If you have arranged for a local scaffolding hire business to provide you with scaffolding for your construction project, and this project will take place in the winter, here are some tips that you might find helpful. 

1. Sprinkle any ice-covered scaffolding boards with sand

If the temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius at any point during your building project, you should instruct your construction crew members to sprinkle the scaffolding boards with sand. The reason for this is that in freezing temperatures, a layer of slippery ice may form on these boards. This could create an extremely dangerous environment for the labourers who need to stand on or walk across these boards in order to gain access to taller parts of the structure they are building.

If for example, a labourer were to slip whilst walking over an ice-covered board, fall over the railing and then land on the ground several metres below, they could end up being fatally injured. Likewise, if they were to slip on the icy boards whilst holding a circular saw or an electric drill, this equipment could fall from the hands and land on the workers standing on the ground next to the scaffolding. This, too, could result in someone sustaining life-threatening injuries.

These types of accidents can be avoided, simply by sprinkling the boards of the scaffolding with sand when ice starts to form on their surface. This sand will provide those standing or walking on the boards with some grip, which will reduce their chances of slipping.

2. Check the condition of the scaffolding's braces after any bouts of windy weather

Wintertime often brings with it frequent bouts of extremely windy weather. If this type of weather occurs during the course of the building process, you should check the condition of the scaffolding's braces after the winds begin to die down.

The reason for this is that the braces on the scaffolding play an important role in keeping this access equipment stable. If the screws and bolts which attach them to the other components of the scaffolding are damaged or loosened as a result of being exposed to strong winds, the braces could fall off and the boards could collapse under the weight of the workers who then stand on them. This could lead to all of these individuals being seriously hurt.

Even if there is no-one on the scaffolding when this occurs, this type of incident could result in the scaffolding itself being damaged beyond repair.

If this should happen, you may have to pay the scaffolding hire business an additional fee (to cover the cost of fixing the damaged equipment) and order a new piece of access equipment from them. This could cause delays and financial difficulties which could affect the progress of your building project.