Chartered Civil Engineer, Hannah Fletcher, recently presented to Crawford’s Building Surveyor Team.
In her presentation ‘Scaffolding: Design, Construction and Common Problems’ Hannah gave an overview of the requirements for scaffolding design, construction and management. She included a review of the common problems and failures, and the preventative measures set out in guidelines that should be used when scaffolding is in place. Outlining the different types of scaffolding and their uses, Hannah explained that its versatility and adaptability mean that scaffolding is used on most construction sites. When used in accordance with safety regulations, it offers a versatile and safe solution in modern construction.
However, if safety regulations are not adhered to, construction sites can be hazardous places to work. Some common incidents associated with scaffolding include falling materials, storm damage, wind loading, and the most common being falls from height. Scaffolders often work ahead of edge protection or boards, so falls during construction, when using a ladder, or working above the handrail, can be fatal. When conducting investigations into such incidents, Hannah will look at the construction design to understand if it was a standard or bespoke configuration, which is often driven by the complexity of the design. It is then crucial to determine whether the guidelines were followed and whether it was necessary to configure the scaffold in the way it was. She will consider the spans, purpose, ground conditions and location to determine whether the design implemented, achieved the requirements for its purpose.
When investigating a fall from height, Hannah explained that Hawkins can inspect a structure physically or view it from photos and/or model structures, to determine whether the guidelines were followed for that configuration, or the failure was a result of something else. When the weather is suspected of being a factor, Hawkins investigators often find that the wind loading experienced, even in the most severe storms, should have been within the design loads. Our investigators can analyse weather data to determine if the wind loading experienced was allowed for in the design parameters, and whether the scaffold was sufficiently designed and constructed.
Hannah joined Hawkins in 2020 and regularly investigates civil engineering incidents including façade and roof failures due to high winds, building collapses and construction site incidents. She has expanded her skills to include fire investigations in both domestic and commercial settings. Hannah has also presented a webinar Scaffolding: Design, Construction & Common Problems which is available to view on our website. If you would like Hannah to present to your organisation or investigate a failure involving scaffold design, please contact us.
