A Brief Look at the Fascinating History of Scaffolding

It’s not certain how long after humans abandoned cave-dwelling for huts made from branches, reeds and mud, that the idea of erecting taller structures first dawned on them. However, based on specific features discovered in French Caves occupied during palaeolithic times, a primitive form of scaffolding may have been in use as much as 17 millennia ago, to paint their ceilings. The first definitive evidence of such usage, however, dates from around 500 BC.

Wood and Bamboo

Also known as staging, the earliest forms used wooden or bamboo poles knotted together with ropes to form a rigid working platform of the required height. While these structures appear primitive by modern standards, this type of scaffolding has allowed engineers and builders to create some of the most beautiful and durable architecture the world has ever seen; and it even allowed Michelangelo to make his magnificent contributions to the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.

Innovation

Primitive or not, these wooden structures remained the sole option for many more centuries. They were not free-standing, but relied on recesses left in brick and stone walls to secure them. Although hemp and sisal were, over time, replaced by wire bonds for binding purpose, the first radical change to the fundamental structure of scaffolding took place only in 1920. Then, the wooden struts gave way to tubular steel and the wire bonds to the more effective units invented by Daniel Palmer-Jones, which he christened ‘improved universal couplers’. The latter proved to be a better means to stabilise the traditional wooden structures, too.

The Post-War World

It was the widespread destruction left in the wake of the second world war that triggered a boom in the demand for staging as well as prompting the formation and implementation of standards for the safety and compatibility of the various components used in scaffolding. 1944 saw the launch of the world’s first frame system which quickly became the mainstay of reconstruction projects throughout the United Kingdom and, in the process, gave birth to a brand new industry that would spread globally.

…And Today

Not all sources agree but, today, there are probably as many as eight or more different forms of staging available for one purpose or another. However, many of these products are only suitable for rather specialised building tasks. In practice, the two types of scaffolding that are used most widely in South Africa are, without doubt, Kwikstage and Selflock.

Disc-O-Scaff

The first of these is most suitable for builders engaged in large-scale projects and who employ experienced scaffolders for this purpose. While less versatile and best suited for smaller tasks like painting and decorating, the Selflock product is ideal for unskilled workers. Both types of scaffolding are available from Disc-O-Scaff.