Identifying the Best Industrial Equipment Supplier

When it comes to performing work at a height that involves frequently changing position, rolling scaffolds are a popular choice of scaffolding equipment. These scaffolds come with wheels to allow easy movement, and they are ideal for use in places with hard, level floors or surfaces. Although each of the wheels on a rolling scaffold is equipped with locks to prevent swivelling when the scaffold is being used, scaffold users must take extra precaution to ensure they remain safe.

If you are contemplating using rolling scaffolding for an upcoming work at height job, here's what to do to improve safety. 

Access ladder

Most rolling scaffolds include a built-in ladder used to access the working platform. Typically, the ladder extends beyond the access point to the working platform to ensure scaffold users maintain optimal contact with the ladder at all times. The general industry recommendation is that you should maintain three points of contact whenever you're using ladders to access scaffold platforms.

In addition to this, always make sure your access ladder is free of grease, oil, snow, ice or any other slippery material before climbing the ladder to access upper levels of your scaffold. This should help prevent slips and falls from ladders. 

Guardrails

Some people decide to use scaffold platforms without guardrails when working at low heights because they don't think they will get seriously hurt if they fall. This can turn out to be a big mistake, as they can never tell how they will fall. You should never work from any scaffold platform without ensuring that a guardrail system is in place. Guardrails are recommended for rolling scaffolds because they help prevent falls from height during normal use of the scaffolds. Scaffold users must, however, not lean over the guardrails, as they could still expose themselves to danger.

Bracing 

Braces are an important safety feature of rolling scaffolds. They are designed to secure all vertical members of the equipment in place in order to prevent potential collapsing of the structure. Before climbing on your mobile scaffolding, make sure all frames are properly joined together and secured with horizontal braces, cross braces, diagonal braces and all other bracing required to make the structure strong and steady. No matter how robust and steady scaffold frames may be, you should never climb the structure using the framing.

The best way to improve safety when using rolling scaffolding is to ensure your access equipment is inspected and assembled by a competent person. This should help take the worry out of using the equipment. It can also help reduce your risk exposures and liabilities as a tradesperson or contractor.

For more information on hiring and using scaffolding, contact a company such as Instant Scaffolding WA.