Importantly, whatever the angle of the stairway, the treads will always be horizontal to aid safe movement. Quick and easy to install, site stairways within a matter of minutes can be lifted off transport and secured in place at an angle of between 30 and 55 degrees, as specified in EN 12811. In addition, for high-passage rates, the stairways can be set up in pairs, each for one-way traffic. This is simply not an option with ladders. While only two people can stand on a single tread at one time, multiple users can pass back and forth. Site-stairway designs vary and are usually between 750-800mm in width, which permits occasional passing if workers need to ferry large quantities of materials to and from different levels of a building. The stability that all these features offer enables workers to move around safely and in comfort. The bottom of the stringers should be designed to prevent slips while the treads should have a coarse non-slip surface to provide added grip. To provide stability, there must be a locking mechanism, which keeps the stairs at the correct angle. All temporary stairways used on-site should conform to EN 12811, which specifies the rise and going, minimum width, acceptable angles and load capacity. When selecting a site stairway, ensure that a double handrail is positioned on both sides that can be automatically adjusted to the correct height to meet the angle of the stairs. To successfully navigate a ladder, workers need certain points of contact at any one time and this is not straightforward when they are ferrying potentially heavy and large objects and trying to grip on the ladder rungs simultaneously.
The Health and Safety Executive states that ladders are the bottom of the hierarchy of controls and that their use may be justified providing it is not reasonably practicable to use other work equipment which will prevent or mitigate a fall. In recent years, best practices and increasing regulations have supported the move away from ladders in general construction activities. Another option is the site stairway, which for many reasons is the most practical and cost-effective solution. There are currently several different types of stair access solutions on the market, from the common ladder to the more sophisticated scaffolding/access towers. Safety managers therefore need to give careful consideration to how they select the best protection, which will allow construction workers to be most productive on-site while also reducing the likelihood of an accident.
( Photo Courtesy of Matt McCreery)Īccording to an article dated Septemfrom the Safety & Health Practioner, falls from height continue to be one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries in the construction industry. Scaffold stair system installed at a project in Bloomington, IN. Energy Control - Lockout / Tagout Program.
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