside handrail when stood on the step? i know its not ideal when stood on a 500mm platform but it is stil there for if you overbalance?

if you are erecting a scaffold thats five boards wide and you have the four boards on to work off, you have the sg4 handrail in place, from the inside of your scaffolders platform you have your inside standards and then atleast a 225mm gap where your inside board would be? surely there should be some form of collective fall equipment for that or is the wall classed as that?

any thoughts??
Click to expand...

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But Tom theres still the possibility of falling from the step onto the boarded lift so you still have te possibility of a fall from height .
 
Its pointless having 4 or even 5 boards because if you have 2 inside boards you still going down when you step back off the step is what I can see here
 
XxIANxX said:
That was not one of the formentioned clever boy. The arguament is that the scaff step doesn't eliminate the risk of falls from height . Keep Up :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Boy ??? I will put that on the back burner for another day .
Ok here goes ,I work for one of largest scaffold companies in the UK in my mind the best they promote SHEQ in a very proactive way, such as myself and my gang opt to eliminate the risk of falling off the scaff step by way of a transom either side of your hips and here is the good bit choice of 2, run a tube on top of the transoms in the middle of your independent to rest you back on or because we board out from below a 3 board run down for a 5 wide independent and so on for wider/narrower jobs .
I hope this infomation helps other scaffolders.
 
XxIANxX said:
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But Tom theres still the possibility of falling from the step onto the boarded lift so you still have te possibility of a fall from height .
Click to expand...

yeah i agree, we have adopted these steps and i have to agree they do take some getting used to. i also agree there is the risk of the fall however, for the limited time that you are on them (and presumably clipped on) is this risk for want of a better word negligable?

dont hang me for that but as most scaffolders including trainees will be used to working on a scaffolders platform and working at heights so its prob the best answer for the smaller firms who cant afford to throw loads more money into the firm when they are making ends meet.

Its the old risk assessment scenario isnt it, cost, time and consequence?
 
RedViking said:
Boy ??? I will put that on the back burner for another day .
Ok here goes ,I work for one of largest scaffold companies in the UK in my mind the best they promote SHEQ in a very proactive way, such as myself and my gang opt to eliminate the risk of falling off the scaff step by way of a transom either side of your hips and here is the good bit choice of 2, run a tube on top of the transoms in the middle of your independent to rest you back on or because we board out from below a 3 board run down for a 5 wide independent and so on for wider/narrower jobs .
I hope this infomation helps other scaffolders.
Click to expand...

.
Sarcasm works both ways:toung: But what about the 2 points I actually made. 10kg and over reaching
 
double arm said:
Its pointless having 4 or even 5 boards because if you have 2 inside boards you still going down when you step back off the step is what I can see here
Click to expand...

Thats what i said, is the wall collective fall prevention? ha ha!:D

---------- Post added at 10:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:38 PM ----------
RedViking said:
Boy ??? I will put that on the back burner for another day .
Ok here goes ,I work for one of largest scaffold companies in the UK in my mind the best they promote SHEQ in a very proactive way, such as myself and my gang opt to eliminate the risk of falling off the scaff step by way of a transom either side of your hips and here is the good bit choice of 2, run a tube on top of the transoms in the middle of your independent to rest you back on or because we board out from below a 3 board run down for a 5 wide independent and so on for wider/narrower jobs .
I hope this infomation helps other scaffolders.
Click to expand...

Yeah Red thats what we tend to do now lift a couple of boards then you can lean on them, scaffolding is changing and its the thinkin scaffs who adapt and rise to the top!
 
TomP said:
Thats what i said, is the wall collective fall prevention? ha ha!:D

---------- Post added at 10:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:38 PM ----------



Yeah Red thats what we tend to do now lift a couple of boards then you can lean on them, scaffolding is changing and its the thinkin scaffs who adapt and rise to the top!
Click to expand...

To the top not sideways into H&S.:cry:
 
TomP said:
yeah i agree, we have adopted these steps and i have to agree they do take some getting used to. i also agree there is the risk of the fall however, for the limited time that you are on them (and presumably clipped on) is this risk for want of a better word negligable?

dont hang me for that but as most scaffolders including trainees will be used to working on a scaffolders platform and working at heights so its prob the best answer for the smaller firms who cant afford to throw loads more money into the firm when they are making ends meet.

Its the old risk assessment scenario isnt it, cost, time and consequence?
Click to expand...

.
The fact that there are systems out there that eliminate the risk of falls from height , you would have to ask the question as to if the scaff step is the best option .
 
nice thinking on the trannies either side i have tended to leave them out to make it easier to get up, but nine times out of ten your on the standard and prob 900mm to the next if you split the 2m bays with in the middle!
 
XxIANxX said:
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Sarcasm works both ways:toung: But what about the 2 points I actually made. 10kg and over reaching
Click to expand...

Overreaching ? when was the last time you had to undersling a ledger an a cantilever ? It is scaffolding Ian a hard physical , mentally demanding job , like replying to your comments !!!
 
XxIANxX said:
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The fact that there are systems out there that eliminate the risk of falls from height , you would have to ask the question as to if the scaff step is the best option .
Click to expand...

after seeing the vid on the other link i would say prob not with the climbing and stuff, but again it comes down to what the company can pay? if you have hundreds of jobs going up at the same time can you afford to have the advanced guardrail?

i think for the time being this prob is the cost vs risk acceptable solution.
 
Who thinks this thread may overtake the Ecitb one. Let's be honest we all have a view and it can only improve what we do
 
great ideas are spawned from off the cuff comments, so with the knowledge of the scaffolders and the training providers and you guys who do the SG and TG stuff surely things have got to be easier.

Its more of an issue for me that unless you are in NASC you tend to struggle to get the information, i mean i was told the other day by a certain manager that the steps wont be in for a couple of years!
 
simian said:
I was with Rick on Tuesday discussing this and we both agreed 80% of our clients have adopted the step. My personal feelings is ownership and cost is the reason.

Maybe the B Safe is an option or the push along horizontal rail that everyone has forgotten about, you already own that.

Next the issues regarding steps and HSE Riddor information, the HSE sits on the SG4 working party and they are aware of injuries and incidents regarding ladders and i am sure if they thought it was a problem they would have addressed it. Again they are one of numerous methods of erecting safely. A book by the NASC has to be impartial showing all options, if you have a problem with the step consult your employer and explain the other products on offer and write to the NASC and HSE with your concerns. All the letters received are read out and answered.

As with SG4 its not written in a dark room and just brought out on the day, it has to go through the health and safety committee, the officers, the HSE and all of the membership at the September regional meetings. In October representatives of the SCCR/Scaffolders forum had a briefing.

The step is not collective protection, the handrail is when you are stood on it and you are clipped on. As for scaffolders knees and long term ailments i would say it was too early to say what it can do. If its measured and reported correctly then it may be removed from the next revision however evidence will be needed to support this.

Lastly i am a scaffolder and i have been through the days of wearing a harness will make me sterile and damage my circulation, wearing safety glasses will damage my eyes. I would advise any of my clients to go and have a benchmark medical prior to working with the step and have another in 4 years to check for deteriation otherwise we will go round in circles for years.

Ian
Click to expand...



My worry with all this is asbestos was accepted once! Look what happened then.

Should be O.K. is not an option, the user should have been put first in the design. I am 46 & will not be able to use the step up without the ladder. I am not about to pull one round with a ladder attached.

Advanced tunneling is the only safe productive way to go with this. You can hemp from the boarded lift to the edge of your temp rail at the correct angle so not to have the danger of lossing this forward.

This is not a strength test, you should not hemp over anything!! The bulk of work I undertake is price work & the method above allows me do try & pay my rent!

Ragscaff
 
The bulk of work I undertake is price work & the method above allows me do try & pay my rent!

didnt you mean the mortgage on the castle overlooking the eden project..lol.
 
simian said:
Who thinks this thread may overtake the Ecitb one. Let's be honest we all have a view and it can only improve what we do
Click to expand...

I think that your in for hard task in beating the ECITB thread Ian and simon but surely what is your thoughts not being CISRS biased on how these guys should be helped and assessed. Afterall it is demeening that a scaffolder who has been scaffolding 20-30 years should be sent back to do a part 1 ( which actually is A introdution to basic scaffolding)

We know what Daves approach to situation is which I carnt fault him for that as his job is to generate as much revenue for CISRS (thats his job afterall).

Afterall if a major player (such as yourselves) was to help in some way then think of the revenue that would bring in for yourselves..
 
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