Why Shoring Is Important for Construction Safety

For construction projects, shoring is one of the most important safety features on the job site. Shoring can be used in several different capacities on construction sites, depending on the type of job at hand. At Scaffold Resource, we offer a variety of different kinds of shoring and can assist with planning, installation, and ongoing shoring safety concerns for the duration of your project. Here is a look at just a few of the reasons that shoring is important for construction safety.

Prevent Trenching Collapse

If you are doing a project that requires trenching, shoring is a must for the safety of your crew. Any kind of trenching, regardless of how strong you think the ground material is, is prone to collapsing, which can bury employees and make it possible for them to get out. There have been many instances in the past in which trenching collapses have cost workers their lives. Shoring is an easy and effective solution to protect your employees who are working in trenching. Our team can help you understand what kind of shoring you need for your kind of trenching, and how to set it up in the safest way possible.

Support Walls During Repairs

Often, construction repairs and renovations involve doing work on walls that provide support to the building. Shoring can help to support these walls during the work process, so that they stay standing and they don’t allow the rest of the building to collapse. Shoring can relieve the load being supported by the masonry wall so that the structural integrity of the building is not compromised. This is particularly important in renovations on historical sites.

When you need shoring of any kind, Scaffold Resource can help. Contact us today with your questions about shoring rentals in Washington, D.C., as well as other services, by dialing (301) 924-7223.

See Some of the Construction Work on Dubai’s World Island Project

Dubai took a major risk in constructing a series of 300 islands designed to represent the countries of the world. Early interest was dealt a blow when the global financial crisis hit, but now, builders are back and tackling unique construction conditions.

Watch this video to learn more about the World Island project and how island owners are dealing with the building conditions. The islands were constructed without any infrastructure, so owners have to install basic systems before finishing their visions for hotels, clubs, and more.

At Scaffold Resource, we’re accustomed to challenging building conditions and can help you create a safe and efficient job site with scaffolding rentals, shoring systems, and more. For more information about scaffold rentals in Washington, D.C., call (301) 924-7223.

How We Can Help with Your Scaffolding Needs

At Scaffold Resource, we offer a number of services to builders and construction site managers to help them complete their jobs safely and on time. From scaffold rentals to project and engineering management and consultation, our commitment is to ensure you have the tools you need when you need them at every stage of your building project.

Our scaffold rental services provide access to a variety of different scaffolding products, including tube and clamp scaffolding, sidewalk bridging, work platforms, and stair towers. If you’re unsure which kinds of scaffolding are appropriate for your project, we can help. We also provide construction support services, including dismantling, engineering consultation, and construction that involves scaffolding. Our team is licensed to work on every piece of equipment that they handle and participates in daily safety briefings. We also can perform daily safety inspections to protect your crew and the general public.

If you have a construction project, contact Scaffold Resource to learn more about how we can help. You can reach our team at (301) 924-7223 for more information about construction scaffolding in Washington, D.C.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Scaffolding Accidents?

Scaffolding is an important part of many construction projects, but it also requires very careful safety procedures and careful worker training. When you rent scaffolding, work with the company that is providing it to make sure you understand the correct procedures for erecting scaffolding and operating it correctly. Here is a look at some of the most common reasons that scaffolding accidents occur on jobsites.

Scaffolding Collapses

If scaffolding is not erected properly, it can collapse while workers are on it. Scaffolding collapses are particularly serious. Not only do these injuries allow the workers who are on the work platform to be injured, but workers below also face the risk of being crushed by falling parts. Your scaffolding company will provide clear instructions on the right way to use the scaffolding and the materials that should be used to erect it. Inspect each piece of the scaffolding as you’re building it, and ask the rental company to replace any piece that appears damaged. Ask for assistance if you have questions about the proper procedures for putting the scaffolding together.

Falls

Falls are among the most common accidents on construction sites, and falls from scaffolding are a serious risk. Having strict on-site safety procedures will reduce the risk of falls. For example, setting rules that prevent trip hazards on work platforms can cut the chances that someone will fall because of tripping.

Tipping Scaffolding

Scaffolding is not protected from high winds, so it is vulnerable to tipping over in bad weather. If high winds are forecast, take steps to secure the scaffolding, and don’t allow anyone to work on it during the bad weather. Workers on the ground should also not be in range of the scaffolding during high winds, so since it could tip and collide with them.

Scaffold Resource is committed to ensuring the safety of every jobsite that uses our scaffolding rentals. We even offer engineering and project consultation for jobs that require expert safety advice. If you have questions about scaffold rentals in Washington, D.C., call (301) 924-7223.

A Look at Our Hoisting Work on the Hay Adams Hotel

Scaffold Resource has a long history of providing scaffolding, shoring, and hoists to high profile projects in the Washington, D.C. area and around the country. The iconic Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington, D.C. is one place that relied on our services as part of a major project to add a vertical addition to the building. We assisted with a personnel and material hoist that was used above an active alleyway, which presented multiple challenges that we helped the team overcome.

The hoist had to service the roof and scaffolding for a two-story addition to the building while allowing a high-traffic loading dock to be used safely over the alleyway, which was in use for the duration of the project. There was a complex back structure required, and a scaffold had to be built between the hoist and the building that accommodated the existing architectural features.

Scaffold Resource helped this project and many others reach safe and efficient conclusions with our hoist and scaffolding services. Talk to our team about your needs for scaffold rentals in Washington, D.C. by calling (301) 924-7223.

The Building of the New Cooper River Bridge

The Arthur Ravenel Bridge, also sometimes called the new Cooper River Bridge, is an engineering marvel. The cable-stay bridge is the third longest such bridge in the Western hemisphere. The building process was dangerous and required careful safety management and large scaffolding systems.

Watch this video to learn more about the building of the new bridge. The structure is eight lanes across and connects Charleston and Mount Pleasant in South Carolina. It is part of Highway 17, which is a major north-south thoroughfare along the Southeastern seaboard.

Scaffold Resource knows the demands of complex projects such as these and provides secure scaffolding and project management assistance. For more information about our scaffolds in Washington, D.C., call (301) 924-7223.

How Fatigue Can Affect Job Site Safety

On building sites of all sizes, fatigue is a common factor in many accidents and injuries. It is essential for all workers on a site to be well rested and to not be impacted by fatigue, no matter what their role in the project. At Scaffold Resource, we offer engineering and project management consultancy services, and safety is at the forefront of what we do. Could fatigue be compromising the safety of your job site? Here is a closer look at some of the risks associated with fatigue and what you can do about it.

How does fatigue cause workplace safety issues?

According to the National Safety Council, driving while fatigued is as dangerous as driving while impaired. Someone who loses two hours of sleep has similar symptoms as someone who has had three beers. On the job site, your workers need the same kind of attentiveness that they do to drive safely, and fatigue stands in the way of that. You wouldn’t let workers perform any tasks on your project if they were intoxicated. However, allowing them to do so while they are fatigued can have similar outcomes caused by slow reaction times, poor decision making, and lack of attention to detail.

What are some symptoms of workplace fatigue?

There are safety devices that can be installed in construction equipment that will alert the operator of fatigue symptoms. In most cases, though, it’s up to the people working on the site to be vigilant about potential signs of fatigue, like difficulty concentrating, dizziness, headaches, and slow response times.

How can the risk of fatigue-related incidents be reduced?

On construction sites, creating a culture that puts safety first is essential. This includes a culture in which workers are encouraged to self-report when they feel too fatigued to function safely in their roles and in which workers are not pushed to work overtime hours in order to complete a project. Setting realistic project timelines will also help.

Do you have a project in need of engineering or management advice? Scaffold Resource can assist through all of the stages of your project, as well as provide shoring and scaffolding rentals in Washington, D.C. To learn more, call us at (301) 924-7223.

An Overview of Historic Restoration Standards

Historic restoration projects are challenging to complete. Ensuring that a structure adheres to the design standards of a specific time period without features that are not historically accurate requires careful planning and building techniques. It also requires using equipment, such as shoring or scaffolding, that won’t harm the property. There are specific standards to which anyone undertaking a historical restoration must adhere, regardless of the time period or use of the structure. Here are the standards that must be followed on all historical restorations.

Features that are added must be established as historically accurate.

During restoration projects, it is acceptable to add certain features that are missing from the property. However, designers must provide physical proof or other kinds of documentation to show that the features are accurate not just to the time period but also to the property itself. Designers cannot combine two partial elements into a new design feature that was not a present at the historical site. Features from one historical property from the period in question cannot be used in another restoration project, even if the time period is accurate.

No treatments can be used that would damage the historical site.

Often, part of restoration means cleaning up the features of the site so that they look their best. However, it is important to avoid any chemical or physical cleaning process that could potentially cause harm to any part of the property. It is the responsibility of the construction team to ensure the gentlest process is used in each instance.

Historically accurate materials cannot be removed from the site.

Historical restoration does not allow any materials to be removed from the property or features constructed during the time period to be changed. If features were added to the property later that were not available during the historical period, those can be removed.

Scaffold Resource understands the special requirements for historical restoration and has provided shoring and scaffolding for a wide range of these types of products. For more information about shoring systems or scaffolding rentals in Washington, D.C., call (301) 924-7223.

Scaffold Resource at the Chapman Mill

Historical restorations are more complex than new construction projects. During a historical project, you have to take care not to use techniques that could damage the space you’re trying to restore. As such, things like scaffolding and shoring have to be used carefully, in order to preserve the space. At Scaffold Resource, we are experienced in this kind of construction work and have assisted on many jobs that involve this delicate balance of new building and historical preservation. The Chapman Mill is one such project in which we have been involved.

The Chapman Mill is a former grist mill in Northern Virginia that was built in 1742 and was once the tallest stacked stone building in the country. The process of restoring it as a historical site after it was damaged by a fire was complicated due to the unexcavated worksite that was infested with snakes and the structural damage caused by the fire. We assisted with appropriate scaffolding necessary for safe working conditions without causing further damage to the site.

From historical restorations to new construction, Scaffold Resource is available to assist in a variety of projects. Learn more about our engineering and project consultation services or scaffolding in Washington, D.C., by calling (301) 924-7223.

The Methods of Wall Bracing

Wall bracing is performed during construction on wood-frame buildings in order to make the structures less susceptible to wind damage. This practice is especially important in areas in which high-wind storms, such as hurricanes, are possible. In those regions, there are likely to be local building guidelines that stipulate the minimum level of wall bracing that is required in construction projects. In other cases, the guidelines set by the International Residential Code are used. There are several different methods of wall bracing that are used, depending on the needs of the project. Scaffold Resource can assist with wall bracing calculations as part of our engineering consultation services. Here is a look at some of the common processes.

Engineered Shear Walls

For wind loads that are expected to reach or exceed 110 miles per hour, engineered shear walls may be used. In this process, an engineer calculates the expected wind loads to determine where shear walls should be located and what their size and construction should be. Shear walls have hold-downs at every segment. These segments may be as small as 27 1/2 inches, depending on the anticipated wind loads.

Method 3

Method 3 is so called because it adheres to the IRC’s Method 3 guidelines. It is used when wind loads are expected to be less than 110 miles per hour. With this method plywood, or in some cases, OSB, is attached to strategically chosen areas of walls to brace them against the wind. The attached plywood or OSB must cover the full height of the wall and be at least four feet wide.

Fully Sheathed

Fully sheathed buildings are completely covered in plywood or OSB. In these cases, IRC guidelines allow for fewer areas of the walls to be braced. With this method, however, all corners of the building have to be braced wall panels.

For more information about wall bracing, scaffolding or shoring in Washington, D.C., call Scaffold Resource. We are available to answer your questions today at (301) 924-7223.