According to the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC), there are three basic types of access solutions – tube and fitting scaffolding, system scaffolding, and lightweight mobile towers. Here, we will give a brief explanation of their main features and application.
Tube and fitting scaffolding
Tube and fitting scaffolding is a stationary structure assembled from tubes and fittings on a per-project basis. In other words, this means that:
•First, the structure could not be moved without dismantling and reassembling it
•Second, to construct such a structure, you need to join aluminium (typically) tubes using fittings
•Third, you need to engineer every joint and every detail of the structure
•Forth, you can create an access solution for a building of any shape and height
By the way, when it comes to bespoke scaffolding in London, it comes to tube and fitting scaffolding in at least seven cases out of ten.
System Scaffolding
System Scaffolding is another type of stationary access solutions. The difference is that when assembling the structure, you deal with pre-engineered modules. That is why another term for system scaffolding is modular scaffolding.
Therefore, system scaffolding is great to apply when:
•There is a need for an access solution of low-to-medium height, typically, up to 40-50 meters
•A building to scaffold is of an ordinary rectangular geometry (though, more complex structures are also possible to create)
Lightweight mobile tower
A lightweight mobile tower is a pre-engineered standalone staging structure that can be moved easily when assembled. In other words, first, this type of scaffolding does not require any per-project design and engineering but comes as an out-of-the-box solution. Second, it is a rolling tower, which enables easy move. Third, typically, it does not need anchoring to a building wall.
As a rule, a mobile tower is good to use when:
•You use it for short-term building maintenance or repair projects
•The required working height, on average, is 3-6 meters (though, there are mobile towers of 15 meters as well)
•The intended load is not heavy (always check the product instruction manual for a maximum safe working load)
Instead of conclusion
Regardless of what types of scaffolding exist, each of them requires a competent person to deal with. As well as regular weekly inspections. And yes, mobile towers are not exceptions.
Contact us if you need a bespoke access solution for your construction or reconstruction project. We focus and have got deep proficiency in tube and fitting scaffolding.
