“The parts make up the whole.” No truer words have been spoken than when it comes to scaffolding components. For a layman, a scaffold might seem like a network of pipes and platforms that fit into each other, and voila! your scaffold system is built. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Many mechanisms need to be taken into consideration to provide a safe working platform in construction, whether for new builds, maintenance or repairs.

Sizes of Scaffolding Components

When it comes to scaffolding components, there are key pieces that you need to be aware of. These include base plates/jacks, standards, ledgers and diagonal braces (transoms).

Base plates/jacks are used to distribute the weight and support the vertical scaffold poles, known as standards. As base plates/jacks are used to distribute the load on the lower end parts of the standards, they need to be a minimum of 6 mm thick and 150 mm x 150 mm wide as well as adjustable.

Connected to the base plates/jacks are the standards or uprights which join together to form the scaffold tower. Available in sizes from 500 mm to 4 metres, they transfer the weight of the base plates/jacks and are connected using pins and socket joints to increase the height of the tower.

Ledgers are important components as they are used to support the scaffolding and provide a stable platform for the workers. The size of ledgers varies from 0.60 m to 2.5 m allowing them to distribute the weight of the scaffold evenly.

For any scaffold tower to have strength and stability, diagonal braces form a vital component. Covering a range of horizontal spans, dependent on the size of the scaffold tower, they are available from 1.5 m x 1.5 m up to 2.5 m x 2.5 m. They are placed at regular intervals along the length of the scaffold and joined together using couplers.

Other basic components include scaffold tubes, couplers, toe boards, staircases and hook-on ladders to name a few.  

What to Keep in Mind

Before jumping the gun and purchasing scaffolding components that you feel will work for you, the most crucial aspect to keep in mind is the load capacity that the scaffold will have to bear. Calculate the live load capacity first which is equal to the worker’s weight, plus tools, plus the weight of the materials being worked with. That will then allow you to get the right safe workload which is the dead loading capacity plus four times the live loading capacity.

Unlike buying ladders, meticulous planning needs to go into scaffold systems, and it is always best to seek the advice of professionals. Disc-O-Scaff has been providing scaffolding and formwork solutions to the building industry for over 10 years. All our scaffolding systems and components are engineered in-house and manufactured using SABS-approved materials.