Hire and Rental News - November 2018

ACCESS in ACTION Trestle ladder scaffold systems – what is required for compliance There has been a lot of industry confusion around the requirements for trestle ladder scaffolds to be compliant with Australian Standards and Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) regulations. Which governance rules the safety systems required? To provide clarification, SafeWork explains the rules when using trestle ladder scaffolds. here’s a lot of confusion around what constitutes a safe trestle ladder scaffold system. According to Joshua Kent, a state inspector with SafeWork NSW, it is highly recommended users follow the advice outlined in Australian Standard AS/NZS 1576.1 Scaffolding general requirements. Under this Australian Standard scaffold systems, including trestle ladder systems, should have: • at least light-duty rating (approximately 225 kg per bay); • a minimum 450mm-wide working platform; • edge protection, comprising a guardrail, mid-rail or toe-board, or guardrail and infill panel, where someone or something could fall more than 2m; • a dedicated safe means of access, either trestle ladder rungs spaced about 300mm apart, or external access; • external access, where the platform is installed lower than the top trestle ladder rung or the platform extends beyond the ladder; • be erected by a licenced scaffolder, if a person or object can fall more than 4m from it. Joshua emphasises it’s not mandatory to adhere to this standard, but in most cases, it is ‘reasonably practicable’. “Work health and safety (WHS) legislation is performance based,” Josh said. “Although compliance with the standard is not mandatory, achieving an acceptable level of safety is.” For example, consider toe-boards. On scaffolds, toe-boards have a few potential functions: they prevent small objects being kicked off the deck, they reduce the gap between the deck and the mid rail, and for some scaffold designs, they stop the planks from sliding. However, if these risks could be effectively controlled by other means, then it may be possible to omit the toe boards and comply withWHS legislation even though the standard says they are required. On the other hand, consider the risk of falls. The standard does not require edge protection on scaffolds below 2m. However,WHS laws require the risk from falls from one level to another to be controlled regardless of the height. Therefore, omitting edge protection simply because the standard allows it is not sufficient. If a scaffold design incorporates edge protection then to comply with WHS laws it would have to be demonstrated omitting it does not increase the risk beyond what is reasonably practicable to achieve. In summary: • Trestle scaffold systems are not banned in NSW. • SafeWork NSW said the legal requirement when using a trestle ladder scaffold system is to comply withWHS laws not standards; however • AS/NZS 1576 (Scaffolds) and the AS/ NZS 1892 (Portable Ladders) series of standards provide reasonably practicable advice. • The standard for trestle scaffolds (AS/ NZS 1576.5) is being reviewed. • The NSW codes of practice Managing the risk of falls in workplaces and Preventing falls in housing construction also contain guidance on trestle ladders. Call 13 10 50 or visit: www.safework.nsw.gov.au SAFESMART ACCESS According to Joseph Lo Presti, Engineering Manager – SafeSmart Access , the applicable Australian Standard for specific requirements relating to Trestle Scaffolds AS/NZS 1576.5 (and this Standard comes under the umbrella Standard for Scaffolding), is AS/NZS 1576.1. “The Australian Standard which gives specific requirements for Trestle Ladders (which are used to support work platforms that in turn create a Trestle It is highly recommended trestle ladder scaffold users follow the advice outlined in Australian Standard AS/NZS 1576.1 Scaffolding general requirements 40 ACCESS IN ACTION • NOVEMBER 2018 Continued on p42...