Most of us know little to nothing about scaffolding except that they are the structures that are affixed to building to secure them in place. And if you know this much, well, my friends are better off than 75% of the population. Because unless you are part of the construction industry, then you might know next to nothing about the history of scaffolding and what it entailed. So, without further ado, let’s dive deeper into the world of construction, scaffolding, to be more precise.
What is scaffolding?
It is a basic form of platform and is made up of couplers, boards, and tubes. They are temporary fixtures that are attached to buildings and are there for the safety of workers and passers-by alike. They allow construction workers to move around the site more easily and safely. They are mainly used when working at a certain height; this is specifically done to build and renovate skyscrapers. If used correctly and adequately, they help cut down the construction time by a significant amount and ensure the maximum safety of the workers on the site.
History
Throughout human history, buildings have formed an integral part of our DNA. They are a sign of civilization (this is deeply rooted in colonialism, but we aren’t here to talk about this today). But, would you believe that the use of scaffolding dates back to as far as the prehistoric era? Yes, that right, the discovery of the first use of scaffolding or something adjacent to that dated backs to 17 000 years ago. What is more interesting is that archaeologists found that during the paleolithic era. Humans would use some basic scaffolding structure to paint on cave walls, and Egyptians used wooden scaffolding to construct the behemoth that we call pyramids now. So, scaffolding has been with us since the dawn of humanity and is still going strong in today’s world.
Over time, scaffolding techniques evolved alongside human beings and developed extensively and fit current bullrings and architecture needs. The use of metal scaffold poles was popularized in the earlier 1900s, and it has replaced the traditional wooden scaffold. The scaffolding we see now gained in popularity after WWII and this allowed companies to build faster and with more safety. Scaffolding technology is still evolving day by day, and we are seeing the introduction of new things like safety nets and new and updated work regulations.
Risk of scaffolding
However careful you are in the construction and placement of the scaffolding system, there will always be some unforeseen issues that may arise with such a high-risk job, and error is ultimately human most of the time. If you hire a professional team to set up the scaffolding. In that case, it minimizes the risk of any scaffolding-related incidents, but you can never account for human error, especially for high-risk jobs like this one. Issues that may arise are electrocution, slipping, falling, falling debris, weather issues, and other human-related errors or injuries.
To best help prevent any man-made issues, it would be best that all the workers are well-trained about safety and work practices that will ensure their safety and help minimize the aforementioned issues. This may not reduce the number of incidents to zero, but it will help people be cognizant of the risk associated with the job.
Are you searching for an experienced scaffolding team?
Then you ought to contact Stilcon Scaffolding. With over a decade of experience, there is the finest scaffolding team in Melbourne and uses the best material for their scaffolding because they believe that the security of the workers is more important than money. So why wait? Call them now for all your scaffolding needs; they are only one phone call away.
