Scaffolding Design in Australia (1 Viewer)

Jason_p69

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2011
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
I am a structural design engineer from england and recently moved to Australia.
I am looking to set up again over here, as there seems to be a bit of a gap in the market!
Now in england it is made quite clear what you do and dont need a design for (Basic scaffold etc - all given on the HSE website and withing TG20).

Does anyone know of/ or is anyone aware of any such associations in australia, which give guidelines on this subject.

Also in the uk is it legislation that states that designs must be done in accordance with TG20?, as i was always made aware that these are just guidance documents to clear up any complications with the new BSEN replacements of the the design codes. Could someone clarify the legislation/legalities in England?
 
Jason,

There are two main LAWS which we must abide by in the UK: The Work at Height Regulations and The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations.

Most other things are 'guidance' and you do not have to abide by it if you don't want to.

However.. The easiest way to ensure that you always comply with the laws is to use the guidance provided in British or European standards for design and publications like SG4 for erection. If you treat these as the minimum requirement you won't go far wrong.

Technically.. there is nothing stopping you designing and erecting your scaffold without even reading a BS/ES/guide, however if something went wrong you would have to prove in court that you were compliant with the law, which would be incredibly difficult. I am in no way suggesting that this is the best way to go about things... I am just making the point.

So, that is why most clients (HA/Net Rail/LUL/TfL/Local Authorities etc) all stipulate that certain British & European standards must be used: to do everything they can to ensure that they (and there contractors) are compliant.

B.
 
Try looking up AS/NZ4576 for a guide to Aussie drawing and design. BMB has given you some sound advice.

You'll need to look up the relevant standards and ACOPs over there.
 
Nick

There is no legislated requirement for designs or engineering sign off in Australia.

However a number of industrial companies require third party engineers to sign off on scaffold designs.

Unfortunately the engineers signing off drawings do not visit site to confirm design has been complied with, the engineer will also rarely have and temp works experience.

You have arrived at a good time i think as design is growing in industry here and there is a demand for temporary works designers, you may have to do a crash course in system scaffolds though!

Pm me for further info.

Cheers

Celtic
 
Moving to OZ is not an option at the moment but if anyone wants to internationally outsource work then give me a shout lol.
 
No mate full time employed. Maybe when I'm a bit older with a bit more experience under my belt I'll look to immigrate but at the moment there is so much work here for designers there is no real need to move around.

On the flip side though, I'd never turn away work without a bloody good reason.
 
I am a structural design engineer from england and recently moved to Australia.
I am looking to set up again over here, as there seems to be a bit of a gap in the market!
Now in england it is made quite clear what you do and dont need a design for (Basic scaffold etc - all given on the HSE website and withing TG20).

Does anyone know of/ or is anyone aware of any such associations in australia, which give guidelines on this subject.

Also in the uk is it legislation that states that designs must be done in accordance with TG20?, as i was always made aware that these are just guidance documents to clear up any complications with the new BSEN replacements of the the design codes. Could someone clarify the legislation/legalities in England?

How is it working out as far as design work? I'm a scaffolder of 15years and I'm currently doing my HNC/D civils to gain the quals I need to Move into scaff design.
A big part of the change in career is I'd like to emigrate to Australia and as you know scaffold isn't on the SOL.
I did some scaffold work in Sydney the last time I was there and it seemed the whole construction industry was a bit behind the times in comparison to the U.K. (That was in 2007)
Is there a demand for scaffold design? I'm constantly looking online for Design companies to contact but with little success.

Bye4now

PH
 
Scaffold design in Oz is the same as here - you just need to remember when you model it you reverse the direction of influence.
 
Scaffold Design & Scaffolding Estimating

To the moderators,

Is this section of the forum not wrongly named?

I have found that all scaffolds and estimates for scaffolds are undertaken by experienced scaffolders and that engineers step in and draw up the concepts conceived by senior scaffolders? The same applies to accurate estimating, the scaffolder understands the walk in with gear, the space to back the truck right in and the dog next door!

Maybe Scaffold Engineering and CAD could be the title because generally its us that does the rest?
 
Hope our engineering colleagues dont get me wrong, they play a strong role in the work, but its not theirs, never has, nor will be, its our ideas, our graft and our understanding that keeps them in a job, not the other way around..

The Scaffolders Forum.
 
Hope our engineering colleagues dont get me wrong, they play a strong role in the work .../...

To be honest, I've never liked the term 'designer'. I'm not a designer, I'm an Engineer. If I wanted to be a designer (in the commonly understood term) I would have gone into Architecture.

.../...but its not theirs, never has, nor will be, its our ideas, our graft and our understanding that keeps them in a job, not the other way around..

The Scaffolders Forum.

Same thing I tell everyone. If it's within your sphere of understanding, follow the manufactures recommendations and do it yourself. That was the point of proprietary/modular/pre-engineered systems in the first place and TG:20 has loading tables for acceptable lift heights. The basics of scaffold 'design' ain't rocket surgery.

Having to list leg loads for a poxy bit of street scaffold wastes my time just as much as yours.
 
"The basics of scaffold design aint rocket science", agreed but rocket science does'nt keep you lot in a job, scaffolders do.

I was unfortunate enough to meet a scaffold engineering company owner recently, great golfer, shared a round with him as an absolute coincidence to make up a 4.

He spent most of the round talking about non linear testing and how stupid scaffolders are, I didnt mention my background as it wouldnt have fitted the conversation well.

We deal with external engineers at least every couple of weeks and have given up on scaffold engineers, we design, draw and do all calcs in house and then get them checked by a third party.

Our previous engineering (temp works eng), who we supplied the same designs to, would re draw, re calc and always put something extra in before approving his discalimed drawing, which we would ask questions about, he would revise and take an age to complete, to his satisfaction and our cost.

I am all for well designed, drawn and checked works, but theres a lot of b.s. in temp works engineering, and the NASC has not helped with tg 20 08.
 
"The basics of scaffold design aint rocket science", agreed but rocket science does'nt keep you lot in a job, scaffolders do.

I was unfortunate enough to meet a scaffold engineering company owner recently, great golfer, shared a round with him as an absolute coincidence to make up a 4.

He spent most of the round talking about non linear testing and how stupid scaffolders are, I didnt mention my background as it wouldnt have fitted the conversation well.

We deal with external engineers at least every couple of weeks and have given up on scaffold engineers, we design, draw and do all calcs in house and then get them checked by a third party.

Our previous engineering (temp works eng), who we supplied the same designs to, would re draw, re calc and always put something extra in before approving his discalimed drawing, which we would ask questions about, he would revise and take an age to complete, to his satisfaction and our cost.

I am all for well designed, drawn and checked works, but theres a lot of b.s. in temp works engineering, and the NASC has not helped with tg 20 08.

The b.s is rife in this side of the industry unfortunately; never had it working in civil or structural and partly lay blame to scaffold designers being unregulated. Any old joe with excel and AutoCAD can set themselves up in business but as we already have the ICE and the IStructE overseeing their respective members but odds on, a designer (as apposed to an engineer) will not be a member of either so I'm not sure what the answer is. It's a bit of a paradox: We could do with a better way to assure quality but the last thing we need at the moment is more regulations.

As for the golfing acquaintance: he sounds arrogant and unprofessional and just the type to over complicate a simple job just to appear 'clever'.
 
Top Bottom