Scaffolding Tools
There are a great variety of tools involved in scaffolding. These do not only include the materials and items necessary for erecting the scaffold but span over a large number of health and safety ones as well.
Scaffolding Systems
The two main types of scaffolding systems sold and used in the UK are Kwikstage and Scaf-lok (which is a copy system of "Cuplok", designed by S.G.B., one of the world's leading suppliers of access and formwork products and services who have an international network of rental outlets providing design, engineering and installation support of scaffold systems.) Both systems are different in many ways aside from their shared bay size of about 8ft/2.5m and 6ft / 1.8m with a width of 4ft / 1.3m.
Kwikstage is by far the most commonly used system. The main difference to a Scaf-lok is that it comes painted in yellow and uses a "wedge" and "V-pressing" to locate and lock all components together.
Cuplok, or Scaf-lok, is a galvanised system (i.e.: coated with zinc which prevents it from rusting) that uses a "cup" and "blade" type arrangement to lock the various standards and ledgers together. The joints are locked using a twist action.
Scaffolding Tubes
Scaffolding equipment can be split into a number of areas. Scaffold tubes, boards, and fittings are the basic construction elements of every scaffold. Tubes are categorised and measured by their outside diameter, wall thickness and length. The material they are made of is also quite important as this will affect the tubes' price. Opting for galvanised steel tubes is the more expensive version for which the alternative is aluminium.
Scaffold Fittings
The range of available scaffold fittings includes double, swivel, putlog, sleeve or girder couplers, joint pins, base plates and 8" scaffold castors. These are used to hold tubes and boards in place.
Scaffold Boards
Boards can either be visually graded or graded by machine and are produced at lengths between 5ft (1.5m) and 13ft (3.9m). Each board will have certain information embossed onto it such as a License number, the letters VG (Visually Graded) or MG (Machine Graded), customer details and the words "Support every 5ft (1.5m) max."
Scaffolding Tools
The tools needed to erect such scaffolds obviously include basic construction tools such as hammers, spanners, levers, Jordan clamps, Lanyards and the scaffolding system itself. More specifically the erection of scaffolding entails use of wrenches and scaffolding tool belts. Furthermore, health and safety items or, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) also form part of the equipment involved in scaffolding. It is essential to have a full range of proper work wear: safety boots and shoes, protective gloves, hard hats, ear defenders, safety glasses, dust masks, knee pads, fall arrest equipment and so on. Having ladders to complement the scaffolding is important too.
Specific names of professional tools are "Stainless Steel Poker - Bi Hex", "Ratchet 7/16" Podger", "Kwikstage Tommy Hammer", "Stabila 10" Level- Magnetic or Non Magnetic", "Lion, Elephant, Springbok Safety Harness" and so on.
The range and variety of these items is impressively large in both the virtual and the real world. They can be purchased on a number of websites and in almost any specialist construction shop or centre.