Scaffolding Safety

Executive Summary

Scaffolding safety is critical for protecting workers and ensuring project efficiency in South African construction and maintenance, governed by the comprehensive legal framework of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) 1993, which mandates competent personnel, and SANS 10085, which sets detailed standards for scaffold design, erection, inspection, and component quality. Pro Rise Scaffolding ensures strict adherence to these regulations through robust Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), prioritizing Skills Development and Training by employing staff with Certificates of Competence for both erection and inspection, and maintaining full Regulatory Compliance with certifications like Legal Liability and Working at Heights. Furthermore, the company guarantees safety and reliability through stringent Equipment Checks and continuous maintenance of its stock, establishing Pro Rise Scaffolding as a trusted partner that delivers professional and fully compliant solutions for all South African industrial projects.

Scaffolding safety is a vital part of many construction and maintenance projects, but it also poses significant risks to workers and the public if not done properly. That is why South Africa has a comprehensive legal framework for scaffolding that aims to ensure safety and quality in scaffolding operations. In this blog post, we will explain how Pro Rise Scaffolding adheres to this legal framework and what measures we take to provide a safe and reliable scaffolding service to our clients.

The legal framework for scaffolding in South Africa consists of two main sources: the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) of 1993 and the South African National Standard (SANS) 10085 of 2004. The OHSA sets out the general duties and responsibilities of employers, employees, contractors, suppliers and others involved in scaffolding work. It also requires that scaffolding work be done by competent persons who have received adequate training and supervision. The SANS 10085 provides specific guidelines and requirements for the design, erection, use, inspection and dismantling of scaffolding. It covers aspects such as materials, dimensions, loads, stability, access, platforms, guardrails, ties, bracing, foundations and more. Pro Rise Scaffolding is committed to complying with both the OHSA and the SANS 10085 in all our scaffolding projects. We have developed a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that reflect the best practices and standards for scaffolding work. Our SOPs cover the following areas:

Skills development and training 

Pro Rise Scaffolding invests in training its staff to provide an excellent service. A core part of that investment is training all staff to meet and exceed the requirements of the law. Every person working on the job will have received training. Moreover, erectors and inspectors will have the required Certificates of Competence. Due to these investments we empower our supervisors to make decisions at a site or plant level with managers of the project. 

Compliance

Pro Rise Scaffolding does not simply treat compliance as a checklist. Our Standard Operating Procedures are aimed at meeting all the requirements of the standards for the sector. This includes ensuring that the required certificates and approvals have been completed as per specification. Specifically we aim to comply with Occupational Health and Safety Act  & SANS 10085. 

Certifications 

To achieve compliance, Pro Rise Scaffolding has certifications in the following areas:

• She Rep
• Legal Liability
• First Aiders
• Scaffolding Inspectors
• Scaffolding Erectors
• Working at Heights

Equipment Checks 

Before scaffolding hire stock reaches our client they undergo stringent pre-delivery checks. When stock leaves our yard it will be in good working order. This process is supported by our continuous maintenance system for our scaffolding hiring equipment.

By following these SOPs, we ensure that our scaffolding work is safe, efficient and professional. We also ensure that we meet the expectations and needs of our clients. Pro Rise Scaffolding is your trusted partner for scaffolding solutions in South Africa.