One common application for steel tubing is scaffolding. It is vital for construction, building maintenance, and more. Tube swaging can help, adapting the tubes to make it easier to fit them together.

Investing in quality scaffolding is a crucial decision. It dictates the health and safety of workers and the general public in some cases. Regardless, there’s a common misconception that steel structures aren’t as safe as wooden designs. We’re going to debunk the myth here. To do so, we will go over the common mistakes of using scaffolding and how to avoid them.

Some planning required

Firstly, we have assembling without planning. When assembling a scaffold, there needs to be a plan on how you want it before building everything up. This way, you are less likely to experience any complications. Everything will happen according to plan. Also, you should make sure the instructions are very clear to avoid mistakes in assembly.

Fitting mistakes

The second mistake is failing to use the right type of fittings. Many scaffolders make this error. They believe it’s possible to utilise any kind of fitting. However, that isn’t the case. You’ll find individual fittings, each with its own purpose. For instance, you could be using a T-shaped fitting to join two lengths of scaffolding together. If so, it might not be able to carry the weight of your load correctly. Take a close look at how to fit everything together carefully, including tube swaging.

Scaffolding tie

Not using a scaffolding tie is also a mistake. A scaffold tie’s purpose is to hold it together and stop it from collapsing. It prevents the structure from falling over if a person leans on it too much. Should you not use one, there’s a decent chance the scaffold will fall apart or suffer damage.

The wrong kind of scaffolding tube

There are all kinds of scaffolding tubing available, but not all of them suit every purpose. It’s preferable to know about the separate kinds of scaffold tubes before buying anything. Single tube is the most common design. Other types feature more tubing. For example you can have double (two), triple (three), quadra (four), penta (five) and even octo (eight). Take a closer look and select the type that works for your project specifications.

Are you using scaffolding correctly?

Then there’s the improper use of scaffolding. You can trace many problems back to the fact that people aren’t using the scaffold correctly. You should ensure workers know how to use it safely before beginning a project. Also, you need to know what kind of scaffolding is best for the project. Moreover, you need to be clear on how many people will be allowed on each level at any one time.

Not using guardrails

Finally, many issues happen because of a lack of guardrails on scaffolding. They are there to stop falls. This should be one of your first priorities to maximise safety. You should ensure there is a guardrail in place wherever there is a risk of a rail. Additionally, you should make sure that workers never step or climb over them. It can lead to falls or guardrail collapse, potentially causing serious injuries.

Let us help you with tube swaging and more

At Multiform Tubes Engineering Ltd, we’ve worked hard to become a reputable establishment. We have very high standards and can deliver the perfect service for every single client. Most notably, we can use different techniques to swage, bend, and alter tubing in other ways.

So, if you need to adapt tubing for scaffolding or other products, speak to us. We can offer advice about tube swaging and other techniques. At the end of the day, we’ll ensure you get the perfect service.