Temporary Staircase Scaffold

Ultimately the main reason for a temporary roof is to keep the project free from the elements and reduce any unnecessary down time on site.

Typically a temporary roof would have been formed using corrugated tin sheets that would overlap to allow protection from the rain. We don’t believe there is anything wrong with this method but as times have moved on and new innovative methods of temporary roof systems have developed they have changed the concept of what a temporary roof should offer.

Our roof system can be made in either a mono pitch style or a dual pitch style, this gives us the flexibility to design and build our clients the most efficient temporary roof for each specific project.

Depending on the span of the temporary roof we have different methods of erection. For the larger spans we will build the lattice beams on the floor and then crane them into place, this is our preferred method as we believe that it is the safest and most efficient method. We understand that not all projects have the availability for crane access or the span of the temporary roof may not be that great so we also have the option to build the lattice beams at high level at roof level.

Once the lattice beams are in place and have all the sufficient bracing tubes in place we install runners that are fixed to the top side of the lattice beams. These runners allow for us to insert the UPVC sheets from one side and pull it up and over the lattice beams in order to create the temporary roof. The client has two options when it comes to the UPVC sheets, they can either request standard sheets which we would recommend for projects up to 6 months or the heavy duty sheets for projects longer than 6 months.

Another advantage of our roof system is that we are able to open up one or several areas of the roof to allow for materials to be loaded out/in via a crane. We have recently done this on a project at Heineken UK Manchester and the Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Both projects have expressed how efficient and cost effective this option was on site, it did not only save time on site but it kept other trades working which managed to bring the completion date in well in advance of the expected date.

Temporary stair towers provide workers with safe access to various levels of the structure. This enables them to efficiently carry out tasks such as brick/block work, installing windows, cladding, or roofing works, and reduces the need for ladders or other less secure access methods.

They provide secure and reliable access for workers to reach critical components, making it easier to perform inspections, repairs, upgrades, maintenance and repair work in industrial settings such as power plants, refineries, and factories.

Emergency Access In the event of an emergency, such as a fire, structural failure or an accident or illness, temporary stair towers can provide a safe and efficient escape route for workers and first responders. They can also be used to facilitate access for rescue operations, ensuring the safety of everyone involved.

Temporary stair towers can be used for a variety of public events, such as concerts, festivals, or sporting events, providing access to stages, seating areas, or viewing platforms. They can also be used for temporary installations, such as art exhibits or promotional displays, offering a versatile and secure access solution.

Temporary stair towers are often required for infrastructure projects, such as bridge construction, tunnelling, or railway works. They provide workers with safe access to elevated or underground work areas, allowing them to efficiently carry out their tasks and ensuring the project remains on schedule.

Competence. Scaffolders should have received appropriate training in accordance with the manufacturer’s standards for the proprietary stair system which, as a minimum, should cover the erection, altering or dismantling of the equipment. Note that tube and fitting stairways are covered on the CISRS Advanced Scaffolder and NVQ level 3 training courses.

Preparation of the Foundation

As with the construction of a scaffold, it is the client’s responsibility to prepare a suitable foundation that is firm and level to ensure that the load bearing capacity of the ground can support the load imposed by the stair tower. Setting Out The staircase tower should be set out to ensure that it is set as close to the main access scaffold as is practically possible, where applicable. Any gap between the staircase tower landing platform and the working platform of the scaffolding or permanent floor should be suitably closed. Care should be taken when planning platform heights of proprietary stair towers, when they are used to access scaffold constructed from tubular material and fittings. This will ensure that the platform heights of the tower align as closely as is practically possible with the working platforms of the scaffold.

Ties

Proprietary stair towers should be physically tied or suitably stabilised to the permanent or scaffold structure as specified by the manufacturer or competent scaffold designer.

Loading

Loading limitations on staircase towers should be detailed on the handover paperwork to ensure that the client / principal contractor or hirer user is given full information. The client / principal contractor should include relevant information to the users during their site induction. The client / principal contractor may in some cases mark these limits on the staircase tower as a reminder and where necessary communicate application considerations and controls (e.g. at inductions).

Materials must not be stored on staircase towers at any time and the client, principal contractor and user should monitor and control its use to ensure that the risk of continually exceeding design capacity, which can eventually lead to material fatigue, can be controlled.

An inspection regime must be in place to inspect staircases prior to use (and during use via scaffolding inspection requirements

In scaffolding yards, the competent operative must have appropriate training on the inspection and maintenance of staircases. If a staircase or component cannot be properly repaired or serviced then it must be scrapped and disposed of in an appropriate manner.