Scaff step, safe or not?

R

ragscaff

Guest
Need the forums help.

Has anyone had an accident, incident or near miss with using the scaff step. If so let me know. If you do not wish to post it on the forum then please e-mail me at sccr@sky.com.

Also do you feel as if your body is suffering from its use. We have another meeting set up with the HSE at the end of the month with the scaff step at the top of the agenda.

Regards Stewart Quinney
SCCR Chairman
 
ragscaff said:
Need the forums help.

Has anyone had an accident, incident or near miss with using the scaff step. If so let me know. If you do not wish to post it on the forum then please e-mail me at sccr@sky.com.

Also do you feel as if your body is suffering from its use. We have another meeting set up with the HSE at the end of the month with the scaff step at the top of the agenda.

Regards Stewart Quinney
SCCR Chairman
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ive never used the step as such and i no a couple of lads working for 2 large companys how are nasc members and havent used the step yet if its anything like the picture ive seen on this forum on a thread somewhere on here it looks pathetic
 
Its not safe if Allan is about with his recip :nuts: its in trouble :toung:

I too havnt used it it, ive had hold of one thats about it, sorry no feedback ragscaff :sad:
 
put your fancy dress costume on that you had on xmas superscaff and stand on the step were get a good feeling what the steps like lmfao!!!!!!
 
Ragscaff, in our company there have been a few accidents/near misses and also injuries from straining yourself. Have had lads slip off the step when it's wet on numerous occasions. We then started using an extra front fixing hook that fixed to the ledger in front of you but that puts a lot of strain on your sides and back when fixing ledgers/standards. Standing on a plate that size isn't safe when topping out on a windy day. There have been a couple of times now where I thought "that was close" when seeing one of the lads caught by a gust of wind and almost lose his standard.
I think the scaffstep works much better with T+F and Cuplok, but with Kwikstage and especially when using Kwikguard the potential for back injury is pretty severe. When there is the slightest defect in these you have to force them into position and given that it's well above waist height, your centre of gravity, balance and back/side muscles are compromised.
 
ragscaff said:
Need the forums help.

Has anyone had an accident, incident or near miss with using the scaff step. If so let me know. If you do not wish to post it on the forum then please e-mail me at sccr@sky.com.

Also do you feel as if your body is suffering from its use. We have another meeting set up with the HSE at the end of the month with the scaff step at the top of the agenda.

Regards Stewart Quinney
SCCR Chairman
Click to expand...


No none of the above infact a couple of times it has been a god send very useful bit of kit as for the "pivot" AGR NEAR MISS galore very poor design .
My body suffers fatigue with the fittings should introduce speed thread fittings as standard as new from now on , like the ones on a mills double .
 
As someone who has used the steps a lot of times I would say that there are good and bad things about them.OK it makes you look like a pratt using them,short arse scaffs do struggle getting the handrails in,on the plus side big toppers are no longer a problem OK I know your not supposed to have high toppers but I work in the real world not the ideal scaffolding world that legislators think exists. Once you get into using the steps it's fairly quick and if that's the way ahead so be it,although I can't help feeling we are producing a generation of scaffs who have will have no bottle if you know what I mean!!
 
The problem with the speed thread was vibration tends to undo the fitting. When two tubes are under strain they twist & the larger the thread the easier it undoes. Very common on loading bay for the fittings to become undone on the puncheons.

Ragscaff
 
Bundy said:
Ragscaff, in our company there have been a few accidents/near misses and also injuries from straining yourself. Have had lads slip off the step when it's wet on numerous occasions. We then started using an extra front fixing hook that fixed to the ledger in front of you but that puts a lot of strain on your sides and back when fixing ledgers/standards. Standing on a plate that size isn't safe when topping out on a windy day. There have been a couple of times now where I thought "that was close" when seeing one of the lads caught by a gust of wind and almost lose his standard.
I think the scaffstep works much better with T+F and Cuplok, but with Kwikstage and especially when using Kwikguard the potential for back injury is pretty severe. When there is the slightest defect in these you have to force them into position and given that it's well above waist height, your centre of gravity, balance and back/side muscles are compromised.
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Should have clarified that the "extra front fixing hook" was a secondary 'lanyard' to reduce the risk of falling from the step. The problem is that it restricts your movement too much and actually makes your job MORE difficult.
 
I was at citb couple of weeks ago and they had combisafe steps which were light & easy to carry and could be used anywhere but u still had to hook on ? I find there is a lot more strain using it especially topping out and going up and down like a jack in the box.I found tunnelling better but no matter what you do safety= more time and most scaffold companies dont give you time to cope with the changes due to regs. I thought the point of sg10 was to be able to build without a harness not just more strain!!
 
Bundy said:
Should have clarified that the "extra front fixing hook" was a secondary 'lanyard' to reduce the risk of falling from the step. The problem is that it restricts your movement too much and actually makes your job MORE difficult.
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The secondary lanyard you refer to is this a restraint lanyard from your harness to the ledger ??? If so I can't find any literature in the new SG4:10 user manual about this it just says to clip to the back ledger with your normal lanyard .
 
RedViking said:
The secondary lanyard you refer to is this a restraint lanyard from your harness to the ledger ??? If so I can't find any literature in the new SG4:10 user manual about this it just says to clip to the back ledger with your normal lanyard .
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That's right pal. The 'lanyard' is only about two inches long so you'll understand when I say it restricts your movement. Complete waste of time using something that actually stops you doing your job efficiently.

---------- Post added at 10:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 PM ----------

Another problem with using the scaffstep with Kwikstage that may not be obvious, if you are also fitting Kwikguard then you need three sets of steps per job. The top of the Kwikguard is thinner than the ledger so the regulation hook is unsafe. A pair of steps with the smaller hook must be used for the Kwikguard and one regulation step for the inside guardrails.
 
1969scaff said:
As someone who has used the steps a lot of times I would say that there are good and bad things about them.OK it makes you look like a pratt using them,short arse scaffs do struggle getting the handrails in,on the plus side big toppers are no longer a problem OK I know your not supposed to have high toppers but I work in the real world not the ideal scaffolding world that legislators think exists. Once you get into using the steps it's fairly quick and if that's the way ahead so be it,although I can't help feeling we are producing a generation of scaffs who have will have no bottle if you know what I mean!!
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Hi 1969scaff.
Just read your post & think right on the mark. Yes,if it is the way forward & they have to be used,then so be it,all for safety & anything that helps is a good thing. But also like you said,there will soon be a generation of scaffolders who will either not have the "bottle" or the presence of mind to work without a step-up,if there was to be that occasion,in their future career.
 
i will say one thing iam glad them cherry picker ladders are gone be lucky now if i could pick one up let alone stand it up lol!!!
 
Bundy said:
That's right pal. The 'lanyard' is only about two inches long so you'll understand when I say it restricts your movement. Complete waste of time using something that actually stops you doing your job efficiently.

---------- Post added at 10:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 PM ----------

Another problem with using the scaffstep with Kwikstage that may not be obvious, if you are also fitting Kwikguard then you need three sets of steps per job. The top of the Kwikguard is thinner than the ledger so the regulation hook is unsafe. A pair of steps with the smaller hook must be used for the Kwikguard and one regulation step for the inside guardrails.
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Who has brought the short lanyard in then ? Company specific ?
I could be wrong , been told not to clip to kwikstage ledgers could pop up out of "V" lugs ? It was 10 years ago !!
 
i think id retire if i were asked to work with that kwik fit scaffold never mind the step it just looks bollox not even hunger would force me to fit that gear lol.
 
There quicker! And i think their alright But wouldnt say safer to be honest , youve got a little platform a foot wide 2 at best, you step or slip backwards and your going clipped on or not, eaven if your clipped on its no gunna catch you its only a 3 foot drop like but still shouldnt eaven be a risk! Suprised someones harness hasnt wrapped round their neck like to be honest!
 
scaff22 said:
Hi 1969scaff.
Yes,if it is the way forward & they have to be used,then so be it,all for safety & anything that helps is a good thing.
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I also embrace anything or process that helps make our jobs safer but in this case I get the feeling the scaffs right now are the guinea pigs and these steps haven't been tested thoroughly enough on EVERY system they are being enforced on. As far as I'm concerned the tunnelling method we had in place worked perfectly well but some nuggets abused it. Still don't think it was a scaffolder who came up with this idea, as you'd never willingly put yourself in that position. Anyone running a company who use this piece of kit will be feeling the impact on turnover as it definitely slows workrate to a degree that can't just be transferred onto the customer.

RedViking said:
Who has brought the short lanyard in then ? Company specific ?
I could be wrong , been told not to clip to kwikstage ledgers could pop up out of "V" lugs ? It was 10 years ago !!
Click to expand...

Yes RedViking, right now I think it's company specific. The problem was that while on the step there is a risk of falling and that had to be eliminated so this was introduced, but at the expense of manoeuvrability which then causes manual handling issues.
As for the Kwikstage ledgers, that is an old wives tale mate. Testing was done on this years ago and it was found that if anything the ledger tightened further in the 'V' pressings.
 
I agree with Bundy, not enough thought went into the scaff step. When we met the HSE & Simian we mention the wear & tear on the operative & it was met with silence, because they had not thought about that angle.

Tunnelling is the safest method I have ever used because it allows you to get the job done. The more restrictions in place the more short cuts the more accidents & injuries!!

Ragscaff
 
I've used the step on jobs day in and day out, to begin with it was annoying and the worst thing in the world. If your not used to it, it will be the worst thing in the world cos you've not had to use it before and it feels like your having to do extra work. Get used to it and it soon becomes second nature just like when you got used to wearing the harness.

i agree i don't think its the perfect solution, if you have ledgers in front and behind and a transom either side of you, you're boxed in and do have things to grab if need be. For cost its the compromise if you can't afford the advanced guardrail systems.

I never found it too bad sliding the guardrails up from the boarded lift below onto the transoms installed, getting on the platform. i know like i said not ideal being on a step but two people lifting up is only like putting a ledger in off one board and we never used to complain about that. As for climbing the steps yes it probably is wear and tear but is it any more than your body takes anyway doing this job?
 
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