Masonry Magazine April 2005 Page. 33
Planking is - to some extent - a disposable asset. Even with above-average care, you will eventually have to replace these units.
Safety First
Remember to immediately remove damaged scaffold planks from service. Damaged planks may result in injury or death.
Long-term Use over Short-term Abuse
EVEN IF YOU and your crews are knowledgeable about the proper care and storage of plank, sometimes it comes down to labor versus materials. Labor hours are a huge part of your bottom line, so sometimes shortcuts to proper storage prevail in an effort to lessen this expense. Occasionally, one might think that short-term abuse to tools and equipment are preferred if it means cutting down on labor expenses. However, this philosophy can sometimes end up costing more money down the line if you have to replace planking more frequently due to these shortcuts.
However, planking is to some extent - a disposable asset. Even with above-average care, you will eventually have to replace these units.
"If the contractor takes care of their product, uses and maintains it the way it should be or the best that they can, they shouldn't feel bad if they have to replace it," explains Gilleran. "It's just like a car, you have to buy a new car every so often- you put so many miles on it, so be it. But if you don't change the oil or maintain the transmission, you are going to have to replace it sooner."
Kennison agrees, "Potentially, a well-cared for DI65 or LVL scaffold plank can last several years. The longevity often coincides with how well they're stored, taken care of, and the type of abuse that they take."
"We have contractors here in Texas that, because it is a wet climate, some of them actually stand their boards on end," adds Cook. "If they only have 200 to 300 boards, some have slots that they set their boards in and set them up on edge with air between them and let them dry out. People who do this, they'll keep their boards for years.
"You know it's a big investment for contractors to buy scaffold plank," he continues. "We've just seen so many people lose their material, we're just trying to educate them and help them out."
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