Importance of Scaffolding In Construction

The term scaffolding is sometimes also referred to as staging or simply as a scaffold and is done by using innumerable methods and materials such as an acrospan, adjustable jack, cross brace, base jack, deck plate, aluminum form-work and many more. Scaffolding is used universally, with application areas expanding to almost all segments of the construction and maintenance sectors.

Scaffolding

The earliest reference to scaffolding is said to date back over 17000 years, with the discovery of sockets in the walls around the paleolithic cave paintings which seemed to indicate that a scaffold system was used for painting the ceiling. Another reference dates to 5th century B.C, the Berlin Foundry Cup also indicated staging in ancient Greece.

Coming to the modern era, a notable reference is the usage of staging during the reconstruction of the Buckingham Palace in the year 1913. Further advancements in metallurgy during the 20th century, with the usage of tubular steel water pipes, instead of timber poles ensured improvements in the structural stability of scaffolds.

Various Types of Scaffolding Used Worldwide Today

• Tube and coupler fitting components

• H-frame/facade modular system staging

• Prefabricated modular system scaffolding components

• Timber scaffolds

• Suspended staging

• Special scaffolding such as cantilever staging

• Wooden scaffolds 

• Needle scaffolds

• Mason's scaffolds

Components of Construction Scaffolding, Irrespective of which type of system is used, each one of them comprises of several components, some of which are,

• Forged Coupler – These are one of the fundamental components used to assemble tube and coupler scaffolding and can be used to create a diverse range of scaffolding structures

• Horizontal ledger – It is used to tie the staging to the structure

• Floor form panels – These are commonly used in the procedure of shuttering during the construction of floors

• Post shores – Simply put, these are load towers that serve as platform beams and provide side protection for working levels

• Beam bracket – Beam bracket is used to connect the scaffolding's beam to its frame.

The metal parts of the staging should be painted to resist corrosion while the wooden parts if any must never be painted, as painting them hides structural defects which can later prove fatal.