Scaffolding
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In urban cities, scaffolding is all around us. It holds up many of the manmade structures that make up our surroundings, like advertising hoardings, concert stages, exhibition booths, art installations, or many forms of grandstand seating at sports events. In tall buildings, window cleaning is difficult, and often dangerous, without it.
In civil engineering, too, scaffolding serves some vital purposes. When it comes to construction, maintenance, and repair work, scaffolding is temporarily built around the periphery of a construction site to provide workers access to the top, as well as to, hard-to-reach places.
Different materials are used to make scaffolding for construction.
For cheaper, low-rise buildings, wooden or bamboo scaffolds are common in countries where it is easily grown and labor is cheaply available. Wooden/bamboo poles and planks are bound together using coir ropes, creating a framework for workers to climb and work. Wooden/bamboo scaffolds, however, tend to need replacement every six-to-nine months due to sun exposure that weakens the structure.
For high-rise construction projects with a greater budget, contractors use steel- or aluminum-based scaffolding structures, which are stronger and longer-lasting. Aluminum is now taking over as the metal of choice for scaffolding as it&#;s lighter than steel and allows for scaffold components to be lifted and quickly assembled with greater ease. The one disadvantage of using aluminum for use in scaffolding is that it is expensive
Metallic scaffolds can take many forms, depending on the workers&#; requirements for a task. Different scaffolds are used for bricklaying and masonry, each with specifications, to allow greater ease of access.
Common types of scaffolding range from:
Tube-and-clamp scaffolds and system-based scaffolds offer flexibility in shape for non-linear buildings.
For higher-rise projects, construction companies may harness tower-based scaffolds such as mast-climbing platforms or crank-up scaffolds.
As developments continue to take place in the global construction industry, newer and newer types of scaffolds are being devised. There are also different systems of classifications, where often different terms are applied for similar kinds of scaffolds.
To learn more about the major types of scaffolding used in construction today, read this article.
Scaffolding is preferred over extendable ladders or rope-based harnesses due to the safety and efficiency it offers. When properly installed, scaffolding fulfills some of the following functions:
Scaffolding provides a solid and secure platform for construction workers. Mandatory safety standards require scaffolding to be fitted with guardrails and toe boards that work to prevent falls and accidents.
The use of scaffolding across construction allows for it to be expanded to reach any height, while ladders and crane equipment are limited to how high they can carry workers.
Scaffolding allows multiple workers to work together on one part of a building, which increases the speed of completing tasks such as installing windows, laying bricks, painting and plastering walls &#; and cuts down costs for the contractor. Scaffolding also allows workers direct access to the part of the building they are working on, which also helps speed up their work.
Scaffolding is often used to hold heavy building materials such as bricks or concrete blocks.
It is also referred to in technical terms as:
Scaffolding also guarantees the safety of the public areas surrounding a building that is under construction. While ladders and rope harnesses leave both workers and nearby pedestrians vulnerable, trained workers who properly use scaffolds are able to keep pedestrians and public property safe from damage caused by tools and materials falling from a great height.
Buildings today are huge and complex architectural projects, which need scaffolding in place before construction can start. This scaffolding not only assists with the edifice but also protects pedestrian traffic from injury. While scaffolding works to provide safe support and access to the various parts of the building, it is, in itself a big construct. Therefore, much like the specialized masons, electricians, and engineers, working on the building, it too requires a set of professionals to erect.
The company is the world’s best scaffolding accessories supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Here are some of the advantages of hiring a professional scaffolding company:
Using professional, in-house experienced engineers, hired scaffolding companies can ensure safety, as their entire reputation is built on the strength, durability, and versatility of their scaffolds. An engineer knows just how to design the support structure so that it does its job properly, supporting and protecting workers, equipment, and building materials right up to the topmost floor.
When looking into hiring scaffolding, it&#;s a good idea to consider the scale and scaffolding price within which a project has to work, which in turn, will determine the scaffold design. As a standard, most scaffolding companies will offer, what is known as:
A range of services: Very often on a construction site there are different kinds of areas that need to be worked on. As scaffolding is deeply integrated into all aspects of construction work, a good scaffolding company can also come in, in a consulting role to offer advice, as well as diversity in the service portfolio they can offer to customers. With this in mind, some suppliers also have the skills and equipment to do a variety of jobs aside from scaffolding. As they already work within the construction and renovation industry, suppliers may be able to carry out building installation and maintenance work, in addition to the scaffolding work required on a property, project, or construction site.
A part of the Arab Bulk Trading group, Saudi Scaffolding Factory (SSF) has been in the business for more than 35 years. With a presence in major cities such as Jeddah, Dammam, and Riyadh, the company has supplied a range of scaffolding products, including Kwikstage, Cuplok and Ringlok systems, table formwork, tubes, couplers and boards, and aluminum system scaffolds and ladders. The company is known for its emphasis on safety and rigorously tests all its products before supplying them to clients. They have successfully provided scaffolding solutions across multiple industry platforms.
To find out more about how scaffolding companies can help you with the timely and safe execution of your scaffolding needs while ensuring safety and best practices, get in touch or click here.
Ever since human beings started building upward, they have used scaffolding of some kind to help achieve their goals. Scaffolding&#;s origins can be traced back thousands of years. In this article, we explore the fascinating history of scaffolding, from its primitive beginnings to its modern-day innovations.
If you have the chance to visit the caves of Lascaux in western France, you will see walls covered with thousands of colorful images of animals including horses, bulls, and deer, as well as abstract symbols and human figures, which were painted 17,000 years ago. What makes some of these paintings even more remarkable is their placement high on the cave walls, suggesting the use of rudimentary scaffolding by prehistoric artists to reach such heights.
A painting of a bull on the wall of Lascaux caveIndeed, evidence of sockets surrounding the paintings supports the theory that Paleolithic people constructed a scaffold-like structure to reach hard-to-access areas of the cave. This is believed to be the first use of scaffolding.
Moving forward in history, we arrive in ancient Egypt during the construction of the awe-inspiring Great Pyramid of Giza, built in the 26th century BC. Constructed from 2.3 million massive stone blocks, each weighing between 2.5 to 10 tons, the pyramid&#;s construction remains a mystery.
While it remains a mystery how ancient Egyptians built the Great Pyramid without the help of modern construction machinery, Greek historian Herodotus believed that wooden scaffolds were used to lift the colossal stones with the help of ropes. According to his accounts, these scaffold-like structures were constructed on each level of the pyramid.
The Great Pyramid of GizaIt was believed that Egyptians used scaffolds consisting of planks and wooden uprights that were connected by simple knots. Since wood was a scarce resource in ancient Egypt, scaffolding was commonly used only to build temples and statues.
While wooden scaffolds were believed to be first used by the Egyptians, the first use of modern scaffolding may have been in ancient China where bamboo was tied together using a rope to form structures similar to today&#;s scaffolding. In fact, certain Asian countries still widely use bamboo scaffolding to this day, but with more safety measures, of course.
As we progress to the Middle Ages, scaffolding becomes an integral part of construction, particularly as architectural techniques evolve. Wooden structures capable of supporting both workers and construction materials were developed, enabling the construction of everything from simple houses to intricate cathedrals.
Specially trained monks, commonly known as &#;scaffolder monks&#;, used scaffolds to build abbeys and churches until the 20th century. Their scaffolding consisted of strong squared timbers connected by ropes and crosspieces. Loading cranes were also used in this era.
In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution resulted in the development of new materials and construction techniques. Given that wooden &#;staging&#; structures would often collapse under their own weight, steel tubing (which was lighter than timber) was introduced. Steel scaffolds were also more durable and easier to assemble compared to wooden ones. However, a significant challenge arose with metal poles slipping when connected by ropes.
Steel scaffolding at a construction siteTo resolve this issue, Daniel Palmer-Jones, often dubbed the &#;Grandfather of Scaffolding,&#; and his brother David invented standard fixings to better secure both wooden and metal poles. The duo introduced &#;Scaffixers&#;, which were more secure and flexible than rope, as well as the &#;Universal Coupler&#;. These inventions proved so impressive that the brothers were entrusted with the renovation of Buckingham Palace, where they experimented with cutting-edge techniques.
Years later, David made some refinements to the first Universal Coupler prototype and invented the &#;Improved Universal Coupler&#;. This soon became the standard shape used by the scaffolding industry today. It was seen as a revolution in the history of scaffolding to use two-inch water pipes because standardizing the dimensions and parts ultimately led to better safety and stability.
During this era, the introduction of new building materials like concrete and steel also required new types of scaffolding, resulting in the creation of specialized system scaffolding to meet these needs. In the s, system scaffolding was common, and in the s, mobile scaffolds were invented, which allowed workers to easily move around scaffolds.
The aftermath of World War II brought a pressing need for reconstruction in Great Britain. A massive building program ensued, with unskilled laborers joining the workforce due to a shortage of skilled tradesmen. Unfortunately, this period witnessed poor health and safety practices, resulting in a high number of accidents.
However, the s brought significant improvements, including the use of plastic sheeting and heaters to prevent slippery walkways during winter. Harnesses were introduced to safeguard workers against falls.
Today, scaffolding continues to evolve, adapting to technological advancements and stringent safety regulations. New materials have entered the market to simplify the erection, use, and dismantling of scaffold towers, prioritizing safety and efficiency.
With the integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics, the scaffolding industry stands on the brink of further transformation. Exciting changes lie ahead, promising an even safer and more innovative future for scaffolding users worldwide.
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