Masonry Magazine March 2003 Page. 22
SCAFFOLDING
Scaffolders with work experience in the rigging, erection and dismantling of scaffolds may choose to enter the Challenge Program. This tests their overall knowledge and a passing mark allows them to receive their SIA Training Program Scaffolder I.D. card and certificate. This option is available for suspended or supported scaffolds and consists of a pre-test to initially evaluate his/her level of knowledge and determine any areas of weakness.
The Scaffold Training Institute (STI), League City, Texas, is also recognized for its safety programs. The heart of their program is a 250-page manual that is laid out in a competency-based format in accordance with standard government accepted specifications for training materials. This guide has the objective of giving the student a thorough knowledge of the OSHA scaffolding standard.
STI believes the great advantage of this manual is that pictures and graphics are included. "In order to develop the training manuals and accompanying videos, we actually erected all three types of scaffolding, took hundreds of photos during the assembly procedure, and placed them in the manual," claims STI's website. "We built both simple one section high towers and complex four tier multiple bay scaffolds. These scaffolds demonstrate applications such as: putlogs used to span obstructions, suspended 'dead legs, staircases, highly uneven ground conditions, and other unusual field situations."
As a result, the manual contains assembly instructions complete with pictures. For example, if the written instruction says "attach the cross braces to the frame," a picture showing cross braces being attached to the frame is placed adjacent to that instruction on the page. To compliment this manual, a video of the procedures is also available. The training participant can watch a crew of professional erectors assemble the scaffold live on video and follow along with the same pictures and instructions in the manual. This linkage of videos, manual and photographs provides a complete multimedia training experience.
As the manual and videos progress through the assembly procedure, topics such as pre-job planning, component identification, equipment inspection, adequate foundations, proper planking, scaffold tie-ins, diagonal bracing, platforms loading, safe use, and others are discussed in sequence. After taking the participant though the step-by-step assembly procedure in the manual and on video, a thorough scaffolding inspection checklist is covered.
In addition, STI provides an instruction guide for in-house trainers and self-paced instruction that can be done without a formal instructor or classroom participation. Their "Train the Trainer" program provides the instructor's guide, videos, and training manual and instruction necessary to conduct the class in-house. Their instructor will spend one day walking you through the procedure to teach the course. The course takes approximately eight hours. This can be accomplished in three different ways you can send the in-house trainer to the STI facility near Houston; they can send someone to your location; or it can be done by correspondence.
Bennu Pettibone Gehl
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Each individual type of scaffolding, would also have unique issues to deal with for the worker.
One Safety Fits All
ARE SCAFFOLDING safety procedures universal across all types and manufacturers? Or are there variations between products? Storrer responds, "There are many universal aspects that apply to all types. For example, when you need to have guardrails, when you need to have toe boards, proper use of side brackets, full decking requirements when the entire platform has to be fully decked with no openings from one side of the scaffold to the other. Those would be general requirements that apply to all types."