Safe Use of a Scaffold Tower
What this domain covers
Safe Use of a Scaffold Tower tests the day-to-day controls that keep an erected tower safe: planning, ground conditions, stability, access, movement, weather and exclusion. The tower can meet BS EN 1004 and still fail if it is used outside its limits.
Core rules
- Use the work-at-height hierarchy: avoid the need, prevent falls, then minimise consequences. A tower is not automatically the best choice.
- Set up on firm, level ground that can carry the castor loads. Use stabilisers or outriggers as specified; never pack a castor to level a tower unless the manufacturer permits it.
- Lock castors before climbing. Access the platform from inside using the manufacturer's ladder or stairway; never climb the frame or use a step ladder on the platform.
- Keep platforms clear, close trapdoors, and do not exceed the duty rating. Do not use the tower as a storage rack or bridge between structures.
- Never move a tower with people or materials on it. Follow the manufacturer's moving procedure, clear the route, and lock castors afterwards.
- Stop work in conditions outside the manufacturer's wind limits; secure or dismantle the tower. Use exclusion zones and prevent falling objects.
Worked example
A two-person team needs to move a tower 5 m along a concrete slab. They remove tools and materials, descend, check the route for cables and openings, and confirm the manufacturer allows moving at that height. They unlock the castors, move the tower from the base without twisting it, then lock the castors and recheck level and stability. They do not leave anyone on the platform. The reasoning is that movement changes stability and castor loading; the tower must be rechecked before reuse.
Traps that cost marks
Moving a tower occupied; climbing the frame; using a step ladder on a platform; leaving castors unlocked; ignoring wind; and using stabilisers only after the tower feels unstable.