Scaffold Towers

Scaffold Tower: An Ideal Solution for Working at Height

Whilst a ladder can serve well enough for most DIY jobs at working height, it will undoubtedly become exhausting and inefficient for extensive, more involved home improvement ventures.

In these situations, scaffold towers, also known as access towers or tower scaffolds, offer enhanced stability and freedom of movement at working height, making them convenient and increasing work output tremendously for more involved tasks.

For a clearer picture of how a scaffold tower can overhaul your home improvement capabilities, whether that be at home or your business, read on to find out more.

What are the benefits of a Scaffold Tower?

A scaffold tower is structured like a set of shelves offering an elevated horizontal platform, making it easy to, for example, move across the width of your house’s front whilst painting. There are different types, but each gives the following benefits:

• Work Platforms – Scaffolding towers accommodate workers, tools, and materials all at a working height comfortably. This allows for an enhanced level of movement horizontally compared to a ladder, thereby vastly increasing your work area and capabilities.
• Self-supporting stability – Scaffold towers come with four legs across a wide base, giving them natural stability enhanced with interconnected vertical frames and horizontal/diagonal braces. This gives so much self-supporting stability that they are considered essential for construction work.
• Versatility and convenience – You can get far more done on a scaffold tower than on a ladder before having to reposition it. This makes them convenient and cuts down working time, and this versatility is only increased when purchasing variants with wheels/castors named “mobile access towers”.
• Safety – Scaffold towers are made with convenience and safety in mind, making them so reliable that you can work without having to use your hands to keep balance. There is no risk of slipping like a free-standing ladder, and there are many additional and modular accessories available to further safety measures, such as adjustable legs or base plates for areas with uneven ground. Always ensure you work alongside manufacturer instructions and conduct a proper risk assessment.

What different types of scaffold towers are there?

Scaffold towers fall under the access equipment category, and different types have been manufactured in response to specific demands of the market.

• Mobile Scaffold Tower – Scaffold towers are equipped with castors or wheels at the base that can be locked in place. This allows for easy movement of the tower, excellent for tasks that require frequent relocation – such as painting, cleaning or maintenance work.
• Static Scaffold Towers – These towers are stuck in place without wheels, making them among the most stable towers on the market. Long-term construction work typically uses these as a result, especially at higher platform heights.
• Folding Scaffold Towers – This is a portable variant of the scaffold tower, with its structure allowing for it to be folded for storage and transport. This was made for home DIY enthusiasts, as well as small contractors who make their living through quick, small-scale jobs.
• Double-Width Scaffold Tower – A double-width scaffold tower offers an extended area for a worker to operate on, making it designed for multiple workers or more equipment.
• Single-Width Scaffold Tower – These single-width scaffold towers are great for areas with reduced access, such as between buildings or even inside one.
• Staircase Scaffold Tower – These scaffold towers are designed to fit over staircases, created for work in areas such as stairwells or multi-level buildings. This is most often used by electricians and repairmen.
• Cantilever Scaffold Towers – Cantilever scaffold towers feature an additional platform that can be extended out from the main scaffold. This is useful when you need to reach over objects, such as awnings or machinery, giving easier access.
• Advanced Guard Rail (AGR) Scaffold Towers – These scaffold towers incorporate, as the name implies, a guard rail that increases safety. It is installed at ground level and is the preferred option for those who work in industries with strict safety regulations.

What materials are scaffold towers made of?

There are several materials a scaffold tower is made of:

• Aluminium Scaffold Tower – Aluminium towers benefit from being both strong and resistant to rust and corrosion. They are notable for their incredible durability-to-weight ratio, offering far more protection than what you’d expect for how light it is. This makes aluminium scaffold towers
• Steel Scaffold Tower – Steel scaffold towers are stable, strong and fairly cheap for the value that you’re getting. They are typically the choice of heavy construction and industrial workers, especially those working on long-term projects.
• GRP Scaffold Tower (Glass reinforced plastic) – Made of non-conductive materials, these are ideal for electrical work or environments that pose a shock risk and are often used in industries like utilities and telecommunications.

Using a Scaffold Tower Safely

A scaffold tower in and of itself is a safe structure, provided you follow simple guidelines before and after setting up:

• Follow Manufacturing Instructions – When you begin construction of your scaffold tower, follow instructions to the letter to ensure safety. Make sure only to use parts and methods specified within, and never use jury-rigged or non-standard parts, as these components may compromise structural integrity.
• Conduct Risk Assessment – A risk assessment is an overall evaluation of the structure, surroundings, competency of the workers and weather conditions determining the likelihood of hazards arising. This should be done by a “competent trained person”, which is industry-speak for an individual with the necessary training, experience and knowledge to identify these potential hazards and sign off on work beginning.
• Consider Safety Components – As safe as a scaffold tower typically is, it’s never a bad idea to consider additional features to enhance that safety, such as handrails to prevent falls and stabilisers to prevent tipping or imbalance.
• Assembly Methods – Most reputable manufacturers stand by the guidelines set by the Health and Safety Executive to develop safer assembly, use and disassembly methods. Follow the 3T (Through-The-Trapdoor) method by installing a trapdoor platform at certain heights.
• Country of Origin – When purchasing a scaffold tower, beware of the country of origin. Many countries have lower manufacturing and quality requirements than the UK and equivalent companies. In particular, beware of buying equipment manufactured in Asia.

Why choose BPS Access Solutions?

BPS Access Solutions is Britain’s leading provider of height access equipment. Take a look at why:

Why not contact us today on 01959 576 568 or send an email to sales@bpsaccesssolutions.co.uk.