You have to go to a document called TG4:04 for that one Shed, ,you can do preliminary tests before you start erecting the scaffold to make sure the buildings fabric will take the tensile load.A sample of the anchors/ties shall be tested to a load of at least 1.5 times the tensile load. A minimum of 3 anchors/ties shall be tested and at least 5% (1 in 20) of the total job. TG4 04. Once they are in situ as far as I remember there is no requirement to test againg unless there is severe weather. I thinks the above is ok ,its been a while since I had to remember tg4:04Can anybody tell me how often scaffolds that have a design drawing with tie details and a requirement for the ties to withstand a specific noted pull test loading actually get tested?
If your using mechanical ties you have to test them to be able to hand the scaffold over and thats not just on a designed scaffold thats any scaffold with mechanical ties.Thanks for that and in fact I am aware of tg4:04 - but what I am getting at is how often is it actually done - in my experience hardly ever - which renders all the good work of the lads to put it up exactly to design null and void - as if there is a problem with it the pull test has not been completed and therfore said scaffold company is in the s*it - would you agree?
You may aswell slap any old thing up if you are not going to complete a pull test as spec'd in the design?
XXIanXX would be the best man to ask on here Shed, hes in that line of work.Thanks for that and in fact I am aware of tg4:04 - but what I am getting at is how often is it actually done - in my experience hardly ever - which renders all the good work of the lads to put it up exactly to design null and void - as if there is a problem with it the pull test has not been completed and therfore said scaffold company is in the s*it - would you agree?
You may aswell slap any old thing up if you are not going to complete a pull test as spec'd in the design?
Thanks for that and in fact I am aware of tg4:04 - but what I am getting at is how often is it actually done - in my experience hardly ever - which renders all the good work of the lads to put it up exactly to design null and void - as if there is a problem with it the pull test has not been completed and therfore said scaffold company is in the s*it - would you agree?
You may aswell slap any old thing up if you are not going to complete a pull test as spec'd in the design?
Ian a certain "uncle Albert" lookalike who you work with, told us on the CISRS Supervisor course that it didn't matter what surface you put you ties into as long as it passed the pull test, I dared to suggest that Hilti only guaranteed them in concrete and the person in question nearly had me doing press ups for my cheek !.
I totally agree with the above. Although we have carried out testing ourselves for a number of clients. Another thing I see a lot is hilti ties in brickwork or stone. Remember hilti only guarantee their ties into concrete
No .not just your job, we have just taken down 3 blocks of timber frame flats, the brickies took out all the braces and all the ties on the working lifts 3 times ,3 times we complained and nothing was done.In these days of pull testing ties and having more ties in a designed scaffold its still mind blowing that dry liners and brickies happily remove them and deny knowing anything about it when it's picked up on the 7 day inspection if not sooner, depends where they dump the gear I suppose, on our project it's a red card to touch scaffold unless you work for us but after finding ties tampered with on at least 3 times no one even gets a warning, make you wonder that if the trade itself wants more ties and testing why won't the client protect our hard work , I'm sure it's the same everywhere or is it just my jobs lol
If your using mechanical ties you have to test them to be able to hand the scaffold over and thats not just on a designed scaffold thats any scaffold with mechanical ties.
We always test a percentage of ties as we have our own tester and lads trained to do the testing.If you have a look at a normal hand over sheet it will ask how many ties and what type.
The old problem occurs though as by its very nature TG stands for TECHNICAL GUIDANCE and is best practice and not mandatory, thats another story.
I would say that realisticaly the client should check to see that the scaffold has been tested before they accept the hand over cert ,they should be tested ideally by a 3rd party and not the scaffold company ,but this will cost the main contractor , and thats the key word cost!
No .not just your job, we have just taken down 3 blocks of timber frame flats, the brickies took out all the braces and all the ties on the working lifts 3 times ,3 times we complained and nothing was done.
Its a good point J, u make - that whilst TG4 is a guidance it will be used by HSE in the absence of law. I am happy that our membership for BMH Safety Systems for approved CFA tester is pretty much sorted and that any scaffold companies who need to get this detailed part of their procedure sorted can use our services at reasonable prices! Usually an offboard pull testing servide is not ran by scaffold industry specific bods - i think this is our unique selling point. Of course we will be able to supply the scaffold fixings to the companies that is specified by their engineers - all the same spec as Apollo fixings - but just reliable delivery aswell as good prices!
What are you specialising in these days mate?
In these days of pull testing ties and having more ties in a designed scaffold its still mind blowing that dry liners and brickies happily remove them and deny knowing anything about it when it's picked up on the 7 day inspection if not sooner, depends where they dump the gear I suppose, on our project it's a red card to touch scaffold unless you work for us but after finding ties tampered with on at least 3 times no one even gets a warning, make you wonder that if the trade itself wants more ties and testing why won't the client protect our hard work , I'm sure it's the same everywhere or is it just my jobs lol
I was carryimg out a scaffold inspection on a Kier job in Lewes prison recently, the scaffolding contractor had done a fanastic job, following the design drawing to the letter, everything millimetre perfect. They put tags on their ties that state 'structural tie - do not remove' and also had the ability to write in the pull test results - much like a scafftag. The management told me that by using these tags it had virtually stopped tie removal by trades.......may be this could be an answer, that or imprison any one found removing tags and feed them on bread and water!!!!!! (on joking) but when will trades realise the danger they put us all in by removing a tie.Put a do not remove tag on your ties bjc you,ve got them bang to rites this should not be happening.