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Maximum height of scaffold towers

The maximum height of scaffold towers

Luckily for professionals, scaffold towers have emerged as an ideal solution to the age-old trade-off between the positives and negatives of the two-footed ladder and the step ladder. By taking the step ladder’s primary selling point, its four legs, and combining it with the additional reach which makes the two-footed ladder a great choice in many situations, scaffold towers have become a highly adaptable height access solution.

But how high can a scaffold tower go according to scaffold tower regulations? Here, we will discuss the basics.

What are scaffold towers?

Original scaffolding is often used for high-intensity, wide-reaching construction projects. They offer stable elevated platforms that allow a wide range of travelling. However, they can take a long while to set up, with large construction projects taking several days.

Enter the scaffold tower, also known as a mobile access tower, which is essentially a portable version of scaffolding. With these portable inventions, builders can set up and work at a height within minutes. Of course, a tower scaffold is limited to a fixed, rectangular base. From the base, the main support beams rise straight up, with structural beams and support crossing between them to provide structural integrity. At the top of the scaffold tower, there is a working platform which is usually surrounded by guard rails to protect workers. To provide access to these mobile scaffold towers, there is usually a ladder which is either fixed externally or within the main frame.

As with any piece of equipment, there are still some obvious usage restrictions and technical specifications which workers need to bear in mind when using scaffold towers. After all, working at a height is dangerous.

The maximum height of a scaffold tower

Most scaffold towers are modular in design, meaning that they can be constructed to specific user requirements by having individual components which fit together as needed. When it comes to a maximum height restriction for scaffold towers, the main source of reference should be the guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Each system is designed and tested under specific conditions, meaning that the manufacturer is always the best source of information about an individual product’s performance. The old rule of thumb used to be a 3:1 ratio between a scaffold tower’s height and its shortest base dimension. This no longer applies as there is now a much more complex and accurate calculation used by manufacturers when determining a scaffold tower’s maximum height.

Some may be tempted to push the boundaries when it comes to using a scaffold tower past a certain height. This comes with very high risks and a real chance of serious injury or death to workers both on and near the structure. Falls from height are still the leading single cause of death at work in the UK, so there is nothing to be gained from seeing if you can manage some extra height. You should follow health and safety to its utmost, ensuring you work on a stable structure that is adhering to all safety regulations.

If you would like to know more about the range of access towers or DIY scaffold towers we have in stock, please get in touch.

What are Scaffold Tower Regulations?

It’s important to point out that private use of a tower scaffold means that there are no regulations that you must follow. The following regulations bind only workers and employers to their rules. However, we highly recommend you follow these safety regulations regardless.

As stated before, working at a height is incredibly dangerous, so much so that regulations have been established to keep you safe. This set of regulations is dubbed the “Working at Height Regulations 2005”.

These regulations place the burden of duty on employers and those in control of the work. A duty holder is to be a competent person who is informed of their job, and how to go about it with the utmost safety.

There is a lot that goes into these regulations, such as a detailed risk assessment and ensuring appropriate edge protection is established.

For more information, look at our article on working at height regulations.

Scaffold Tower Safety Tips

Perhaps the most important consideration to bear in mind when setting up a mobile tower is that it is erected on ground that is a firm and level surface. Ensure tower scaffolds are erected correctly by a competent individual on level ground.

If you will be working at a height where a fall can result in an injury, ensure that you have safe systems in place. For example, an advance guard rail system, where the rail is locked in place. Also, ensure that you have locked castors to negate the possibility of your scaffold tower rolling whilst you use it. If you have any suspicions that there are still issues with tower stability, consider attaching your mobile scaffold tower to a solid structure.

When working outside, it is vital to ensure you work somewhere without any overhead obstructions, such as power lines. Ensure equipment and tower components are properly inspected beforehand, and that you are using appropriate work equipment. Also, ensure there’s no possibility of falling objects from your tower. That being said, getting objects up to the work platform is important, which is why we recommend a pulley system.

Another key factor to bear in mind when using scaffold towers is the height at which the worker will be operating. As with any structure, the stability of a scaffold tower is directly related to the ratio between its base and height. The wider the footing of the scaffold tower, the more stable it will be with additional height added on top. Stabilising legs can be added around the bottom of the structure to effectively increase the size of the structure’s base while keeping the vertical beams in the same position