PP716 SSSP 820 0 Scaffolding
PP716 SSSP 820 0 Scaffolding
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Project Procedure
Scaffolding Safety
B. Kayyali (BK)
0 For Review & Comments 21-August-04 K. El-Saddik C. Incerta (CI) General Manager Safety,
HSE Coordinator Group HSE&S Manager Controls, & Special Assignments
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INDEX
1. SCOPE
2. PURPOSE
3. REFERENCES
5. RESPONSIBILITIES
6. PROCEDURE
7. ATTACHMENTS
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1. SCOPE
1.1. This procedure shall apply to all scaffolding that is to be erected on the Project.
2. PURPOSE
2.1. The purpose of this procedure is to set standards for materials, erection, use and
inspection of the scaffolding.
2.2. This procedure sets the standards and recommendation to observe the safety of all
employees involved in erecting and working from scaffolds.
3. REFERENCES
4.1. Definitions
4.2. Abbreviations
5. RESPONSIBILITIES
5.1. Health, Safety, Environment and Security Manager is responsible for the
development of this procedure and monitoring compliance.
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5.3.1. Shall ensure that their employees know and understand the requirements for
working from scaffolds.
5.3.2. Shall ensure that only scaffolds, which are certified (have Green Tag) as safe for
use, are utilized.
5.5.1. Ensure that all scaffolders are aware of and work in compliance to best industry
practice for the erection of scaffolds.
5.5.2. Establish a system for tagging scaffolds to identify whether they are safe and fit
for purpose.
5.5.3. Arrange for and provide adequate training, in co-operation with the CCC
HSE&S&S Manager.
5.5.4. Liaise with the engineering group for designing any special and purpose built
scaffolds.
5.5.5. Ensure that materials are checked before use and are of sound condition.
5.6. Subcontractors
6. PROCEDURE
6.1.1. Scaffolding is a temporary structure that provides access and working platform
that can be used to support materials, slab, plant or equipment. It can be divided
into two types:
6.1.1.1. Unit formwork, Kwickstage, all round or other types of purpose made
frames or units.
6.1.1.2. Tube & Fittings: Individual tubes, of varying lengths, held together by
individual couplers.
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6.1.1.3. Note: Where possible, tube & fittings system scaffolds will be utilized.
Wood scaffolds will only be used with the prior permission of the Site
Manager.
6.1.1.4. Base Plate: A metal base (with a central spigot) for distributing the load
from a standard, raker or load bearing tube.
6.1.1.5. Bay Length: The distance between two adjacent standards along the face
of a scaffold.
6.1.1.6. Board: A softwood or metal board used with similar boards to provide
access platforms, working platforms or toeboards, etc. will be used.
6.1.1.6.1. Standard boards are nominally 225mm wide and 38 mm thick, but 50
mm and 63 mm thick boards are also available.
6.1.1.6.2. Boards should not be painted or treated in any way that would
conceal defects in them.
6.1.1.6.4. The ends of all scaffold boards should be protected by metal hoops.
6.1.1.6.5. The presence of knots in a scaffold board may cause the board to
break under load. It is recommended, therefore, that if a board
contains any of the following features, it should not be used to form a
scaffold platform:
6.1.1.6.5.3. A group of face knots which, when summed across the width of
both faces, exceeds 150 mm.
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6.1.1.10. Castor: A swiveling wheel with a lock device secured to the base of a
standard for the purpose of making a scaffold mobile.
6.1.1.12. Coupler: A fitting used to fix scaffold tubes together. Couplers are divided
into load bearing or non-load bearing.
6.1.1.13. Guard-rail: A tube secured onto the scaffold to prevent the fall of a person.
6.1.1.14. Hoop Iron: Metal bond fitted to the ends of a softwood board to prevent
splitting.
6.1.1.15. Ledger: A horizontal tube secured to the standards, with load bearing
fittings. It prevents standards from bowing and acts as a support for
transoms, board bearers and ledger to ledger diagonal bracing.
6.1.1.16. Access Platform: A fully boarded out bay which provides step off points
for ladder access.
6.1.1.17. Lift: The assemble of ledgers, transoms and board bearers forming each
horizontal level of a scaffold.
6.1.1.19. Node Point: Common point where ledgers, standards and transoms are
fixed.
6.1.1.20. Puncheon: A vertical tube secured at its lower end, with a load bearing
coupler, to a horizontal tube. The load is not transmitted directly into the
ground or into a base plate.
6.1.1.23. Sleeve Coupler: A fitting which fits over a scaffold tube and is used to join
one tube to another, end to end.
6.1.1.24. Sole Plate: A timber (normally a short scaffold board) used to spread the
load from the base plate over an extended area.
6.1.1.25. Spigot (Joint Pin): A fitting that fits inside a scaffold tube and is used to
join one tube to another, end to end.
6.1.1.26. Standard: A vertical tube used to transmit the load to ground or ground
level.
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6.1.1.27. Sleeve Coupler: A fitting that fits over a scaffold tube and is used to join
one tube to another, end to end.
6.1.1.28. Sole Plate: A timber (normally a short scaffold board) used to spread the
load from the base plate over an extended area.
6.1.1.29. Spigot (Joint Pin): A fitting that fits inside a scaffold tube and is used to
join one tube to another, end to end.
6.1.1.30. Standard: A vertical tube used to transmit the load to ground or ground
level.
6.1.1.31. Stop End: A guardrail placed across the end of a scaffold, or used to
isolate unboarded parts.
6.1.1.34. Transom: A tube connecting the outer standards to the inner standards. It
spans across ledgers and forms the working platform.
6.1.1.35. Unit Beam: A purpose made lattice beam incorporated into a scaffold
structure to form a bridge where an extended opening between standards is
necessary.
6.1.1.36.1. The boarded out deck from which work is carried out.
6.2. Instructions
6.2.1. Materials
6.2.1.1.1. Tubes, units, frames, timbers etc. shall be straight to the eye and shall
be free of cracks, splits, excessive corrosion or other defects. The
ends shall be cut square with the axis of the tube.
6.2.1.1.2. Any tube, unit or frame requiring a high degree of maintenance such
as wire brushing or scraping shall be replaced.
6.2.1.1.3. No tube, unit or frame will be painted. The only acceptable coating
will be galvanizing and zinc primer.
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6.2.1.2.2. Scaffolding boards are not acceptable if they have a knot larger than
50mm diameter.
6.2.1.2.3. Edge knots shall not exceed 50% of the thickness of the board.
6.2.1.2.6. There shall be no cut outs (checks), burns, oil stains or projecting
nails.
6.2.1.2.7. Boards shall not be painted or treated in any other way which may
conceal defects.
6.2.1.2.8. Boards that are broken or excessively worn are not acceptable.
6.2.1.2.9. Boards shall be square cut and bound with a hoop iron.
6.2.1.3. Couplers
6.2.1.3.2. Couplers will be sorted by type. They will be kept clean and lightly
oiled to prevent rust.
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6.2.1.4.2. Where materials are being stored at the site of erection for immediate
use, they will be stored in a neat manner that does not present a
tripping hazard or block access routes.
6.2.2.1. Foundations
6.2.2.1.1. The foundations shall be level and adequate to carry the load
imposed.
6.2.2.1.2. Base plates shall be placed under every standard irrespective of the
foundation surface.
6.2.2.2.3. Joints in standards can be made with sleeve couplers or spigots (joint
pins). Joints must be staggered, i.e., they must not occur at the same
level in adjacent standards.
6.2.2.3.1. Ledgers must be plumbed level and fixed to the inside of standards
using right angle, loadbearing couplers. The ledger must not extend
more than 50mm past the load bearing coupler.
6.2.2.3.2. The vertical distance (lift height) between ledgers must not exceed 2
meters.
6.2.2.3.3. Joints in ledgers will be made with sleeve couplers. Spigots 9joint
pins) are not acceptable. All joints must be staggered.
6.2.2.3.4. IMPORTANT NOTE: Right angle couplers (doubles or 90’s) are the
only fitting suitable as load bearing. Swivel couplers are not
acceptable in a load bearing capacity.
6.2.2.4. Transoms
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from each pair of standards. A transom must not extend more that
50mm past the right angle coupler / putlog clip.
6.2.2.5.1. Tie-in must be fixed at every second lift and every second standard.
6.2.2.5.2. Where a scaffold has been sheeted out with tarpaulins, consideration
will be given to additional wind loading and the insertion of
additional ties.
6.2.2.5.3. All ties will be positive two-way ties, i.e., they will prevent
movement of the scaffold either into or away from the building,
structure or column.
6.2.2.5.4. All tie-in’s must be secured as near to the node point as is possible
(where standards and ledgers intersect). Only load bearing couplers
will be acceptable.
6.2.2.5.6. As a general rule, ties must always be inserted. Where this is not
possible, the following alternative actions may be taken.
6.2.2.5.7. On small scaffolds not extending above three lifts, the stability of the
scaffold can be achieved by rakers. The raker will be secured with
right angle couplers to the ledger at the second lift. The load in the
raker will be distributed through a base plate or if required a
soleboard. The foot of the raker will be tied back to the main scaffold.
Rakers will be inserted at the same standard spacing as tie.
6.2.2.5.8. No Raker shall extend more than 3 meters without being tied back at
its mild point.
6.2.2.6. Braces
6.2.2.6.1. All scaffolds will be braced in both directions. Braces, whether facade
or ledger to ledger, will extend to the full height of the structure.
6.2.2.6.4. Joints in facade braces will be made with sleeve couplers, spigots are
not acceptable.
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6.2.2.6.5. Where braces are fixed to transoms, the transom itself must be fixed
with right angle couplers.
6.2.2.7.1. Working platforms will normally be five boards wide but may be
reduced to two boards where the scaffold has been erected for
inspection or access purposes only.
6.2.2.7.2. All working platforms will be close boarded with boards. Boards will
either be cut to fit around standards, pipe penetrations etc., or have the
gaps filled in with the use of suitable fixed wooden boarding, i.e., ply
wood.
6.2.2.7.3. Guard-rails will be fixed to the inside of the standards on all working
platforms to a height of between 1.1 meters (minimum) and 1.5
meters (maximum). The space between the top of the toeboard and
the underside of the guard-rail will not exceed 690mm.
6.2.2.7.5. Toeboards including stop end boards will be fitted to all working
platforms. The minimum height will be 150mm.
6.2.2.7.7. Ladder access openings will not be more that 500mm wide (3 boards)
and will be as short as possible in the other direction.
6.2.2.7.8. The maximum span of any board forming the working platform will
be 1.2 meters.
6.2.2.7.9. The minimum overhang of any board will not be less that 50 mm and
the maximum overhand will not exceed 150mm.
6.2.2.8.1. The vertical height between ladder access platforms, will not exceed 9
meters.
6.2.2.8.2. Ladder access platforms will be close boarded and will have guard-
rails and toeboards secured.
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6.2.2.9. Ladders
6.2.2.9.3. The angle at which the ladder is set will (with the exception of
scaffold towers) be 75º or 300 mm out for every 1.2 meters of vertical
length.
6.2.2.9.4. Long ladders will be supported and lashed at their mid point to
remove any bounce.
6.2.2.9.6. All ladders will be of good repair and sound construction. They will
be checked for damage, faults and wear & tear, by the Approved
Scaffolding Supervisor, before use.
6.2.2.9.7. Ladders may be on the outside of a scaffold for the first two lifts,
above ground level. In every other instance, the ladder shall be
internal to the scaffold.
6.2.2.12. Scafftag
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6.2.2.12.2. Within a period not exceeding 7 days, the scaffold will be re-
inspected by a Scaffolding Supervisor and a signature and date placed
upon the tag. Where a scaffold does not meet safety standards, the tag
will be removed and a prohibition notice placed at the access to
inform personnel not to use. Generally a RED Tag will be used for
‘unsafe scaffolds’.
6.2.3.1.4. Personnel who erect system scaffolds will be trained and competent to
do so.
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6.2.3.2.2. Independent tied scaffolds will not be erected to a height of more that
45 meters without design calculations being submitted to the Field
Engineering, by a competent scaffold engineer.
6.2.3.3.2. The standards will be laced together with a grid of ledgers and
transoms fixed by right angle couplers at every lift. The transoms in
the top working lift may be secured with putlog clips.
6.2.3.3.4. The first lift will be secured at a maximum height of 2.5 meters.
Subsequent lifts will not exceed 2 meters vertical height.
6.2.3.3.5. Braces will be provided for every six standards in each line, in both
directions.
6.2.3.4.1. Free standing towers may be fitted with castors or wheels for mobility
or erected as free standing towers. They support a single working
platform only, which shall not project beyond the base area. Access to
the platform shall be by vertical ladder lashed internal to the tower at
one of the shortest sides.
6.2.3.4.2. The maximum loading will not exceed that for Light Duty
Scaffolding as specified in Attachment 7.1, unless the structure has
been designed by a competent engineer and design calculation
submitted to Field Engineering.
6.2.3.4.3. The smallest base dimension will be no less than 1.2 meters.
6.2.3.4.5. Mobile Towers: No more than three times the minimum base
dimension.
6.2.3.4.6. Stationary Towers: No more than three times the minimum base
dimension.
6.2.3.4.7. Mobile towers will only be used and moved on firm and level
surfaces or steel channels.
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6.2.3.4.8. Castors or wheels will be used which suit the size and loading of the
tower. They must be fixed to each extreme corner in the base of
mobile towers and secured so that they cannot fall out when tower is
moved.
6.2.3.4.9. Castors and wheels will be fitted with an effective brake which must
be applied when the mobile tower is in use.
6.2.3.4.10. Lift heights will not exceed 2.7 meters, with the lowest lift being
fixed as near to the base as possible. Transoms and ledgers will be
secured using right angle couplers.
6.2.3.4.11. Ledger to ledger (dog leg braces), will be fixed to the full height of
the tower on every side.
6.2.3.4.12. Plan braces will be fixed at every alternate lift, using right angle
couplers. The bottom lift and the top lift will always to plan braced.
6.2.3.4.13. Under not circumstances will horizontal forces be applied at the level
of the working platform by pulling heavy cables or ropes.
6.2.3.4.15. In all other respects free standing towers will comply with the general
requirements as specified in this Section.
6.2.3.5.4. Hangers will not be spaced more than 2.5 meters in either directions.
6.2.3.5.5. The imposed load will not exceed that specified for Inspection and
Very Light Duty Scaffolds in Attachment 7.1.
6.2.3.5.6. Vertical hanging tubes will be secured with right angle couplers. A
check fitting will be fixed to the hanging tube immediately above the
securing right angle coupler, at the suspension point and immediately
underneath the right angle coupler securing the ledger, at the working
platform.
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6.2.3.5.8. In all other respects a hanging scaffold will comply with the general
requirements as specified in this Section.
6.2.3.6.2. Fixed ladders with backing hoops which normally provide access to
the tank or vessel will not be used as scaffold access ladders.
6.2.4.2. All such competent workmen shall operate under the control of a
competent supervisor.
6.2.4.4. Tubes or boards being used in the construction of the scaffold will be
stored flat in a neat and tidy manner. They will not be stacked vertically
against the scaffold.
6.2.4.5. Loose tubes or boards will not be left on scaffolding after its completion.
6.2.4.6. Where men are erecting a slung or cantilevered section or crawling around
on a pipe bridge or other structural steelwork they will, in all instances,
where there is a possibility of falling more than 2 meters, wear a safety
belt (or harness) and life line which will be hooked off at all times.
6.2.4.7. Where a scaffold is left in an incomplete state, the bottom ladder will be
removed and a notice will be secured to the lower lift stating “Danger
Incomplete Scaffold Keep Off”, and will be tagged red (not fit to use).
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6.2.4.10. The cantilevered tube to which the gin wheel is secured does not project
more than 760mm beyond the scaffold, unless it is adequately supported.
6.2.4.11. The cantilevered tube is secured to the inside standard using right angle
couplers. Both standards to be diagonally braced.
6.2.4.12. The fiber rope which shall have a minimum diameter of 18mm will be
checked daily by the approved Scaffolding Supervisor and discarded if
unfit for use.
6.2.4.13. The maximum load to be lifted by a gin wheel will not exceed 50kg.
6.2.5. Inspection
6.2.5.1. All scaffolds will be inspected prior to use and seven-day periods
thereafter.
6.2.6.1. Scaffolds will be used for the purpose to which they have been erected.
Under no circumstances will they be overloaded.
7. ATTACHMENTS
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ATTACHMENT 7.1
PP716_SSSP_820_0