Scaffold collapse

Possible control measures to prevent similar incidents

The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 requires persons with management or control of a business or undertaking (PCBU) to manage risks to health and safety associated with an object falling. If work involves construction, and an object could fall from a height (for example, from a scaffold) a PCBU must conduct a risk assessment and ensure appropriate controls are implemented.

Effective controls for the risk of a modular scaffold collapse are often made up of a combination of controls. Some common control measures can include but are not limited to the following examples.

Planning before scaffolding work starts can help eliminate many of the associated health and safety risks. An effective plan will help identify ways to protect people who are:

• erecting, dismantling, maintaining and altering the scaffolding
• using the scaffolding
• near the scaffolding (for example, other workers and members of the public).

Scaffold Plan

A scaffold plan is to be prepared and provided by the PCBU doing the scaffolding work. All scaffolds should be built in accordance with the relevant Australian Standards (AS/NZS 1576 Scaffolding and AS/NZS 4576 – Guidelines for Scaffolding). What is constructed on site should reflect what is in the scaffold plan.

Consider the design, shape and location of the building or other structure when selecting the type of scaffold to be used, and the sequencing of the construction to plan out the erection and tying of the scaffold as construction progresses. In addition, be mindful of severe weather forecasts which may require additional precautions to be taken.

Scaffold should be erected in accordance with the designer's instructions and the scaffold plan. A person erecting a scaffold must hold the appropriate high-risk work license.

A scaffolder must ensure the scaffold is erected in a systematic way to always ensure the stability of the scaffold during erection. This includes assessing the compaction and bearing capacity of the ground to select appropriately sized sole boards and installing sufficient ties or buttress bays to provide lateral stability.

Scaffold ties can include face ties to the slab or face of the building, raking ties to the ground or slab, and F ties to columns or window and door openings. If there is any doubt about the ability of a tie anchorage to withstand this minimum load, the advice of a professional engineer should be sought.

When considering the location and type of tie to use, it is important to consider that each tie must be installed at a maximum of four metre intervals up the scaffold. However, closer spacings may be required where containment screening or hoardings are attached to the scaffold. In these instances, a suitably competent, registered professional engineer should assess the wind loads on the scaffold and specify the appropriate number and location of ties.

Ties should also be installed when an unclad scaffold reaches three times the minimum base width. For example, an 800mm wide (3 plank) scaffold should have ties installed when it reaches a height of 2.4m above the supporting ground/level. Notwithstanding this, if severe weather is forecasted then additional ties may be required to ensure stability of the scaffold.

Safe System of Work

Develop a safe system of work for managing the risk of scaffolds. This could include, but is not limited to the following:

• Consult with all relevant parties before work starts. Sometimes a PCBU may share responsibility for a health and safety matter with other PCBU’s who are involved in the same activities or who share the same workplace. In these situations, the PCBUs must exchange information to find out who is doing what and work together in a cooperative and coordinated way so that all risks are eliminated or minimised as far as reasonably practicable. For example, prior to installation, consultation should occur with the scaffold designer, manufacturer, supplier or an engineer to ensure sufficient ties have been allowed for to withstand any increased wind loading.
• The scaffold should be inspected by a competent person to ensure it remains in a safe condition. This is particularly important in circumstances where the scaffold is left in place for extended periods. Inspection records should be kept on site and include the location, date and time of inspection, comments, and details of the person who conducted the inspection.
• Providing workers with information, training and instruction on the nature of the scaffolding work, the risks associated with scaffolding and the control measures implemented to reduce that risk. This may include information, training and instruction on emergency response procedures.
• Never accessing incomplete or defective scaffolds.
• Immediately reporting defects if they occur.

The control measures you put in place should be reviewed regularly to make sure they work as planned.