Basic Scaffolding (SB) flashcards
Basic Scaffolding (SB) · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Standard
- The vertical upright member of a scaffold that carries the load down to the base plate or sole board and into the ground or supporting structure.
- Ledger
- A horizontal tube running parallel to the building face that connects standards together and supports the transoms or bearers carrying the platform.
- Transom
- A horizontal member spanning between standards perpendicular to the wall; it supports the decking or putlogs and helps tie the two scaffold faces together.
- Putlog scaffold
- A scaffold whose inner ends of putlogs sit in holes in a masonry wall, so it depends on the wall for support and is not fully independent.
- Sole board
- A timber or steel pad placed under a base plate to spread the standard's load over a larger ground area and reduce settlement risk.
- Base plate
- The steel plate fixed to the foot of a standard that bears on the sole board and distributes the leg load over the bearing surface.
- Scaffold tie
- A connection from the scaffold to the structure that resists wind and lateral loads and prevents the scaffold from pulling away or overturning.
- Guardrail height
- The toprail is normally set between 0.9 and 1.15 metres above the platform, with a midrail and a toeboard of at least 100 mm.
- Toeboard
- A low board or barrier at the platform edge, at least 100 mm high, that stops tools and material from being kicked off the deck.
- Mobile tower stability
- A mobile tower needs locked castors and outriggers or stabilizers where specified; it must never be moved with persons or material on the platform.
- Duty rating
- The load class of a scaffold (light, medium, or heavy duty) that sets the maximum uniformly distributed load the platform is designed to carry.
- Dead load
- The permanent self-weight of the scaffold structure, decking, guardrails, and fixed attachments such as sheeting or signage.
- Live load
- The variable load from persons, tools, and stacked material on the platform, which must stay within the scaffold's duty rating.
- Wind load
- The force from wind pressure on the scaffold and any sheeting or netting; it rises with the square of wind speed and drives tie and brace design.
- Point load
- A concentrated load applied over a small area, such as a wheel of a barrow or a stacked pallet, which may exceed the UDL allowance locally.
- Overloading signs
- Warning signs include sagging or bowed ledgers, cracked decking, bent transoms, and visible deflection, which require immediate unloading and inspection.
- Ground bearing check
- Confirm the soil or surface can carry the leg loads; soft fill, backfill, and made ground need assessment and wider sole boards or an engineer's design.
- Frost heave risk
- Freezing and thawing of ground under a base can lift or settle the scaffold, so bases need drainage and re-inspection after cold weather.
- Erection sequence
- Set and level bases, erect standards and first ledgers, install bracing and ties, then add decking, guardrails, and access as the lifts rise.
- Dismantling order
- Dismantle from the top down: remove toeboards and guardrails, then decking, then ledgers and transoms, then standards, lowering components rather than dropping them.
- Tie removal rule
- Ties are removed only as dismantling descends past them; removing ties ahead of the work leaves the scaffold unstable in wind.
- Method statement
- A written, site-specific document describing the safe sequence, plant, access, and controls for erecting, altering, or dismantling the scaffold.
- Ladder access rules
- Access ladders extend about 1 m above the landing, are secured top and bottom, sit at roughly 1:4, and keep rungs clear of obstruction.
- Fall arrest anchor
- A verified anchorage point, ideally overhead, that keeps the lanyard clear of edges and swing-fall hazards and supports prompt rescue.
- Rescue plan
- A pre-arranged procedure and equipment to recover a worker suspended in a harness quickly, because suspension trauma can become life-threatening within minutes.
- Scaffold tag system
- Green tags mark scaffolds safe for use with date and inspector; red tags mark scaffolds do not use; tags must be current, legible, and fixed at access points.
- Inspection triggers
- Inspect before first use, after alteration, after impact or severe weather, and at the intervals set by the governing standard or site rules.
- Coupler torque check
- Right-angle and swivel couplers are tightened to the manufacturer's specified torque, commonly around 40-65 Nm, and verified with a torque wrench.
- Defect examples
- Bent or corroded tubes, cracked welds, missing couplers, loose base jacks, split decking, and missing toeboards are defects that remove a scaffold from service.
- Duty holder duties
- Employers and contractors must provide a safe workplace, competent persons, training, information, and risk assessments covering scaffold erection and use.
- Competent person
- A person with the training, experience, and knowledge to perform the scaffold task safely and to recognize and correct defects or unsafe conditions.
- Design requirement
- Complex, non-standard, or heavily loaded scaffolds need design by a competent engineer and a drawing showing ties, bracing, and loading limits.