This article discusses the potential marks or damage that can occur when scaffolding is set up and dismantled and what to do if this happens.
This article will include information on:
- Holes in brickwork/mortar
- Scuffs on decking/slabs
- Damage to tiles
- How to minimise the risk of damage
Due to the size and weight of the scaffold, there can be a reasonable concern that marks may be left over once it is dismantled. The scaffolding teams take every precaution to ensure that everything looks exactly the same as it did before they visited the site, but, in rare cases, some evidence of the temporary access structure can remain.
An example of this is when scaffolding has to be suspended over a large conservatory or non-weight-bearing structure, or a conservatory that is in the corner of two walls. Suspending the scaffold, while simple for the scaffolding team, requires them to drill into the brickwork/mortar to make certain that it is secure. When the scaffold is dismantled, there will be visible holes left in the brickwork/mortar. These aren’t very large and, in most instances, they won’t be visible from ground level.
Another example of marks left behind can occur on the ground itself. The scaffold legs will always be placed on the ground using a cover or blocks to distribute the weight, so no metal poles will be touching the ground directly. If the scaffold is built on decking or fragile slabs, this protection may still not be enough to prevent any damage from occurring, so very rarely, some ground slabs or decking may be scuffed or damaged.
A final example of this could be when scaffolding needs to be built on lower roofs to reach the level above. While boarding and protection are utilised, the scaffold is still having to sit on tiles or a flat roof, which can cause cracks, breakages or scratches to occur. Should any damage to tiles occur, please report this to the team and we will work to get this resolved for you.
As with all scaffold constructions and dismantles, we advise clearing the area where the scaffold will be going, to improve the safety of the teams working on site, but also to minimise the chances that anything will get damaged.
You may also find our below article useful: Scaffold has damaged my property, what next?