scaffolding laws/regulations

shugy

Wanting peoples opinions and thoughts on laws around the scaffolding laws. I know while on large sites, no one can move a board without notifying a scaffolder to move it. I agree this is the correct approach because one can cause a serious accident or even death by messing with scaffold on big sites where there's lots of other trades.

What about the smaller sites like a small garage, extension or even a small new build. Do these same regs/laws apply. Reason why I ask, I've been around building sites for over 25 years now and have started my own business where I'll be needing scaffold however the costs of having a scaffolder there all throughout the build doesn't make sense to me or to even call one in every time there's a board needing moved.

I'm wanting to know is there any small courses for people like me, where well have the right tickets to move or errect small bays of scaffold while working on small projects or are we tied down with these regs and won't be able to touch it without years of training?

subpar

The best short course on scaffolding safety that I know is run by the British Safety Council based in London

shugy

subpar wrote: »

The best short course on scaffolding safety that I know is run by the British Safety Council based in London

How much is it, how long and does it cover us here in Ireland.

subpar

The course I did was a week long . Specificly on Construction Safety with a large element dealing with scaffolding safety ( this element of the course was delivered by a qualified scaffolder). The course was designed for those in amanagerial role or those in charge of sites.

Not sure of the current cost , wont be cheap given the travel and accommodation costs, but you will hopefully come out of the week with some real practical knowledge and a worldwide recognised safety diploma that would stand up to the legal scrutiny.

duckcfc

shugy wrote: »

How much is it, how long and does it cover us here in Ireland.

Who's going to know you've effected scaffold. If you've been in construction over 25 years, you should well know how to errect scaffold. I'm not saying break the law and do it but at the end of the day, no one goes around checking scaffold on private work. If its done right then you won't have no problems with it. On bigger sites though, don't go anywhere near it because that's a whole different ball game all together

893bet

duckcfc wrote: »

Who's going to know you've effected scaffold. If you've been in construction over 25 years, you should well know how to errect scaffold. I'm not saying break the law and do it but at the end of the day, no one goes around checking scaffold on private work. If its done right then you won't have no problems with it. On bigger sites though, don't go anywhere near it because that's a whole different ball game all together

The issue arises when someone falls and then the insurance investigate and there is no one on site qualified. It happens on every small site though. That's the chance you take.

duckcfc

893bet wrote: »

The issue arises when someone falls and then the insurance investigate and there is no one on site qualified. It happens on every small site though. That's the chance you take.

Is there no tickets we can get ourselves seeing as its only a small bit of scaffold. An example I can think of is plumbers can wire showers and pumps but not house's, something along them lines. Say a plasterer, roofer,bricky effect their own scaffold providing its only for say 1 house,garage or extension. We all know how to do it safely hence why the op is asking is there any tickets or certs in place for us. Something I'd like to know as well.

brightspark

Would a "mobile tower scaffold" be adequate for your tasks?

http://www.hsa.ie/eng/your_industry/construction/training_in_construction/construction_skills_certification_scheme_cscs/construction_skills_certification_scheme_cscs_faqs.html

It seems to be a shorter course e.g.

http://www.safetysolutions.ie/training/mobile-access-tower-training/

893bet

duckcfc wrote: »

Is there no tickets we can get ourselves seeing as its only a small bit of scaffold. An example I can think of is plumbers can wire showers and pumps but not house's, something along them lines. Say a plasterer, roofer,bricky effect their own scaffold providing its only for say 1 house,garage or extension. We all know how to do it safely hence why the op is asking is there any tickets or certs in place for us. Something I'd like to know as well.

Can a plumber legally wire a shower? I don't think they can?

duckcfc

893bet wrote: »

Can a plumber legally wire a shower? I don't think they can?

Yes he can, if a plumber is replacing a shower, he can disconnect the old one and reconnect the new shower with the right cert.

scwazrh

duckcfc wrote: »

no one goes around checking scaffold on private work. If its done right then you won't have no problems with it.

.Have you not heard of the HSA ?

Unless you are a qualified scaffolder you cannot erect,dismantle or adjust scaffolding. If as a business you require scaffolding but cannot afford to pay a qualified scaffolder to do the work, you are not pricing your jobs right.

dathi

http://www.safetysolutions.ie/basic-scaffolding-course-level-1-training/

duckcfc

scwazrh wrote: »

.Have you not heard of the HSA ?

Unless you are a qualified scaffolder you cannot erect,dismantle or adjust scaffolding. If as a business you require scaffolding but cannot afford to pay a qualified scaffolder to do the work, you are not pricing your jobs right.

In all my years on private sites, I haven't seen one person come and check scaffold EVER!

duckcfc

dathi wrote: »

http://www.safetysolutions.ie/basic-scaffolding-course-level-1-training/

Do you know how much this course is.

dathi

duckcfc wrote: »

Yes he can, if a plumber is replacing a shower, he can disconnect the old one and reconnect the new shower with the right cert.

http://grantengineering.ie/products/new-electrical-requirements/
no he cant

Calahonda52

893bet wrote: »

The issue arises when someone falls and then the insurance investigate and there is no one on site qualified. It happens on every small site though. That's the chance you take.

Thats the issue right there: the rig could be perfect and the fall unrelated but if they start sniffing.....
as noted elsewhere, price and schedule..
ps, forgot to mention, the "private" site "exemption" from the rules and inspection is gone: look at
http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Construction/contractors_guide.pdf
to get u started
http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Construction/homeowners_guidance.pdf
for dessert

JonathonS

dathi wrote: »

http://www.safetysolutions.ie/basic-scaffolding-course-level-1-training/

From that site, re basic scaffolding course:

"Required Prior Learning
Valid Safe Pass, Manual Handling Certificate and a minimum of 6 months fulltime scaffolding experience"

Truly a Catch 22.

SC024

scwazrh wrote: »

.Have you not heard of the HSA ?

Unless you are a qualified scaffolder you cannot erect,dismantle or adjust scaffolding. If as a business you require scaffolding but cannot afford to pay a qualified scaffolder to do the work, you are not pricing your jobs right.

That's a great theory absolutely brilliant "In theory" nut unfortunately if you prce an extension & allow for a full time scaffolder for the duration of the job in your price best of luck getting thst job out in the real world. It just doesn't work that way

duckcfc

SC024 wrote: »

That's a great theory absolutely brilliant "In theory" nut unfortunately if you prce an extension & allow for a full time scaffolder for the duration of the job in your price best of luck getting thst job out in the real world. It just doesn't work that way

I agree, good look to a small contractor trying to price in a scaffolder to be on site for the duration of the job. Not a hope in hell he'd manage to price one in and get the job. Just another bullsh1t piece of red tape for our industry.

duckcfc

JonathonS wrote: »

From that site, re basic scaffolding course:

"Required Prior Learning
Valid Safe Pass, Manual Handling Certificate and a minimum of 6 months fulltime scaffolding experience"

Truly a Catch 22.

Noticed this myself but what does full time experience mean. I've worked with scaffolders over the course of 25 years. Will a letter from a scaffolder do or will there have to be wages shown.

scwazrh

duckcfc wrote: »

I agree, good look to a small contractor trying to price in a scaffolder to be on site for the duration of the job. Not a hope in hell he'd manage to price one in and get the job. Just another bullsh1t piece of red tape for our industry.

Why would the scaffolder need to be on site full time?If you are working from a scaffold that needs to be moved constantly then you should be using a mobile scaffold and have the user do a course which will be no more than two days long.
If you require quick stage scaffolding ,get a scaffolding contractor to come to site , install and certify and do a weekly visit to sign off the checklist records.

How do you complete your method statements prior to starting the work if you have unqualified people erecting scaffold .What info do you put into your site safety files or is that just another piece of bullsh1t red tape.Site safety is not just for large sites.