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Posted By AMS
Sorry peeps but this a really long post, but I feel I need it to set the scene correctly. I would be really grateful to anyone who can read through it & advise me.
I've got a site (residential housebuilding) who are doing the mastic & making-good on the external of 5 storey flat development (podium deck in one area).
They are doing a progressive drop of the scaffold & using this as a platform to do the mastic (5/10 minutes in each area). Issue is that the scaffold platforms are not at the correct height to allow the mastic guy you reach his work area.
I arrived on site today to do an inspection to find the mastic guy working off a stepladder on the scaffold platford (2nd lift). Obviously this puts him above the guardrail. Aside from all the other WAH issues associated with the choice of equipment I pointed this out & stated that the operation could not continue in the manner.
Problem came with coming up with a solution. The site wanted to allow him to continue, but using a low level hop-up instead (not banned on our sites) & installing an additional guardrail at the correct height.
I suggested either adapting scaffold to correct height or using mobile tower for works above the podium deck & working by MEWP on other areas (where ground is suitable).
I am being unreasonable or is their method of working acceptable in this situation?
Thanks loads for any advice :-)
ps - I did bang on about WAH hierarchy, suitability of equipment for task etc.
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Posted By db
Personally I wouldnt have a big problem with this. It would be better to move the scaffold but if this is relatively short duration work then it's not reasonably prac to do so.
If the hop up is good (not a bottle crate) and it can be used on the ground for short duration work - which HSE has not got a problem with, then it should be OK on the scaffold. Where the guard rail is at the correct height - no fall risk.
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Posted By Mark Ellis
Hi AMS
I have encountered similar problems, if the work is of very short duration and infrequent one solution is to fix an additional 3rd handrail and also provide assistance in stabilizing the stepladder ie a labourer, if this is still unsuitable the scaffold must be adapted to suit, this maybe a simple internal step up.
Hope this helps,
Mark.
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Posted By Crim
Hi AMS,
Trying to be practical here, I believe you are pointing toward the letter of the law and the site just want to get the job done.
With regard to WAH if there is no risk of a fall from height then the equipment should be OK.
Step ladders on scaffold boards can be dodgy but for short duration if there is no better option, and as long as the boards are sound then step ladder could be the answer with the added guard rail as long as there are the three points of contact (knee counts as one).
I don't know what a "hop up" is but can imagine by the mention of bottle crate? OK if there is fall protection.
Another suggestion could be the wearing of a harness to prevent a fall from the scaffold?
Don't get too complicated and do the risk assessment logically and the answer will appear.
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By AMS
Thanks peeps, I appreciate your comments.
The site is under-resourced in terms of scaffolders & I don't see them feasibily stopping to fit an extra rail for the mastic man each time he requires it in a new location. The temptation is, because it's a short-duration job, the mastic-man will just move his hop-up & carry on the task. I suppose the option there is to get a guardrail fitted on the whole lift.
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