When buying access equipment, it’s important to shop for the right piece of kit for the job – not just a budget buy or something that will do. Purchasing equipment that’s considerably cheaper than the rest of the market is not a great investment if it doesn’t provide the safety and durability you need.

There are a lot of factors that need to be considered when choosing your access equipment. Today we’ll be taking a closer look at how to choose the right scaffolding for your needs…

Safety comes first

There’s no doubt about it, scaffolding may be one of the priciest bits of kit you’ll invest in. But there’s a reason for that; there are a lot of materials, features and thought that go into creating reliable, durable and safe scaffolding structures and this costs.

We always recommend that you buy a scaffold that meets all European safety requirements – such as an EN1004 tower – as the wrong choice, with no safety accreditations could cost you your life.

EN1004 towers, like those stocked at Browns Ladders, offer:

· Proper purpose designed platforms supplied with the tower and at the right quantity.

· Stabilisers supplied as part of the towers. Stabilisers should never be considered as an add-on accessory.

· Built in safe access with safe distances between the rungs and slip resistance surfaces.

· Safe guardrails included in the design.

· Comprehensive user instructions and information.

While picking a safe scaffold tower is important, it’s also key that you’re trained to use the product safely. In fact, you may like to consider some of our safety training courses, such as our In House Ladders, Steps & Towers and Nationally Recognised Accredited Scaffold Towers course.

Identify your requirements

Having a clear idea why you need scaffolding and what you need it for will help you to find the right type of scaffolding for your requirements. Building, rendering and roofing all have very different requirements and there are a number of scaffolding options available for each of these types of jobs.

It’s also important to pick scaffolding that’s sturdy enough to support not only your weight, but also the weight of any helpers and equipment that you may have with you.

You’ll also need to consider whether your job requires you to move the scaffold from one area to another, or if you’ll be able to work from fixed scaffold for some time.

Consider the heights you’ll be working at

All our scaffold towers clearly highlight their dimensions – which you can use to assess which tower will give you the working height you need.

Most accidents are caused by user error, rather than defects in the tower. So it’s important to make sure you choose the right height tower to prevent you overstretching and potentially falling from a height.

Product recommendations

At Browns Ladders we have a large range of safe and sturdy scaffold towers and make it easy to find the right one for your needs.

Scaffolding Types Explained

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Framework

For every construction project, the structure of any scaffolding required must be carefully considered. There are a surprising number of designs that can be used depending on the size, height, or duration of the work that needs to be done, and our experts here at Framework Specialist Works have listed the different types of scaffolding used on particular sites and why.

Supported

Supported scaffolding is the most common structure used. You will have seen it on many construction sites, especially where elevation may be required. It is built from the floor up, and is supported by the building it is secured to. This type of scaffolding is often thought of as the most convenient and safest form to use.

Independent/Birdcage

Birdcage scaffolding is of simple design and generally intended for one level use only, e.g. when working on a ceiling. The structure stands on its own, and is easily assembled making it perfect for smaller, contained projects.

Single Pole Models

As the name implies, single pole scaffold is usually structured with just one pole or a small row of standards. It is a light-weight structure often dependent on the wall/building it is fixed to for support, and can most commonly be seen used for minor projects where only a few workers are needed.

Suspended

These structures are relied on by window washers for skyscrapers due to their mobile functionality. They are hung from the top of a building, and can be raised or lowered across floor levels using a lever, making them ideal for work where access to the top floors on tall buildings is needed. Likewise, the structure provides an efficient way to move tools from one level to another.

Cantilever

Cantilever structures are secured to a building at only one end, leaving the other side hanging or exposed. These are common for the tops of buildings or used for tight corners or hard to reach areas, for example to go over an object that workers cannot get past from the ground. Workers often must wear harnesses when on this type of scaffold due to the exposed sides.