Category Archives: scaffold safety

How Steel Scaffolding Is Engineered To Improve Safety

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At Bird Ladder, we realize steel scaffolding is of the utmost importance for the construction of new buildings. Since construction remains a crucial industry, safe scaffolding plays an indirect but important role in bolstering the economy

Safety engineering for steel scaffolding is a unique field in and of itself. Experts in this field take precautions to ensure that construction workers can use scaffolding without facing undue risk. Fortunately, engineers have developed a number of proven methods for making steel scaffolding safe and secure. OSHA has outlined quite a few rules for reasonably safe scaffolding. However, it is up to scaffold designers to elaborate on these guidelines through personal experience. Although scaffold engineering is a fairly deep and complex subject, the basics of safe scaffolding are relatively simple and easy to understand. Continue reading →

Self Closing Safety Gate

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image of self closing gate system
The best way to stop a fall is to eliminate the hazard. By using a self closing safety gate many falls can be prevented. Applications for a safety gate would be: ladderway openings, stairwell openings, equipment access ladders, scaffolding, mezzanines, and working platforms to name a few. Safety gates can be ordered painted safety yellow, hot-dipped galvanized, stainless steel, or aluminum. They are shipped fully assembled, meet OSHA standards, self closing, and are easy to install. They feature dual stainless steel springs, adjustable lengths, and reversible swing direction by simply inverting gate. Such a simple solution to eliminate a fall.

OSHA Job Site Safety

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This summer OSHA is promoting two new job site safety programs. The first is OSHA’s National Stand Down.  The week of June 2nd thru 6th will be their week to raise awareness of preventing fall hazards in construction. In 2012, 269 construction worker fatalities out of a total 775 were caused by falls. Many of those deaths were preventable by proper job planning and instruction. Fall prevention safety standards were among the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards, during fiscal year 2012. Here is a link to planning a step down program for your organization.

In conjunction with this program they are concurrently promoting OSHA’s Plan, Provide, Train program. Using OSHA’s three simple step program, many job related falls can be prevented. OSHA’s website is part of a nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs. Plan ahead to get the job done safely. Provide the right equipment equipment. Train everyone to use the safety equipment safely. Three simple steps that save lives.

Bird Ladder Open House May 15th

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Bird Ladder will be having their annual open house May 15th. Every year we have customer appreciation day which includes a truck load sale on everything. Werner ladders, pump jacks, planks, Granite scaffolding, MBW compactors, trowels and mixers, Werner fall protection, Acro roofing equipment, Tie down shingle hoists, Van Mark brakes, Knaack job boxes, Weatherguard truck and van equipment, Reechcraft PowerPole, PowerLift and PowerMast to name a few.

We will also have factory reps demonstrating their products. We will be introducing new products at the show.  The NEW Knaack 118 data vault will be on display with demonstrations. We will also have the new Reechcraft Powermast set up. They also have a new free standing base that will be shown. We will also have new MBW plate compactors on display.

Free safety classes will also be returning this year. We will offer ladder safety courses, fall protection courses and also a presentation by Acro products on use of their roof edge protection. Cards will be issued for the ladder and fall protection training. We are also attempting to have a representative from OSHA here to answer questions.

We also serve lunch from 12:00 till the food runs out. So bring your shopping list, save money, get trained, and have lunch.

Scaffold Wind Clips

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image of Scaffold Wind ClipsWith winter season approaching us in the north, it is sometimes required that the job site needs to be enclosed and to maintain a heated work area. What many contractors will do is erect scaffolding around the job site and and wrap the structure with reinforced plastic tarps to maintain heat in the work area. To attach the tarps to the scaffold, wind clips are used. When attaching tarps to scaffold special care must be taken to insure that windy conditions with not affect the scaffold. Extra wall ties and counter weights are need to counter act the effects of wrapping the scaffold with plastic. Care must also be taken with the type of heater being used so an open flame does not come into contact with the tarp.