Introduction: The Rising Challenge of Unauthorised Access
In today’s construction industry, the challenge of preventing unauthorised access to scaffolding and work platforms is more pressing than ever. With sites often located near residential areas and public spaces, the risk of trespassers—especially children—gaining access to dangerous heights is a constant concern. The use of high-quality access equipment, such as scaffold towers and access platforms, is essential for ensuring that only authorised workers can reach elevated work areas safely. Partnering with a reliable supplier who offers a wide range of access solutions tailored to specific requirements is key to maintaining site security and worker safety. By investing in robust scaffolding and work platforms designed for different heights and job types, construction professionals can work safely and efficiently, reducing the risk of accidents and unauthorised entry. Ensuring that your access equipment is both secure and fit for purpose is not just a matter of compliance—it’s a vital step in protecting workers and the public alike.
Site Inspection and Risk Assessment
Before any work at height begins, a comprehensive site inspection and risk assessment are crucial to identify and mitigate potential hazards. This process should be carried out by competent people who understand the complexities of scaffold towers and work platforms. Key factors to assess include ground conditions, platform height, and the presence of complex structures that may affect stability. It’s important to consider environmental risks such as high winds, as well as the total load of materials and equipment that will be placed on the platform. By thoroughly evaluating these elements, workers and employers can ensure that the scaffold or work platform is positioned securely and used in a safe manner. Regular site assessments not only help maintain a stable and secure working environment but also demonstrate a commitment to safety and risk management at every stage of the job.
Design and Structure of Working Platforms
The design and structure of working platforms play a pivotal role in ensuring both safety and efficiency on site. Scaffold towers and other access equipment should be constructed from durable, high-quality materials that provide a stable footing and secure footing for workers at all times. A well-designed work platform offers ample space for tools and materials, supports the required load, and remains stable even when used at different heights or in challenging conditions. Reliable suppliers offer a range of platforms tailored to various job requirements, ensuring that workers have access to safe, practical solutions for every task. Additionally, the design should facilitate easy assembly, movement, and inspection, with features that allow the platform to be folded and stored efficiently when not in use. By prioritising thoughtful design and robust construction, employers can ensure safe access and stability for all workers, regardless of the complexity of the structure or the height involved.
Requirements for Work Platforms
Selecting the right work platform involves careful consideration of the specific requirements of each job. Factors such as platform height, load capacity, available space, and the nature of the tasks to be carried out all influence the choice of equipment. The platform must provide safe access and secure footing, with essential safety features like guardrails and toe boards to prevent falls. It is vital that all workers are trained to use the equipment safely and that a competent person oversees the erection, use, and dismantling of the platform in a safe manner. Regular inspections should be conducted to identify and address any potential hazards, ensuring ongoing stability and security. By meeting these requirements and tailoring solutions to the unique demands of each site, employers can minimise risk, ensure safe working practices, and prevent unauthorised access to elevated work areas.
Competence and Supervision of Scaffolding Operatives
Ensuring that scaffolding operatives are both competent and properly supervised is fundamental to maintaining high safety standards on site. All workers involved in erecting, using, or dismantling work platforms and access equipment must receive thorough training and ongoing guidance. Supervision by a competent person is essential to ensure that safety procedures are followed and that any issues are addressed promptly. Reliable suppliers of access equipment can provide valuable support and advice, helping employers to keep their teams up to date with the latest best practices and regulatory requirements. By investing in the competence and supervision of their workforce, employers not only promote a culture of safety but also ensure that all work at height is carried out in a safe and controlled manner.
Safe Use of a Scaffold Tower
The safe use of a scaffold tower begins with careful planning and continues through every stage of assembly, use, and dismantling. Workers must be trained to assemble the tower correctly, ensuring it is placed on firm, level ground and securely tied to a stable structure to prevent movement or collapse. Maintaining three points of contact when climbing or working on the platform is essential for safety, and workers should avoid leaning over the sides or overloading the platform. Regular inspections and maintenance are necessary to confirm that the scaffold tower remains in good condition and provides a secure means of access. By adhering to these guidelines and ensuring that all workers are properly trained and supervised, employers can create a safe working environment and significantly reduce the risk of accidents or unauthorised access to elevated areas.
Following a rise in the number of people gaining unauthorised access to construction sites, particularly in residential areas, an alert is being issued to remind contractors and those in control of construction work involving scaffolding and access ladders, of the need to assess the site and ensure suitable and sufficient measures are in place to prevent members of the public, and especially children from climbing scaffolds and ladders.
Scaffolding and construction sites can often seems like a giant adventure playground for children, however the reality is that these sites are far from child’s play. Where unauthorised access has been gained, the frequent result is the trespasser falling from height incurring life changing injuries or a fatality. Clients and contractors must therefore ensure that unauthorised access onto scaffolding is prevented, not just outside working hours, but also at times when workers are present but out of sight.
Whilst members of the public and parents have a responsibility to take note of safety signs to deter them from entering construction sites, contractors must take greater effort to ensure that the very young are not able to climb onto scaffolding. Ultimately however, there is no way to guarantee that an able, determined person will not defeat security measures. This safety alert is therefore not aimed at preventing all, determined trespassers, vandals or opportunistic thieves from finding a way onto a construction site. It is simply designed to outline the basic measures that must be taken, many of which will also provide a degree of deterrence against those more able and determined to enter the site.
All contractors should carry out a site inspection to assess any potential risks and opportunities for trespassers to access the site. The level of security needed and the options available will depend on a number of factors which include:
–
The proximity to residential areas, schools and other public venues and whether the scaffold is inside a construction site or on the public boundary
Whether the building being worked on is occupied or not and whether it is occupied or in use out of hours . If it is unoccupied, what length of time is this for i.e. overnight, weekend or over a holiday period.
The number of access points to the scaffolding including the number of levels that the scaffolding is on
- Level of lighting
- Level of privacy; is the access point onto the scaffold quiet or busy, hidden or overlooked?
- Existing level of security presence on the site; patrols, CCTV, active response to CCTV heat or motion trigger
At a minimum, all construction sites should have perimeter fencing which is continuous and fixed in place . Gaps between gates and the ground and between fixed and moveable fencing should be minimised so that small children cannot climb through or under. Site security should be regularly checked and reviewed to ensure perimeter fencing is kept in good order and that there are no materials, skips, plant, etc stored or parked where they may assist a trespasser to climb into the site.
In addition to the perimeter fencing, in some cases, the full length of the scaffold may need to be fenced. An example of this would be in occupied buildings or public spaces with access to the scaffold at several levels fencing should be used to close off all access opportunities.
The fencing should be installed as the scaffold is built, lift by lift, which means either writing this into the scaffold contract or having a separate contractor working with the scaffolding contractor so that there is no lag between the scaffold going up and fencing being fitted.
If it is not reasonably practicable for ladders at ground level to be removed, or have ladder guards fitted out of hours, then the area should be secured using padlocked fence panels. Where stair towers are fitted to the scaffold, access at ground and other levels should be prevented by padlocked fence panels. The only exception is where scaffolding or stair towers form part of the planned public escape route of an occupied building. In this instance, you must ensure that arrangements to stop unauthorised access will not interfere with evacuation of the building in the event of a fire. However additional fencing or barriers should be installed to prevent anyone climbing away from the designated fire escape route.
Where possible, local fencing within the site should be kept in place during working hours so as to minimise the amount of work that has to be done at the end of shift. This will usually need a lockable access gate to be designed into the arrangement.
Alongside gates, you should also consider alternative forms of security for your scaffolding site, such as canine guards. Companies such as React K9 Security Services offer reliable canine patrols that can ensure that your site is secure and deter any potential intruders.
Where there are other routes onto the scaffold that cannot be fenced off e.g. onto higher lifts from sloping ground or balconies, it is good practice to still remove the ladder but the opening must then be blocked. It is important to note that ladders should not be removed where the route is designated out of hours for fire escape from an occupied building.
Ladder removal will in most cases achieve better control than a ladder guard however there are some instances where it would not be practical to remove bottom lift ladders out of hours. A ladder guard is a sturdy metal plate that hooks over and padlocks onto several rungs of the ladder to deny access.
Whilst warning signage is appropriate, this is a low level of control and unlikely in itself to deter children. It is vital that the site risk assessment should be kept under review and reports of damage to site or local fencing or trespassing out of working hours should be investigated and security measures reviewed as a matter of urgency.
