GB2427644A

GB2427644A - Energy absorbing platform for use with scaffolding

Info

Publication number: GB2427644A
Application number: GB0606215A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan G Simpson
Original assignee: W A Fairhurst & Partners
Current assignee: W A Fairhurst & Partners
Priority date: 2005-03-31
Filing date: 2006-03-29
Publication date: 2007-01-03
Also published as: GB0606215D0; GB0506457D0

Abstract

A safety platform for use with scaffolding, e.g. to arrest the fall of a dropped object, comprises energy absorbing material 130 sandwiched between two outer layers 110, 120. The material 130 may be polystyrene foam, and there may be a plurality of layers of it, and the outer layers 110, 120, may be made from plastics, cellulose or wood based materials, e.g. plywood or MDF, and may be attached mechanically or by adhesive. Metal supports 140 may be attached to the bottom surface of the platform.

Description

SAFETY STRUCTURE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When scaffolding is used on a building, there is the danger that objects may accidentally be dropped causing extreme danger to persons underneath the structure. If a person is hit by a falling object, this in many cases causes death. It is therefore necessary when building work is being conducted that a safety structure is provided which will prevent falling objects falling onto persons underneath.

Usually around scaffolding, there is provided a structure in the form of a fan formed by scaffold boards.

It is the intention that the scaffold boards catch and prevent falling objects impacting onto persons underneath. However, the scaffold boards forming the fan are not sufficiently strong enough to prevent heavier objects falling from a high height crashing through the scaffold boards. For example, recent tests have shown that scaffold fans formed by scaffold boards are unable to prevent objects crashing through which have been dropped from a height of above 4.7 metres. In addition, objects falling onto the scaffold fan have the possibility of bouncing off the fan and landing on the ground adjacent to the building. High winds further contribute to falling objects failing to hit the scaffold fan. For example, paint tins can easily be blown in the wind thereby missing the scaffold fan.

A further method of preventing objects from hitting the ground underneath is the use of thin sheeting or netting. However, such systems have been found to be ineffective in preventing heavy objects from penetrating through the sheeting or netting.

There is therefore the problem in the art that there is a need for a simple and cost effective structure which can be used with a scaffold structure to prevent falling objects from hitting the ground below.

It is an object of at least one aspect of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one or more of the aforementioned problems.

It is a further object of at least one aspect of the present invention to provide a safety platform which is simple and easy to construct and is capable of preventing heavy objects falling from a relatively high height penetrating through the platform and reaching the ground below.

StThARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building, said safety platform comprising energy absorbing material sandwiched between at least two outer layers.

The safety platform has the function of preventing heavy objects falling from a relatively high height from reaching the ground below. In addition, the safety platform has the function of providing a working area on which persons may be supported and thereby continue their work. This is highly advantageous as the working area provided by a scaffold structure usually provides a restricted working space. The safety platform according to the present invention may therefore provide increased working surface area thereby facilitating the work to be performed.

Typically, any suitable energy absorbing material may be used in the safety platform. For example, any foam-like or expanded foam structure such as polystyrene may be used. A cage-like structure in the form of a honeycomb may also be used which may absorb energy from a falling object. In addition, the energy absorbing material may be formed from a plurality of layers.

Preferably, there may be any of one, two or three separate layers forming the energy absorbing material.

The separate layers may be attached together or remain separate. Typically, the energy absorbing material may have a thickness of about 100mm to 1000mm. Preferably, the layers forming the energy absorbing material may each have a thickness of about 200mm. Conveniently, the thickness of the energy absorbing material may be adapted depending on the height of the structure being worked on.

For example, if the height of the building is 280 feet, then a thickness of at least 200mm for the energy absorbing material should be used. Clearly, if the building is high, a relatively thick energy absorbing material should be used.

Typically, the outer layers of the sandwiched structure, may be made from any suitable material such as any plastics, polymeric, cellulose based or wood based materials e.g. MDF. There may be a plurality of outer layers. For example, a wood structure such as plywood may be used. Alternatively, any suitable multiple layers of plastics, paper-like or cardboard material may be used. The outer layers may have a thickness of about 1 to 100mm. In some embodiments, the outer layers may be attached to the energy absorbing material using any suitable attachment means including that of mechanical or chemical attachment means. For example, the outer layers may be glued on to the energy absorbing material. This provides a safe and secure structure onto which falling objects may be caught and also allowing persons to work on the safety platform. Workmen may therefore work on the platform thereby greatly increasing the work space available to perform functions such cutting operations.

In addition, the safety platform may comprise elongate metal supports in the form of support struts on a bottom surface of the support structure. The elongate metal supports provide mechanical support to the safety platform thereby allowing high loads to be supported. The support structure may also be adapted to bend under loading.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a building comprising a safety platform according to the first aspect.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of preventing objects falling from a building from hitting the ground below, by using a safety platform according to the first aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a safety platform according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a safety platform according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a safety platform according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 4 is a view of the safety platform shown in Figure 3 wherein a heavy object has impacted onto the safety platform.

DETAILED DESCRI PTION

Referring to Figure 1, there is a schematic representation of a safety platform, generally designated 100. The safety platform 100 comprises two outer layers 110, 120 formed from plywood which sandwich a series of polystyrene blocks 130. The polystyrene blocks 130 form a continuous structure between the two layers 110, 120.

The thickness of the polystyrene blocks 130 may be adapted for different conditions depending on the height of the structure being worked on but in this embodiment is 200mm. Figure 1 also shows that the safety platform comprises a series of extending elongate metal supports 140 which provide further mechanical support to the safety platform. The elongate metal supports 140 extend from one side of the safety platform 100 to the other. The elongate metal supports 140 may bend under a load.

Figures 2 and 3 show further support structures 200, 300 wherein support structure 200 has two layers of polystyrene blocks 230 and Figure 3 has three layers of polystyrene blocks 330. Similar to the support structure in Figure 1, each of these safety platforms 200, 300 shown in Figures 2 and 3 comprise outer layers 210, 220; 310, 320 formed from plywood. Additionally, both support structures 200, 300 comprise elongate metal supports 240, 340.

Figure 4 shows the safety platform 300 shown in Figure 3 which has three layers of polystyrene blocks 330. As shown in Figure 4, a heavy object has impacted from a high height onto the safety platform 300. However, as clearly shown in Figure 4, the heavy object has impacted and embedded itself into the polystyrene blocks 330. The heavy object has therefore not penetrated through the safety platform 300. The polystyrene blocks 330 have the advantage in that they spread the load once hit onto the whole surface of the safety platform 300 thereby preventing a high impact force forming on a small point which would otherwise penetrate through the outer layers if the energy absorbing material was not present.

Whilst specific embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be appreciated that departures from the described embodiments may still fall within the scope of the invention. For example, any suitable energy absorbing material may be used to absorb the impact force of falling objects. Additionally, any suitable material may be used to form the outer layers of the safety platform. Furthermore, the thickness of the energy absorbing material may be adapted for different situations to ensure that falling objects do not penetrate through the safety platform. Additionally, the safety platform may be attached via any means to a scaffold structure.

Claims

1. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building, said safety platform comprising energy absorbing material sandwiched between at least two outer layers.

2. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to claim 1, wherein the energy absorbing material is a foam structure.

3. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the energy absorbing material is polystyrene.

4. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the energy absorbing material is formed from a plurality of layers.

5. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein there is any of one, two or three layers of energy absorbing material.

6. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the energy absorbing material has a thickness of about 100 mm to 1000 mm.

7. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the energy absorbing material has a thickness of about 200 mm.

8. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer layers are made from any suitable plastics, polymeric, cellulose or wood based materials.

9. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the outer layers are formed from plywood.

10. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the outer layers is attached to the energy absorbing material using any suitable mechanical or chemical attachment means.

11. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the energy absorbing material is attached to the at least two outer layers using adhesive.

12. A safety platform for mounting on scaffolding on a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the safety platform comprises elongate metal supports on a bottom surface.

13. A building comprising a safety platform according to any of claims 1 to 12.

14. A method of preventing objects falling from a building from hitting the ground below, using a safety platform according to any of claims 1 to 12.

15. A safety platform as substantially hereinbefore described and as shown in Figures 1 to 4.