It is important to ask the right questions before purchasing or hiring any type of high risk equipment in Australia to ensure compliance with the law and to avoid safety hazards.
Read on below for some of the key information you should ask about.
Laws and requirements for scaffolds in Sydney
Australian has some hefty rules when it comes to workplace safety and construction. Setting up any high-risk equipment is going to involve follow a number of rules and regulations, including ensuring equipment fits legally required standards, that are the correct permits and licenses are in place and that safety equipment and training are up to code.
NSW has its own set of requirements when it comes to temporary structures, especially in heavily populated inner-city areas. It’s important that companies responsibly follow all the regulation set out for them because failure to do so could involve some nasty consequences, including injuries, death and major financial penalties for companies.
Before purchasing, renting or installing scaffold in Sydney, business-owners should do their best to ensure they understand all the legalities involved. Consulting with a professional company is always a good idea as the equipment is high risk and highly regulated, company owners cannot afford to make mistakes with it.
Costs for scaffolds in Sydney
When considering purchasing or renting scaffolds in Sydney, business-owners should enquire about the costs for equipment and installation. To understand the costs the specific project requirements must be well fleshed-out, this involved understanding the site, potential hazards, safety equipment needs and temporary structure requirements.
Most suppliers can give an estimate based on that information. There are some unexpected costs that company owners often fail to consider when installing equipment, such as the storage requirements for equipment.
Some sites will have on-site storage, but many will not. If companies intend to keep the equipment or need an area to keep it whilst they prepare to use it then it’s important that proper storage is rented or bought.
Inspection costs are also often overlooked and companies might forget to factor in the cost involved with properly training and preparing staff for the equipment. If employees are unable to safely operate the equipment then a third party professional company may have to come in to assist with the installation and operation of the equipment.
In some cases companies should also weigh the pros and cons and costs involved for renting versus buying equipment. For companies with short term projects, renting is often the most cost effective option and can save companies considerable time and money.
If projects are longer-term and on-going then it is worth it for companies to consider purchasing equipment, as this might work out to be cheaper in the long run.
Installation for scaffolds in Sydney
Companies should consider the requirements for installation of temporary structures. There are many different types of temporary structures and the type of equipment used will be dependent on the individual needs of the project.
Smaller construction may use simpler structures for example, and require less safety equipment whilst extremely high risk projects might require a lot of safety equipment or have particular set-up requirements.
Safety for scaffolds in Sydney
The specific safety needs for a project site and temporary structure equipment should be taken into careful consideration. Before any project is begun a full hazard inspection should be done of the site and equipment should be inspected once erected to help prevent safety issues.
Temporary structures are a high risk for falls and injuries from equipment collapsing, so staff must all be training in what to do in an emergency and must always wear personal protective equipment.