The components of a scaffolding tower kit are all critical. A scaffolding tower can be built now in a short amount of time without complex directions and a lot of manpower. The components of the new scaffolding towers have been very well thought through. They are not rigid in use, the cost is low, and the process now is much easier. This has the desirable effect of employees spending more time working on the actual project or painting the wall rather than trying to put together the scaffolding.
All scaffold sets are different, and some companies will even build a custom set for you. Most systems will feature the following components:
Bed Guard Rail
Guard Rail
Many companies have further improved the safety aspects of assembling a scaffold tower by introducing cutting edge guardrail systems. This new guardrail system can be inserted quite simply from the level below whilst assembling the tower which significantly reduces the chances of a fall whilst the tower is being assembled.
Toe Board
Sitting around the edge of the top platform the tow board prevents you stepping off the platform by accident. Without needing to look down you will know when you have reached the edge of the platform. Although if the tower has been assemble correctly and the guardrail is in place there should be no chance of you slipping off, the toe board will stop you leg disappearing between the guardrail and platform.
Ladder Frame
The ladder frame is actually part of the 2-rung frame below. With traditional scaffold systems the ladder would have been a separate component that was fixed on to the scaffolding. These newer tower have the ladders built in though which means it's safer as there is no temporary fixing point, and you are less likely to lose the ladder.
Platform & Trap
At the very top of the tower is the platform, this is where you work from. It should also have a trap in it and this is where you enter on to the platform from below.
2-Rung Frame
Part of the main tower structure - this frame slots together so that if you were looking at the tower from the front you have two giant ladders on the left and right. The horizontal and diagonal braces then join these two 'giant' ladders together.
Horizontal Brace
Used to attach the left and right sides of the towers together (see 2-Rung Frame)
Diagonal Brace
Used to attach the left and right sides of the towers together and to prevent the tower from swaying left to right. (see 2-Rung Frame)
Adjustable Leg
To allow for uneven grounds - most scaffold towers have adjustable legs on them.
Castor
On the end of the adjustable legs are castors with brakes. The castors allow a reasonably high tower to be wheeled along the ground, so if for example you are painting a house it is very easy to work along the full length of the house with a relatively narrow platform. With traditional scaffolding a tower would have been made that spanned the entire length of the house as it would have been impossible to move once constructed.