Posted By Bryn Maidment
Can't help with the case/s in question.

Unless I'm mistaken don't scaffolds now have to have double handrails throughout, irrespective of brick guards being used or not?

Posted By Jay Joshi
I am not too sure of the case you are referring to and its context and it is possible that the scaffold case you refer to does not meet the other critera, such as being capable of providing support etc.

The The Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996
SCHEDULE 1 Regulations 6(2), 6(3)(a) and 8(2) REQUIREMENTS FOR GUARD-RAILS ETC.
states:-

1. A guard-rail, toe-board, barrier or other similar means of protection shall --

(a) be suitable and of sufficient strength and rigidity for the purpose or purposes for which it is being used; and

(b) be so placed, secured and used as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that it does not become accidentally displaced.
2. Any structure or any part of a structure which supports a guard-rail, toe-board, barrier or other similar means of protection or to which a guard-rail, toe-board, barrier or other similar means of protection is attached shall be of sufficient strength and suitable for the purpose of such support or attachment.
3. The main guard-rail or other similar means of protection shall be at least 910 millimetres above the edge from which any person is liable to fall.
4. There shall not be an unprotected gap exceeding 470 millimetres between any guard-rail, toe-board, barrier or other similar means of protection.
5. Toe-boards or other similar means of protection shall not be less than 150 millimetres high.
6. Guard-rails, toe-boards, barriers and other similar means of protection shall be so placed as to prevent, so far as is practicable, the fall of any person, or any material or object, from any place of work.

Also the HSE Guidance, Health & Safety in Construction, HS G 150 states:-

Guard rails and toe boards
They should:
1. be made from any material, providing they are strong and rigid enough to prevent people from falling and be able to withstand other loads likely to be placed on them. For example, guard rails fitted with brick guards need to be capable of supporting the weight of stacks of bricks which could fall against them;

2. be fixed to a structure, or part of a structure capable of supporting them;
[] include:

• a main guard rail at least 910 mm above any edge from which people are liable to fall;

• a toe board at least 150 mm high;

• a sufficient number of intermediate guard rails or suitable alternatives positioned so that the unprotected gap does not exceed 470 mm. Where the barrier is solid, or the space between the upper part of the barrier and the toe board is completely occupied by mesh (for example, a brick guard) or similar, an intermediate guard rail is not required.

Barriers other than guard rails and toe boards can be used, so long as they are at least 910 mm high, secure and provide an equivalent standard of protection against falls and materials rolling, or being kicked, from any edges.

Posted By Frank Penny
I dont have an answer for your query, but I would like to express concern at the number of multi story scaffolds with ladder acces ronning through them, that have an unprotected area between the guard rail and the base rail of the next lift up, its about 1.5m just enough space for some one to fall side ways through Am I being to critical or am I seeing a risk where there isn't one.

regards

Frank

Posted By Robert K Lewis
You've had some full responses. It was some time last year that Amanda Huff, East Grinstead office of HSE, brought this firming of attitude to the Chertsey group. It was circulated as an internal memo and her comments raised some feathers. The essential point was that they must be rigid enough to stop a person falling through and many azare not sufficiently so. if you contact Pete Robertshaw at G. Osborne he may have some minutes available. The cases referred to by Amanda have not yet gone to court but the HSE do not see this as a change in the law as some seemed to understand but merely clearer guidance.

Ken's comments on ladder access guarding is in my view correct. I prefer ladder towers with the ladder running only lift to lift so that max. fall is only 1 lift. This will also improve the flow of persons for fire.

Bob