Saturday, September 10, 2011

Workplace Safety and Health (Scaffold) Regulations 2011 - Part III (Metal Scaffolds)

Approved metal scaffolds
29. Responsible person to ensure that no metal scaffold shall be erected or installed in a workplace unless —
(a) it has been type-tested by a recognised testing body in accordance with a standard or specification acceptable to the Commissioner; and
(b) it complies with such conditions as the Commissioner may think fit to impose.
Design of certain metal scaffolds by professional engineer
30.—(1) Responsible person to ensure that every metal scaffold —
(a) exceeding 15m in height in any shipyard; or
(b) exceeding 30m in height in any workplace other than in a shipyard,
be erected or installed in accordance with the design and drawings of a professional engineer.
(2) Duty of a professional engineer who designs any metal scaffold referred to in paragraph (1) to —
(a) take such measures to ensure that his design can be executed safely by any person who erects, installs or uses the scaffold according to his design; and
(b) provide to any person who erects or installs or is to erect or install the scaffold, all design documentation (including all relevant calculations, drawings and construction procedures) as is necessary to facilitate the proper erection or installation of the scaffold according to his design.
(3) Duty of the occupier of a workplace in which a metal scaffold referred to in paragraph (1) is erected or installed to ensure the scaffold is not used unless —
(a) the scaffold has been examined by the professional engineer after its erection or installation, and a certificate stating that the scaffold is safe for use has been obtained from the professional engineer;
(b) the design and drawings certified by the professional engineer and the certificate referred to in sub-paragraph (a) are kept available at the workplace for inspection by an inspector; and
(c) the scaffold has been inspected by a professional engineer at least once every 3 months to ensure that it is safe for use.
(4) Duty of the professional engineer, when he discovers any defect in a metal scaffold in the course of his examination or inspection referred to in paragraph (3), to immediately inform the
occupier of the workplace.
(5) Duty of the occupier referred to in paragraph (4), upon being informed of any defect in a scaffold under that paragraph, to immediately take action to rectify the defect before the scaffold is used.
(6) Any person who contravenes paragraph (3)(b) shall be guilty and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.



Ties for metal scaffolds
31.—(1) Duty of the responsible person to ensure that the requirements of paragraphs (2) to (7) are complied with.
(2) Every alternate lift and every uppermost lift of an independent tied metal scaffold in a workplace shall be effectively tied to the building or structure by means of ties.
(3) Ties shall be located no further than one bay from the ends of the independent tied metal scaffold and thereafter, at intermediate spacing of not more than 3 bays or 7.5 m apart, whichever is less.
(4) Ties other than tie tubes and couplers shall not be used without the approval in writing of the Commissioner.
(5) Every tie under this regulation shall conform with the following:
(a) tie tubes shall be attached by right angle couplers to the outside ledger or standard or, in the case of an independent scaffold, to both the inside and outside standards as close as possible to the junction of the standards and ledgers; and
(b) the ends of the tie tubes shall be attached to the building or structure by one of the following methods:
(i) the tie tubes shall form part of a yoke constructed of tubes and couplers which passes around and bears hard against the sides of a column, pier, beam or similar structural members;
(ii) each tie tube shall pass through the wall and be secured with 2 pieces of tube of minimum length of 300mm nd shall be attached one on each side of, and bear hard against, the wall;
(iii) each tie tube shall be attached to a reveal tie not greater than 1.5 m in length but reveal ties shall not be used where a horizontal diagonal plan bracing is used; or
(iv) each tie tube shall pass through ring bolts which shall be secured by casting in or being anchored in the wall.
(6) Every tie tube shall be perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of the scaffold and, where this is not practicable, the deviation from the perpendicular shall not exceed 15°.
(7) Every tie shall be capable of withstanding a force of 1,000 kgf applied in either direction along the length of the tie.



Transoms for modular or tube-and-coupler scaffolds
32. It shall be the duty of the responsible person to ensure that every modular scaffold or tube-and-coupler scaffold in a workplace is provided with transverse horizontal members or transoms for each lift.


Spigots, jointpins or sleeves
33.—(1) Responsible person to ensure that the requirements of paragraphs (2) to (6) are complied with.
(2) Spigots, jointpins or sleeves shall be used to connect one standard of a metal scaffold in a workplace to another standard.
(3) Where spigots, jointpins or sleeves are used to locate and connect one standard to another, such spigots, jointpins or sleeves shall —
(a) permit full bearing over the whole bearing area at the ends of the standards; and
(b) have such external or internal dimensions that the maximum difference of mating diameters in any part between the spigot, jointpin or sleeve and the other standard does not exceed 1.6mm.
(4) Spigots and jointpins shall engage in the ends of the standards by at least 70mm.
(5) Sleeves shall cover the end of the standard by at least 70 mm.
(6) The standards shall be securely held if they are connected by the spigots, jointpins or sleeves.



Adjustable base plates
34. Where an adjustable base plate is used on a standard of a metal scaffold in a workplace and the adjustment exceeds 150mm, it is the duty of the responsible person to ensure that the standard
is tied longitudinally to the adjacent standard or standards at a height of not more than 460mm above the supporting surface by right angle or swivel couplers.



Frame or modular scaffolds to be erected in one plane
35. Responsible person to ensure that every frame or modular scaffold in a workplace is erected such that every lift is horizontal and in one plane.



Cross brace not to be used as means of access or egress
36. Duty of the employer / principal of any person who uses or is to use any frame scaffold to ensure that no cross brace on the frame scaffold shall be used as a means of access or egress by the person.

No comments: