Scaffold Tower Regulations
Working at height has always proved to be an occupational hazard but did you know that before you even start you should be undertaking an assessment to confirm whether there is an alternative to working at height?
The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) endorses a series of working at height regulations and guidelines that must be followed in order to help people who use mobile scaffold towers and other equipment stay safe on site.
The assessment comes as part of the Working at Height Regulations 2005 and once it has been established that there is no alternative but to work at height, selecting suitable equipment for the job is the next stage of the process.
Mobile scaffold towers are an ingenious piece of kit specially designed to help make working at height regulations easier to adhere to and a safer process all round. There are, however, still numerous accidents every year involving mobile scaffold towers which have not been put together properly, or incidents where equipment has been misused.
That is why it is essential that there is always at least one competent person on site who has received professional PASMA training in assembling a scaffold tower and that he is familiar with the working at height regulations.
Pasma and Scaffold tower Regulations
PASMA (Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association) offers professional training in conjunction with the HSE.
As part of the course, participants will pass a written and practical assessment and they will be awarded a special certificate and a photocard ID.
The training is nationally recognised across the construction industry and in many cases workers need PASMA certification before they can work using scaffold tower on building sites in the UK.
They will also be given an introduction to mobile scaffold towers, assembly, safety, repositioning, stability, inspection, maintenance and care.
Dismantling the scaffold tower is also covered and tuition will be given on working at height regulations and standards.