Ensuring a scaffolding structure is safe and able to withstand a storm will be the main contractor’s top priority. Its fair to say the UK had an unusual number of storms at the beginning of this year with Storm Brendan 13th January 2020, Storm Ciara 8-9 February 2020 (97 mph gusts were recorded at the Needles, Isle of Wight), and Storm Dennis 15-16th February 2020. With Storm Dennis became one of the most intense extratropical cyclones ever recorded.
Our printed scaffold wraps must be designed to withstand all the storms even if is only up for a short period.
Safe Scaffold wraps which are installed correctly do not come down in storms
Poorly designed and installed scaffolding structures can come down during adverse weather and could be fatal. Many factors will come into play why a scaffold structure failed.
Unlike Monarlex sheeting (scaffold sheeting to protect the workforce from wind and rain or debris containment) which its eyelets, anchor and strap fixings are designed to fail at 77 miles per hour. Our Printed Scaffold wrap are not designed to fail at all. During hurricane force winds the printed building wrap will have a huge load on the scaffold structure.
We will always recommend getting wind load calculation done by a qualified scaffold engineer. They will also design the projecting scaffold subframe. PPM can then install the projecting sub frame, or the scaffold contractor can. If we hire and install the scaffolding subframe PPM will have to remove it at the end of the contract.
It is not just scaffolding; hoarding structures need to be well designed too.
Hoarding structures also need to be well designed and installed. Building site hoardings are mostly made from 18mm plywood and designed to keep the public safe during the construction work. There is a huge windload on these hoardings as they tend to be quite long and always over 2.4 meters high. The higher they are the larger wind load on them.
We witnessed during Storm Dennis a hoarding panel blow out hitting a pedestrian. Fortunately, the pedestrian was not badly hurt but if a small child were walking past it could have been a very different story.
Working with all the contractors
At Project Print Management we have never had a scaffold structure or hoarding come down during bad weather. We work with our client and their contractors to ensure both our printed scaffold wrap and printed hoarding are installed to the highest standard and safe.
For more information on how to get safe scaffold wraps please contact us. For some of our latest print projects please visit our blog page.