| General planning | Inadequate training, consultation, planning and improvisation. | Injury due to inexperience or failure to provide or use appropriate equipment | - Insufficient skills (competency) to complete the required task correctly.
- Inadequate consultation with relevant employees.
- Competent person not used for scaffold erection up to 4 metres in height.
- Certificated scaffolder not used to erect scaffold in excess of 4 metres in height or where complex configurations are involved.
|
| | Unstable scaffold due to lack of competency in erection. | Injury due to scaffold collapse or partial collapse. | - Competent person not used for scaffold erection up to 4 metres in height.
- Certificated scaffolder not used to erect scaffold where the working platform exceeds 4 metres in height or if the scaffold has cantilevers or outriggers.
- Foundation or ground not suitable for mobile scaffold.
- Different scaffold systems mixed together. (mix and match problems)
|
| | Overload of scaffold components. | Collapse causing fall from height. | - Wrong type of scaffold used for the job.
- Scaffold components overloaded beyond design limits.
- Different scaffold systems mixed together. (mix and match problems).
|
| | Unstable or incorrect erection of scaffold. | Injury due to scaffold collapse or partial collapse. | - Instructions are not provided, or are not clear – print is too small and/or photocopy cannot be accurately followed.
- Scaffold poorly maintained by supplier – colour coding referred to in instructions is not visible on components.
- Damaged scaffold.
|
| Planning by Principal Contractor or Subcontractor depending on contract conditions | Scaffold erected too close to power lines or completed scaffold is moved too close to power lines during use. | Electric shock or electrocution. | - Earth Leakage Switch not installed on mains supply or portable generator.
- Working on or moving mobile scaffold too close to live power lines.
- Scaffold components or material handled are greater than 4 metres in length.
- Scaffold component or material contacts power lines. Insulation (tiger tails) not in place on power lines or wet
conditions makes them
ineffective. - Strong wind causes power lines to swing closer to work area.
|
| Erection of base frames and bracing | Unsupported frames being erected at ground level. | Frames fall over striking person erecting scaffold or other person close to the work area. | - Bracing or team member not used to support first frames.
- Foundation not level or unsuitable for mobile scaffold.
- Castor wheels not adjusted correctly or not locked.
|
| | Incorrectly assembled first frames causing unstable scaffold base. | Fall from completed scaffold or fall from scaffold during erection. | - Insufficient skills (competency) to complete the required task.
- Instructions are not provided or are not clear – print is too small and/or photocopy cannot be read.
- Scaffold poorly maintained – colour coding referred to in instructions is not visible on components.
- Base frame assembled upside down – castor wheels will not fit correctly.
|
| Erection of second level frames and bracing | Climbing lightweight scaffold base frames during erection. | Scaffold tips over causing fall. | - Climbing up the outside of the frame causing scaffold to tip sideways.
- Only one person used in frame erection.
- Foundation not level or unsuitable for mobile scaffold.
|
| | Base frames not adequately braced or supported. | Instability/ collapse of base frames causing fall. | - Scaffold distorts out of square due to plan bracing being left out.
- Insufficient diagonal bracing or bracing fixed incorrectly.
- Castor wheels not locked to prevent movement or lock/s broken.
- Foundation not level or unsuitable for mobile scaffold.
- Castor wheels not adjusted correctly when levelling the base frames.
|
| | Live power lines too close to work area. | Electric shock burns or electrocution. | - Earth Leakage Switch not installed on mains supply or portable generator.
- Working too close to live power lines.
- Scaffold components or materials handled are greater than 4 metres in length.
- Tiger Tails (insulation) not in place on power lines or wet conditions make them ineffective.
- High wind causes power lines to swing closer to work area.
- Scaffold component strikes and shatters unprotected light bulb.
|
| | Scaffold used without following manufacturers instructions (e.g. indoor or outdoor specifications). | Scaffold topples over causing a fall from height. | - General height of the light duty prefabricated aluminium mobile scaffold exceeds three times the minimum base dimension (ref AS/NZS4576).
e.g. a scaffold with base dimensions of 2.4m x 1.8m the height to the working platform should be no more than 5.4m. - For a scaffold with a narrow base width of less than 1.2m the height of the light duty prefabricated aluminium mobile scaffold exceeds twice the base width (ref AS4576). e.g. a scaffold with a base of 2.4m x 1.2m the height to the working platform should be no more than 2.4m.
|
| Erection of working platform | Manual Handling. | Sprains, strains and fractures. | - Only one person used to lift platforms onto second level frames.
|
| | Split (uneven) decks installed onto second frames. | Step backward off higher deck causing fall from height. | - Working platform installed with split decks, i.e. both deck platforms are not set at the same height.
|
| Erection of edge protection, ladder and toeboards | Climbing on lightweight scaffold base frames. | Scaffold moves unexpectedly or tips over causing fall. | - Only one person used in frame erection.
- Foundation uneven or soft.
- Planks and ply or steel plates not used where soft ground is a problem.
|
| | Movement of scaffold tower. | Fall from unprotected working platform. | - Castor wheels not locked to prevent movement whilst edge protection is erected.
|
| | Edge protection incomplete. | Fall from the edge of the working platform. | - Handrail not positioned 900 – 1100mm above the working platform on all sides.
- No midrail or fenderboard installed to all sides.
|
| | Ladder access hatch (trap door) in working deck. | Fall through ladder access hatch. | - Hatch not closed or trapdoor missing.
|
| | Inappropriate access to working deck. | Fall whilst gaining access to working platform. | - Climbing up or down the outside of the scaffold – no ladder access.
- Ladder not positioned internally and at the appropriate angle 1:4 i.e. for every 4 metres in height 1 metre out from the base.
- Ladder not secured at the top and the bottom.
- Ladder does not project at least 900 mm above the working platform.
- Ladder does not access the working platform through a trapdoor.
- Ladder hung vertically off the handrail or ledger on the external or internal face of the scaffold.
|
| | Unsecured tools and/or equipment lying on working platform. | Struck by falling object. | - No fenderboards fitted to the working platform.
- No exclusion zone around scaffold positioned in a public or work area.
- Area around base of scaffold not barricaded or bunted off.
|
| Use of scaffold | Vehicle or mobile plant strikes scaffold. | Injury due to scaffold collapse. | - Scaffold positioned too close to plant operating area.
- Plant not operated in a defined exclusion zone.
- Base of scaffold not adequately protected from impact e.g. concrete kerbs.
- 'Spotter' not used to supervise plant.
|
| | Carrying out 'hot work' from the scaffold. | Burns. | - Fire extinguisher not maintained or adjacent to work area on scaffold working platform.
- Worker/s not trained in the use of fire fighting equipment.
- Incorrect type of fire extinguisher provided for the required task.
- No PPE or incorrect PPE for the required task.
|
| | Incomplete scaffold. | Fall from scaffold frames or working platform. | - Un-authorised removal of or interference with scaffold components.
- Scaffold not inspected by competent person prior to use.
- No isolation system for incomplete scaffolds, e.g. Danger tag warning signs not in place.
- Incomplete edge protection to working platform – no Handrail, midrail, or fenderboards.
|
| | Split (uneven) decks installed onto second frames. | Step backward off higher deck causing fall from height. | - Working platform installed with split decks, i.e. both deck platforms are not set at the same height.
|
| | Scaffold left unattended and unsecured. | Scaffold accessed by inexperienced person or scaffold falls onto person or object. | - Scaffold not barricaded to prevent un-authorised use. Scaffold not secured to prevent movement e.g. during windy weather.
- Castor wheels not locked.
|
| Moving scaffold to new location | Moving scaffold to a new location. | Scaffold topples over resulting in a fall. | - Failure to descend from scaffold and re-position from the base of scaffold.
- Moving scaffold whilst a person is still positioned aloft on the working platform, e.g. grasping overhead roof trusses to pull scaffold along.
- Scaffold moved onto bitumen or other soft surface causing castor wheels to subside.
- Planks and ply or steel plates not used where soft ground is a problem.
- Scaffold too close to an exposed edge or penetration, i.e. within 1 metre.
|
| | Electrical supply too close to work area. | Electric shock burns or electrocution. | - Earth Leakage Switch not installed on mains supply or portable generator.
- New work area not inspected for electrical hazards.
- Working too close to live power line, check for danger zones.
- Scaffold components are greater than 4 metres in length.
- Insulation - Tiger Tails not in place over power lines.
- Strong wind causes power lines to swing closer to the work area.
- Scaffold component strikes and shatters unprotected light bulb.
|
| Dismantling and/or alteration | Scaffold incomplete or partly dismantled. | Fall from scaffold. | - Un-authorised removal of or interference with scaffold components.
- Scaffold not inspected by competent person prior to use.
- Isolation system for incomplete scaffold, e.g. danger tag or warning signs, not in place.
|
| | Unstable or incorrect dismantling of scaffold. | Injury due to scaffold collapse. | - Insufficient skills (competency) to complete the required task.
- Instructions are not provided or are not clear – print is too small and/or photocopy cannot be accurately followed.
- Scaffold poorly maintained by supplier – colour coding referred to in instructions is not visible on components.
|
| | Inappropriate alterations to scaffold. | Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold. | - Competent person not used for scaffold alteration.
- Certificated scaffolder not used for complex alteration, e.g. cantilever or outrigger.
- Scaffold not inspected by competent person prior to use.
- Isolation system for incomplete scaffold, e.g. danger tag or warning signs, not in place.
|
