My WTF entry for any person who is currently building scaffold - see pictures-UPDATED!

[Justin T. Wittwer]

UPDATE!

I took this pic from the ground "post repair". I'm not sure but it looks to me like it is leaning "slightly to the side like" What do you think?

Ok so I am strolling through the facility the other day and I come across this gem. Check out the use of the might beam clamp in this particular example. Then read on

So not only is the beam clamp free to slide down the channel, or up on the back side. This legs is unsupported for at least 5' as it is only connected to that one clamp until the first wrap of ledgers. Now for what that leg is actually holding up. 

This little gem is a 40' tall leg on a 10'x10' bay with a 3 board bracket at the first lfit and it goes up another 3 -10' legs on the post of the bracket.

And as this picture shows there is another 3 board bracket at the top of the leg, already built on a post of another 3 board bracket 30' below. Comments? Any one please? 

[Kevin driscoll]

For some reason with cup lock system, which is a little stronger than other systems, people do not use trusses for spans over 5' for deck levels. Cup lock has 6' trusses and for each measurement on up just like Safway, Superior, and QES. The manufacturer specs are the same for all of these different system scaffolds, all runners up to 5' are SBR, the 'B' meaning BEARER. 6' runners and longer are SHR the 'H' meaning Horizontal (not BEARER) meaning it is not to be used for planking. You use an STB, the 'T' of course meaning Truss.

[Justin T. Wittwer]

Mr. Driscoll I believe you are correct. Either way if you do a little math the beam clamps, even if used correctly are overloaded. Now By overloaded I mean they are cheating the safety factor and in violation of the standard but since I don't know the actual failure point of the clamps I can't offer an opinion as to that.

Another factor to consider in this whole operation is the fact that this has been attached to a set of stairs. Every scaffold is subject to vibration, but I cant help but wonder if anyone accounted for the additional vibration of the constant motion on the stairs?

Did I mention that these stairs are not ground supported? The landing, and both sets of stairs leading to it are supported by 2 pieces of 3"x3" angle that you can see in the top picture, yes the one that has the additional brace attached to it. Must have been in a real hurry or just plain didn't look at the area before building the scaffold. 

Also included in this picture if you look past the leg in question, you can see a skip plank job. Anyone care to weigh in on the capacity of an 8' tube spanned 7'+ and solid planked?

[Kevin driscoll]

I believe the grav locks are not designed for side load as used in the picture. I use them for securing a scaffold laterally or if using for a suspended scaffold I.e. grav lock a tube to I beam and the force on it is 100% vertical.

[Justin T. Wittwer]

So the next question I have for you all is what do you think the dead load at the right angle is and are the beam clamps overloaded? Hmmmm?

[Justin T. Wittwer]

No worries. I would actually agree and would have made the assumption as well if I didn't see it first hand. 

[Kevin driscoll]

Sorry... Cup lock, which on the northeast is Brand. Thanks for correcting me and sorry about that on my part.

[Justin T. Wittwer]

It isn't a Brand scaffold. 

[Kevin driscoll]

After working for Brand from time to time over the years and seeing some of their 'builds' here on the east coast nothing surprises me with that company. That photo is par for the course for Brand. Not only is that leg incorrectly hung but there is also a side bracket on it. The website Scaffolddawgs has some classic pix of Brand 'builds' ha ha.

[Jesse (SPIDER-MAN) Roberson]

they should atleast use safety clamps. (extra beam clamps underneath the existing beam clamps), but im sure there were better ways to build it altogether

[Donna Stendel]

Thank god!