HAKI AB 2010

SAFETY GUIDE
HAKI
SCAFFOLD SYSTEMS
HAKIs product liability and erection instructions apply only to scaffolds that
are entirely composed of components that have been made and supplied by
HAKI.
HAKIs type examination certificates apply only to scaffolds whose material,
dimensions and design accord with that of the scaffolding for which the
certificates were issued.
HAKIs scaffold systems must not be erected using components of makes
other than HAKI or be connected to scaffolds of makes other than HAKI. In
such cases, a special study of load-bearing capacity must be carried out.
However, HAKI has no objection to the customary addition of scaffold tubes
and approved couplers to the scaffold.
Adding components from different suppliers may invalidate the insurance
cover.
Important information
The HAKI Group is certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2000
Copyright HAKI AB, 2010
The reproduction of text and pictures/illustrations without HAKIs permission is prohibited.
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Contents
Safety guide HAKI scaffold systems ..................................................... 1
Why is a Safety Guide needed? ......................................................... 4
Strength ........................................................................................... 4
HAKI contra hook-on ......................................................................... 4
What is HAKI? .................................................................................. 5
Why is it important to use only HAKI components and not other
hook-on components? ................................................................... 5
How do you distinguish between HAKI and other hook-on systems? ......... 6
Standards ................................................................................... 6
Ledger beam ............................................................................... 7
Single tube beam ......................................................................... 8
Frame ......................................................................................... 9
Guardrail frame ........................................................................... 10
Marking ........................................................................................... 11
Corrosion ......................................................................................... 12
Corrosion of scaffold components in marine environments ................. 12
Corrosion in other environments ..................................................... 12
Effect of heat on materials .................................................................. 13
Steel ........................................................................................... 13
Aluminium ................................................................................... 13
Fatigue ............................................................................................. 14
Steel ........................................................................................... 14
Aluminium ................................................................................... 14
Surface treatment .............................................................................. 15
What type of surface treatment should you choose? ......................... 15
Painted material ...................................................................... 15
Hot-dip galvanized material ..................................................... 15
Aluminium .............................................................................. 15
Inspection ........................................................................................ 16
Repairing ......................................................................................... 16
Repairing damaged material .......................................................... 16
Steel ...................................................................................... 16
Aluminium .............................................................................. 16
Examples of other hook-on components ................................................ 17
Ergonomics ...................................................................................... 18
Notes .............................................................................................. 19
Checklist for scaffold inspection .......................................................... 20
3
Why is a Safety Guide needed?
In the first instance, erecting and using scaffolds is about creating a safe workplace both for
the people erecting and taking down the scaffold and for the people working on it.
To this end, there is an EU directive and a standard that regulate this field in combination
with national safety regulations (AFS).
In order to help create a safe workplace, all manufacturers must have checked their scaffold
components and scaffold configurations so that they comply with the regulations.
The creation of a safe workplace also involves not mixing different scaffold components from
different manufacturers in any way you choose, since they may have completely different
material properties despite the fact that they look deceptively similar at a first glance.
Another part of the responsibility for safety rests with the scaffold erector, who nowadays must
have proper training to do the work.
Strength
The load-bearing capacity of a scaffold system/component is arrived at by testing and/or
calculation.
On the basis of the result obtained, you work out the permitted load for the scaffold system/
component. This value must not be exceeded.
The overcapacity consists of two safety factors. These are known as partial coefficients.
The first partial coefficient or safety factor is 1.5 this is to cover any overloading, faults in
the welding or material, changes in loading conditions, etc.
To this is added a partial coefficient (safety factor) of 1.1 to cover the uncertainty in the
calculations.
HAKI contra hook-on
In order to clear up any misunderstandings, we must first distinguish between HAKI scaffold
systems and other hook-on systems. The HAKI scaffold system is an original system in that
the design with catches and pockets was first produced and marketed by HAKI in Sibbhult,
Sweden. Since its inception in 1956, HAKI has pursued an active development process in
order to place HAKI scaffold systems at the forefront as far as safety and user-friendliness are
concerned.
Other makers of hook-on systems have not been interested in promoting development.
Instead, they have quite simply devoted themselves to copying an existing design, which
means that they are always a step behind with respect to both design and choice of material.
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What is HAKI?
Why is it important to use only HAKI components and not other hook-on
components?
HAKI scaffold components are made of specially selected materials and put together in
the course of carefully monitored processes. They are designed so as to work together in
harmony.
As part of HAKIs ambition to focus on both the user and the scaffold erector, HAKI
components are made of high tensile steel in order to achieve maximum strength with the
least possible weight. HAKI carries out continual checks on the quality of its products and has
full traceability for the material used.
All HAKI products are manufactured in accordance with EN 12811 and EN 12810 and are
also type-inspected by the SP Swedish National Testing and Research Institute.
All this helps to ensure the user the greatest possible degree of safety at his or her workplace
and to improve the working environment for the scaffold erector as far as is possible.
The values given in HAKI erection instructions apply only to HAKI components. Using these
values for hook-on components in general involves exposing both the scaffold erector and
the user to serious safety risks.
In a study carried out by HAKI AB with the aid of the SP Swedish National Testing and
Research Institute in Bors, Sweden, it was shown that other hook-on components had as low
as half the load-bearing capacity as corresponding HAKI components.
Consider the fact that no chain is stronger than its weakest link.
The diagram shows the joint strength for other hook-on components, 53 65%, compared with HAKI,
100%.
5
How do you distinguish between HAKI and other hook-on systems?
Standards
1956 The original standard was available as BS (bottom standard) and FS (extension
standard) with three pockets.
1962 Pressure welded pockets introduced.
1971 65 mm 34 mm spigot introduced on standard.
1980 Automated production with new bayonet plate.
1983 Sleeve joint arrived for standard.
Standard FSSH,
todays design
Standard FS, todays design
HAKI standards with
reshaped spigots for
maximum material
strength without risking
weakness due to welds.
Pressure welded
pockets for controlled
strength in the welded
joints of the pockets.
Marking Sticker
Standard in high tensile steel
Press welded
pockets
Sticker
Cold shaped spigot
without any HAZ by
welding
Rounded spigot
for easier fitting
Pockets at
same level
Marking
Press welded pockets
HAKIs characteristic bayonet
plate with cut corners
Rounded spigot
for easier fitting
Robot-welded details to
secure high and even
quality
Cold shaped spigot
without any HAZ by welding
High tensile steel
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1993 Marking with logo and S 93 or O 93 introduced, where 93 specifies the year of
manufacture and reshaping of the spigot of the FS standard L=110 mm 38 mm.
2001 Weight reduced FSSH standard with reshaped spigot, L=160 mm 38 mm and
pockets at same level.
Ledger beam
1956 HAKI launched its ledger beam, consisting of two tubes connected by flat steel bars.
The design was optimized for longitudinal or transverse plank decking.
1983 Marking with HAKI-logo and 83, the year of manufacture, on the backside of the
locking catch.
1987 The middle steel bar was removed from the LB 3000 and the beam gained a design
that was more optimized for strength.
2001 The ledger beam was provided with a patented spring locking catch.
2003 The ledger beam became 15% lighter, but with the same load-bearing capacity.
Ledger beam, todays design
No middle flat bar for better handling
Marking
Placement of verticals
optimized for strength
Sticker
Marking before
weight reduction
Marking
after weight
reduction
Rounded corners
for better
handling
Patented spring locking catch
High tensile steel
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Single tube beam
1989 Patented pear-shaped tube.
1997 TUE introduced.
1997 TUD introduced.
2001 ERB-S introduced to the French market.
2004 Introduction of the new ledger beam with spring locking catch and same structural
height as ledger beam with 15% weight reduction.
Single tube beam, todays design
Marking
Sticker
Recess that provides flat bed
Made of high tensile steel,
which reduces weight
Patented pear shape for
maximum strength
Patented spring locking catch
Rounded corners
for better handling
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Frame
1978 Type approved and introduction.
1982 Aluminium decking unit.
1983 Frames without spigot for toeboard.
1983 Guardrail frame type SKRD.
1995 Frames marked with year of manufacture and HAKI logotype without hook for
diagonal brace.
2005 Double holes introduced on the spigot joint.
Frame, todays design
Marking
Sticker
Pressure welded
pockets
All loadbearing components in high tensile steel
Double holes in order to be able to fully
utilize verstility of HAKI Scaffold System
Rounded spigot for
easier fitting
Cold shaped spigot
without any HAZ by welding
9
Guardrail frame
Guardrail frame, here type SKRH, todays design
Sticker
Marking
Reshaped tube to meet European standard
Heigh tensile steel
Robot-welded details to
secure high and even quality
Patented
spring locking
catch
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Marking
The marking of HAKIs products has varied over the years.
This is a guide to help you identify it.
1983-1993 Marking with logo + year on the back of the catch on beams and on the
base plate of the standard.
1993-2004 Marking is done using the logo + letter of the alphabet + year.
All components are marked.
2004- Introduction of marking that provides full traceability for components.
Example of marking of beam or rail of high tensile steel.
Reshaped spigot, punched holes in top and bottom and HAKIs
special corner cut for bayonet plate.
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Corrosion
The rate at which scaffold components corrode varies greatly depending on the
surroundings.
Factors that play a role are degree of exposure, pH, salinity, temperature, etc.
In general, corrosion may be seen as decreasing the safety factor of 1.5.
Corrosion of scaffold components in marine environments
The layer of zinc on HAKI hot-dip galvanized components has an average thickness of at
least 70 micrometres.
The rate of corrosion is difficult to determine, since it depends on a number of different
factors such as degree of exposure, pH, salinity and temperature.
According to the Swedish Corrosion Research Institute, the rate of corrosion of hot-dip
galvanized components in Swedish marine environments (west coast) is 4-8 micrometres per
year. However, if we look at warmer climates it increases dramatically. A study in Chile shows
a decrease of 8-12 micrometres per year.
This means that the layer of zinc will last 9 years in a Swedish climate and 6 years in a
tropical climate.
The rate of corrosion of untreated steel in Swedish maritime environments is 80-200
micrometres. This means that 10% of the material will have corroded away after 1 year in the
worst case.
Corrosion in other environments
Since corrosion varies very greatly with the environment in which the component is placed,
we cannot provide any general recommendations for service life. This must be done by the
user for each specific application.
For values for the corrosion of zinc coatings in various environments, we refer the reader to
the SIS handbook number 160.
Reduction of safety factor owing to corrosion
Unaffected
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Effect of heat on materials
Steel
Load-bearing components such as standards and beams in HAKI scaffold systems are made
of tubes of cold-formed steel. Cold-formed steel whose strength has increased during cold
forming risks losing this increase during a fire. In order to ascertain whether or not the
strength of the steel has decreased, an extensive testing procedure must be carried out.
We therefore recommend that all HAKI scaffold material that has been exposed to fire be
scrapped.
Aluminium
In order to raise the strength of aluminium, the material is thermally aged to state T6. This
means that it is heated up under controlled conditions to 175 C for a specific length of time
and is then allowed to cool.
The time factor is what decides whether or not the material reaches T6 or is aged past this
state to become over-aged with resultant lower strength.
At 100 C, the time for thermal ageing is measured in years, but rises quickly to become a
matter of hours at higher temperatures.
In the light of this, HAKI AB cannot guarantee the strength of any material that has been
exposed to temperatures above 100 C. Our recommendation is that such material be
scrapped.
If the material must be used temporarily, it must under no circumstances whatsoever be
loaded to more than 50% of the nominal load-bearing capacity for after-heat effects of
between 100 and 200 C. Up to 250 C, this limit is reduced to 33% of normal bearing
capacity.
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Fatigue
Steel
HAKI Steel has a favourable tolerance towards fatigue and will not be affected by this during
its normal service life.
Aluminium
Has a lesser degree of tolerance towards fatigue and may suffer brittle fractures after as few
as 5000 cycles slightly below the yield point.
The fracturing process occurs in three stages: - initiation
- crack growth
- brittle fracture
Initiation may be caused by something such as a scratch, the edge of a weld or an impurity
in the material, which begins the emergence of a crack. The growth of the crack occurs at an
accelerating rate with a brittle fracture as the final phase.
In connection with the testing of steps, SS-EN 12810-1 has assessed that a reasonable value
for the acceptance of load changes is 300,000. This corresponds to loads that continually
reach approximately 2/3 of the yield point.
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Surface treatment
What type of surface treatment should you choose?
The choice of surface treatment is strongly dependent on the environment in which the
component is to be used. Another important factor to consider when choosing a component
is the total cost of the component over its entire service life.
Painted material
HAKIs painted material has only a limited protection against corrosion.
This provides sufficient protection under favourable circumstances.
In harsher environments, HAKI recommends that you choose hot-dip galvanized products,
which also provide better overall economy despite their slightly higher price.
Since 2005, we have only produced hot-dip galvanized materials.
Hot-dip galvanized material
Hot-dip galvanized components are required for fully adequate protection against corrosion
in aggressive environments.
HAKI hot-dip galvanized material receives its surface treatment in one of Europes most
modern surface treatment plants.
This ensures the provision of the high and uniform quality that HAKI requires.
The service life of the galvanization varies with the environment in which it is used and you
should look out for corrosion as indicated by streaks of red rust.
Aluminium
Aluminium has completely different properties from steel. In contact with oxygen, it oxidizes
very quickly. The difference compared with steel is that the oxide forms an impervious layer
that protects against further corrosion. In most cases, this constitutes adequate protection
against corrosion, but there is a risk of further corrosion, particularly in environments where
the component is exposed to water and salt without access to oxygen from the air, which can
create a new protective oxide protection layer. Examples of such environments are beneath
couplers or in joints. If the scaffold is in an environment where there is such a risk and it
remains there for a prolonged period, you should loosen a few couplers after a couple of
months to see if white oxide has been produced under them. If so, measures must be taken.
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Inspection
HAKI recommends that the material be periodically inspected.
Some examples of ways of doing this are as follows:
Examine used material on arrival before it is put into store or goes to the next
job.
Code the material, using coloured paint for instance, and then carefully inspect
it regularly, e.g. once a year. The code allows you to quickly see whether or not
the material has been checked during the period.
Repairing
Repairing damaged material
Steel
Damaged material must under no circumstances be repaired using heat, since the strength
of the material may be radically affected.
Cold repairing may be carried out, but only to a limited extent.
If the material is deformed or fails to fully return to its original form, it should be scrapped.
Buckling of standards by hammer blows or by other means is damage that cannot be
repaired and the standard should be scrapped.
Seriously damaged material should be destroyed to prevent re-use by less responsible people
resulting in serious risk of personal injury.
Aluminium
Most of the aluminium used in scaffold components is of a quality that makes repair
unsuitable.
You must not repair parts by welding, since this may seriously change the strength of the
parts.
Our recommendation, therefore, is that the parts are scrapped.
If you are unsure, please contact HAKI AB for advice.
HAKI has no objection to the exchange of locking pins or similar repairs.
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Examples of other hook-on components
Examples of hook-on components that fail to meet HAKI standard. These exhibit welding
spatter that poses a risk of injury, and hand-welded pockets and tongues with sharp corners
that pose an increased risk of injury.
Hand-welded pockets
Welding spatter that poses a risk of injury
Tongues with sharp corners
Tongues with sharp corners
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Ergonomics
Before you lift:
1. Assess the weight of the material with regard to the table below
2. Can you handle the material by yourself?
If NO: Obtain the help of other people or use lifting aids
3. Do you need to carry the material far?
If YES: Obtain the help of other people or use a trolley or cart
4. Is the way clear to where you want to carry the material?
If NO: Make sure that it is clear before you lift
Close to your body* Forearms length
about 30 cm
arms length
about 45 cm
50 kg
30 kg
15 kg
11 kg
7 kg
3 kg
RED
Harmful strain.
Must not be lifted without help
Obtain help of other people or
use lifting aids
YELLOW
Strain acceptable under
ideal conditions.
If conditions are not ideal
- Obtain help of other
people or use lifting aids
YELLOW
Risk of harmful strain.
In the case of repeated lifts
- Obtain help from other
people
YELLOW
There must be a number
of exacerbating factors for
the lift to be considered
harmful
GREEN
The strain is not normally harmful.
* Loads are seldom lifted close to the body, except when harnesses and other lifting aids are
used.
The table does not include lifts made at distances of greater than arms length from the
back. Such lifts normally pose a risk of strain injury and must always be specially assessed.
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Notes
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HAKI AB
SE-280 63 Sibbhult, Sweden
Tel +46 44 494 00 Fax +46 44 494 72
info@haki.se www.HAKI.com
SAFETY CHECKLIST
1. Supporting surface checked with regard to load-bearing
capacity
2. Distance to wall or similar as short as possible
3. Scaffold aligned correctly horizontally and vertically
4. Components correctly fitted and locked
5. Bracing correctly fitted
6. Anchoring with right number and placing of ties
7. Decking correctly fitted
8. Guardrail with toeboard if drop is two metres or more
9. Suitable means of access to scaffold
10. Scaffold erected for correct class of load
The HAKI Group is certified according to ISO 9001:2000