FAQ
Scaffolds
Q) What is a scaffold?
A) Scaffold is a temporary arrangement, raised around a building or other structure that supports workers and materials.
Q) What materials are scaffolds made of?
A) Typically, steel or aluminum is used, but in many Asian countries bamboo is also used.
Q) What are supported scaffolds?
A) These are the scaffolds that are supported by load-bearing poles, legs, and frames.
Q) What are suspended scaffolds?
A) Suspended scaffolds are platforms that are suspended by overhead supports, typically ropes.
Q) What are scaffold transoms, scaffold ledgers, and scaffold standards?
A) These are the scaffold’s basic elements: the standards are the vertical tubes, the ledgers are the horizontal tubes, and the transoms lie upon the ledgers at a right angle.
Q) What are scaffold couplers?
A) These are the fittings that hold the standards, ledgers, and transoms together.
Q) What are scaffold ties?
A) The scaffold ties are used to fix the scaffold to the building or the structure that it is erected around.
Q) What are the most common scaffold foundations?
A) Base plates, sole boards, and for heavy-duty scaffolding, baulks set in concrete are used as a foundation.
Q) Do the scaffolds have to comply with safety standards and regulations?
A) The basic scaffold elements, their dimensions, materials, and spacing between them are regulated in order to prevent accidents from happening.
Ladders
Q) What materials are most ladders made of?
A) Even though rope and wooden ladders are not uncommon, most ladders are made of aluminum.
Q) What different types of ladders exists?
A) Fixed, telescopic, step, folding, roof, orchard, platform, hook, cat, bridge, and turntable are just a few of the existing ladder types.
Q) What is the safest way to use a rigid ladder?
A) The rigid ladder should be leaned at an angle of approximately 15 degrees to the building or structure in order to prevent slipping or toppling backwards.
Q) What is a fixed ladder?
A) Fixed ladder is permanently attached to a building or another structure.
Q) What is a hook ladder?
A) Hook ladder has hooks on top and is typically used by firefighters.
Q) When do I need a fiberglass ladder?
A) Fiberglass ladder is used when working close to electrical wires since the fiberglass is a good insulator.