Roads Projects Department

SAFETY ALERT
Mobile Scaffolding Safety
Background: A recent incident in one of the RPD
projects involving a mobile scaffold resulted in a
work injury due to a worker falling from a height.
While the mobile scaffold was being relocated by
pushing it with workers on the scaffold's top
working platform, one of the scaffold's caster
wheels broke off, leading to the scaffold's tilting and
subsequent fall of the personnel from height.
Mobile scaffold: Also known as movable scaffolding, this scaffold is designed for easy mobility. It consists of a stable
platform supported by wheels or casters, which allow workers to move the scaffold to different locations without
disassembly and reassembly. However, moving the scaffold with personnel onboard shall not be permitted.
Here are the main types of mobile scaffolding:
Single-Width Scaffold: Double-Width Mobile Scaffold: Folding Mobile Scaffold:
Compact with a single platform, Broader platform with two single- Easily collapsible for transport and
ideal for indoor tasks in tight width platforms, offering more space storage, convenient for limited
spaces. and stability for larger projects. spaces or frequent movement.

Podium Steps: Stairway Mobile Scaffolds: Adjustable Mobile Scaffolds:

Specifically for low-level access tasks, Incorporate stair units for safe access Allows height adjustment with
featuring a single platform with to multiple levels, common in telescopic legs or adjustable frames,
guardrails, commonly used in retail construction and events. versatile for various job
and warehouses. requirements.

Understanding these types is crucial for selecting the appropriate mobile scaffolding for safety and efficiency at heights.

Choosing the right mobile scaffolding!

❑ Assess Requirements: Start by understanding specific project needs. Consider the height and size of the structures
needing access and any unique site conditions that may affect the operation. Also, determine the maximum weight the
scaffolding needs to support. Consider the combined weight of workers, tools, equipment, and materials that will be
present on the platform. Choose a mobile scaffold with a weight capacity that exceeds the estimated requirements to
provide a safety margin.
❑ Compliance With Regulations and Standards: Ensure the mobile scaffolding chosen complies with local safety
regulations, industry standards, and codes. Always follow the manufacturer’s or supplier’s instruction manual.
❑ Mobility And Stability: Look for scaffolding with sturdy wheels and locking mechanisms, allowing easy movement and
stability. Consider the construction site's terrain and surface conditions to ensure the wheels suit the environment.
❑ Ease Of Assembly And Disassembly: Choose mobile scaffolding that is easy to assemble and disassemble, allowing for
efficient use of time and resources. Look for systems with quick-lock mechanisms or modular designs that facilitate
rapid setup and takedown.
❑ Durability And Material Quality: The materials used to design the scaffolding determine its longevity and resistance to
wear and tear. Look for options made from robust materials like steel or aluminium, which offer strength and stability.

PWA-RPD-HSS-ALRT-067 PAGE 1/2 Issue Date: 22 February 2024

 Roads Projects Department
SAFETY ALERT
Mobile Scaffolding Safety

❑ Safety Features: Prioritise the safety features incorporated into the scaffolding design. This may include
guardrails, non-slip surfaces, secure locking mechanisms, and stability braces. These features enhance worker
safety and reduce the risk of accidents.

Safety Measures
❑ Stability: Mobile scaffolds rely on a stable base to provide a secure and safe working platform. The uneven or
unstable ground can lead to an imbalance in the scaffold, increasing the risk of tipping or collapsing. It is
essential to assess the ground conditions where the scaffold will be placed and ensure it is firm and level.
❑ Ground Inspection: Before setting up the mobile scaffold, inspect the ground for any irregularities, such as
holes, loose soil, debris, or slopes, and clear away any obstacles that could affect the stability or cause tripping
hazards. If significant irregularities exist, level the ground or use appropriate levelling equipment, such as base
plates or adjustable legs, to ensure stable footing.
❑ Weight Distribution: Mobile scaffolds have weight limits specified by the manufacturer. Even on level ground,
exceeding the recommended load capacity can compromise the scaffold’s stability. Be mindful of the weight of
workers, tools, and equipment on the scaffold, ensuring it does not exceed the maximum allowed load.
❑ Level Adjustments: Mobile scaffolds often have adjustable legs or mechanisms to compensate for uneven
ground. Take the time to adjust the scaffold’s levelling components properly to ensure that all four sides have
equal support and eliminate any tilting or rocking motion.
Height to Base Ratio
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends explicitly not using a The Construction Industry Training Board
safety harness and lanyard when working on mobile towers. If the guardrails (CITB) recommends a ratio of 1:3.5 for
have been correctly installed, the tower has collective fall protection, so scaffolds used inside buildings and 1:3 for
personal fall protection is unnecessary. ones used outside buildings. No tower
In the event of an arrest fall on a mobile tower, one is likely to cause the tower should be built with a least base
to overturn, increasing the risk of injury to oneself and others in the vicinity. dimension of less than 1.2 m.

❑ Locking Wheels: Most mobile scaffolds are equipped with wheels or

casters for easy mobility. However, it is crucial to ensure the wheels
stay in place once the scaffold is in position. Lock the wheels securely
to prevent unintended movement or shifting, providing stability during
work activities.

❑ Regular Inspections: Throughout scaffold “…A mobile working platform (such

use, periodically check the stability and as a mobile scaffold tower or a
levelness of the scaffold’s footing. mobile elevating work platform)
Conduct routine inspections for signs of must have been inspected within the
ground settling or other factors affecting previous seven days…”
stability. Promptly address issued QCS 2014 Section 11 Part 1.2.1.17
detected before continuing work.

❑ Erection of mobile scaffold? *Competent person: A person who has practical and theoretical
Mobile scaffolds must only be erected, knowledge and actual experience of the work activities that they are
altered or dismantled by, or under the direct required to do. A person's competence will, be tangibly demonstrated by
supervision of, a *competent person. the award of a qualification or other recognition of training received.

Legal requirements: QCS 2014 Section 11Part 1.3.4 System Scaffolds and Mobile
Towers, 1.01 (78), Part 1.3.5 Tube and Fitting Scaffolds (and any other relevant
sections).
The Supervision Consultants and the Construction Contractors hold a
shared responsibility in communicating and ensuring the ‘Control
Measures’ in this Alert.

PWA-RPD-HSS-ALRT-067 PAGE 2/2 Issue Date: 22 February 2024