APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE

PERMITS ISSUED FOR ANY ROAD OCCUPATION CARRY WITH THEM THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO SIGN THE WORKS ADEQUATELY, INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF:

1. Nature of Works
2. The Name of The Client
3. Time Scale
4. Emergency Contact Number

SAFE ERECTION AND DISMANTLING OF SCAFFOLDING

The Health and Safety Executive currently has a campaign, commenced in April 2000, on the safe erection and dismantling of scaffolding.

As a Client under the Construction, Design and Management regulations 1994, Glasgow City Council are advising ALL their prospective Principal Contractors and Contractors that the enclosed ‘Guide to safe erection and dismantling of scaffold’ is the minimum standard acceptable for scaffolding on any of their projects.

The Council is co-operating with the Health and Safety Executive to promote this initiative and assist contractors in reducing the risk to the public during the erection and dismantling phases. Glasgow City Council will assist in the following ways:

Information
Information relating to the HSE campaign on the ‘Guide to safe erection and dismantling of scaffold’ can be found on this page.

Scaffold Permit
Glasgow City Council will issue a copy of the ‘Guide to safe erection and dismantling of scaffold’ with every scaffold permit issued.

Land Services seek to assist scaffolding contractors, where reasonably practicable, to fulfil their duty in respect of public safety during the erection and dismantling of scaffolding. Contractors are encouraged to contact Land Services with a view to obtaining short term temporary closures of footways/carriageways for these scaffolding activities where required.

Erection and dismantling outside normal working hours
Glasgow City Council Protective services will allow the operation to proceed from 0700 (0930 Sunday) to 2200hrs on a daily basis. In exceptional circumstances in built up areas they would consider longer hours if this could be demonstrated to be essential to public safety. Please discuss with Glasgow City Council, Protective Services, City Chambers, Glasgow.



CAMPAIGN ON THE SAFE ERECTION AND DISMANTLING OF SCAFFOLDING

1. Introduction
This campaign, commencing in April 2000, is aimed at improving standards, not only of those directly working in the scaffolding industry but also of clients, planning supervisors and principal contractors. It is also proposed to involve the Local Authorities as intermediaries in improving standards. The campaign will run for at least two years with a review in September 2001 to identify whether to extend it further.

2. Statement of the problem
Erecting and dismantling of scaffolds remains a high-risk activity, not only to those doing the work, but to other workers and the general public. Local initiatives undertaken by HSE inspectors have identified the following issues:

• Scaffolders working at height without edge protection or using harnesses
• The public and other trades at risk from falling materials or scaffold collapses
• Clients ignorant or uninterested in risks
• Planning supervisors and principal contractors not addressing scaffolding issues in health and safety plans
• Inadequate monitoring of scaffolding activities by principal contractors
• Poor access for disabled persons along footpath covered by scaffolding
• Conflict between EHO’s and HSE regarding controlling noise and allowing working outside of normal hours to erect or dismantle scaffolds safely
• Under utilisation of scaffold licensing depts. of Local Authorities as intermediaries

3. Campaign objectives
i) The HSE will be writing to all known scaffolding contractors to explain the campaign. The letter will also include scaffolding guidelines which set out health and safety standards expected from contractors when erecting and dismantling scaffolds.

ii) Using local intelligence each HSE inspectors will identify a number of scaffold contractors whose performance indicates failure to achieve the above standards. Head office visits will be paid to these contractors to pursue the failings identified.

iii) Following the above head office visits, site visits will be undertaken to determine what standards are achieved in practice. Where poor standards are found, action will be taken.

• If shortcomings identified on site indicate a failure to comply with duties under CDM by others such as clients, planning supervisors and principal contractors e.g. failure to take adequate account of scaffolding issues in the construction phase health and safety plan, inspectors will "track back" as appropriate.

The HSE will also write to Local Authorities about the campaign to seek their support as an intermediary. The letter will request the setting up a of a system whereby a copy of the guidelines is sent out routinely to each scaffold license applicant. The letter will also seek co-operation from Highway Departments regarding the granting of temporary street closures to allow scaffolds to be erected more safely and from EHO’s to try to resolve the conflict between noise and working out of normal hours.

Measures of success will be:

• Adequacy of heath and safety standards identified on site and from Head Office visits
• Increase in number of heath and safety plans encountered by field inspectors that address scaffolding issues adequately.

4. Cross-references to other sources of information

• HSG 151: Protecting the public – your next move
• HSE Guidelines
• Proposed NASC guidance – National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) guide SG4:00: The use of fall arrest equipment whilst erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolding’. Construction Industry Publications – Tel: 0121–722-8200

A GUIDE TO THE SAFE ERECTION AND DISMANTLING OF SCAFFOLDING

1. Introduction
Erecting and dismantling scaffolds remains a high risk activity, not only to those carrying out the work, but to other workers and the general public. The following guide sets out steps which need to be considered by anyone involved with such work. It is aimed not only at those directly working in the scaffolding industry but also to clients, planning supervisors and principal contractors. Set out below are a number of key issues you will need to consider to ensure scaffolding operations are undertaken safely.

2. The law and planning for safety

• Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
• Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 1994
• Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

This guide is not designed to explain the above legislation in detail. However, it is important to remember that a wide range of people ranging from clients through to the self-employed have legal responsibilities. In simple terms the law requires that scaffolding operations are properly planned and then, carrying forward the results of the planning, to ensure the work is carried out safely on site.

3. Scaffold Permits
A permit from Glasgow City Council Land Services is required before a scaffold can be erected on a public road. A full statement of the conditions and additional requirements relating to this situation is included on the permit application form, which is obtainable from Land Services at Richmond Exchange, 20 Cadogan Street, Glasgow.

4. Protection of the Public
When scaffolding operations are in progress the public must be excluded from both the area of work and a sufficient area around it. Steps to ensure this will include:

• Obtaining a temporary pavement or street closure whilst operations are carried out;
• Undertaking operations in ‘quiet’ hours i.e. early morning, at night or weekends;
• Incorporating fans, crash decks and "tunnels" as early as possible into a scaffold;
• Erecting barriers and signs and diverting the public away from operations;
• Storing scaffold clips and other loose materials safely on the scaffold; and
• Not raising or lowering materials over members of the public or other site workers. Also consider that disabled persons need proper access along pavements covered by scaffolding.

5. Scaffolders working at height
Scaffolders must follow safety systems of work to prevent people falling. In particular:-

• When lifting or lowering materials, scaffolders must be clipped on or working within a handling platform that is fully boarded, with double guard-rails and toe boards.
• A minimum 3 board working platform together with a single guard-rail is provided as erection or dismantling works progress;
• Safety harnesses to be worn at all times by scaffolders and fitted with a 1.75m length lanyard and a 55mm opening scaffold hook or similar for one handed operation;
• Harnesses should be clipped on to a secure anchorage point where falls of 4 metres or more are possible. A secure anchorage point requires the following minimum conditions:
  • The scaffold must be tied in to a sound structure as work progresses
  • Attachment can be made to a ledger, transom or guard-rail supported with load bearing couplers or a transom supported by ledgers in a lift above fixed at both ends by single couplers.
• At least one bay of a scaffold should remain boarded out as work progresses and this should be used for ladder access for the full height of the scaffold.
• Safe ladder access for scaffolds should be incorporated as early as possible into the erection process.
• Scaffolds should not be clambering up and down scaffolds without proper ladder access and safe working platforms provided on each lift being worked on.

6. Stability of scaffolds
Each year there are a number of scaffold collapses across the country. To make sure your scaffold does not collapse you should ensure that:

• The anchors specified to tie a scaffold to a structure are suitable for the base material and that they are installed correctly;
• Scaffold anchors or ties are installed as erection work progresses. Conversely, they should not be removed too early during dismantling operations;
• More ties will be needed on a sheeted or netted scaffold to ensure its stability; and
• Scaffolds are not overloaded with equipment, especially tubes and fittings, during erection or dismantling operations.

7. Training, supervision and monitoring
Effective training of scaffolders is possibly the most essential factor in preventing accidents on site. In addition, do not forget the importance of monitoring the scaffolding contractor. Clients, principal contractors and others in control should take reasonable steps to ensure that any work being carried out on their site or premises is undertaken safely. Simple steps to take include:

• Checking the training levels of scaffolders and who will supervise them on site; and
• Site monitoring of scaffolders to ensure they follow proper safety standards.

• Health and Safety in Construction  HSG150 HSE Books – Tel: 01787-881165
• Protecting the Public; Your Next Move  HSG151 HSE Books
• National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) guide SG4:00: The use of fall arrest equipment whilst erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolding’. Construction Industry Publications – Tel: 0121 722 8200
• BS 5973:1993 Code of practice for access and working scaffolds and special scaffold structures in steel. BSI publication – Tel: 020 8996 9001