final-report-of-the-advisory-committee-on-falsework-bragg-report - Flipbook - Page 8
result of a problem beyond the scope o
technology. In Part 3 we consider common inadequacies in procedure. Some of the latter are the result
of the particular organisation of the construction
industry in Britain, by which the design of permanent
works is often largely divorced from that of temporary
works: we discuss this aspect at the end of Part 3.
We also mention briefly practice in other countries.
In Part 4 we suggest ways in which the technical
faults can be avoided and make specific recommendations about research. Our objective here is not to lay
down specific codes of practice; this is the duty of
the British Standards Institution Committee. We have
been fortunate to have as a member of our committee
the Chairman of the British Standard Committee
preparing thecode of practice on falsework, This has
ensured that our line of thinking has been made
known to that committee so that it has not been
delayed in its work by the necessity for awaiting the
publication of our final report. We have, therefore,
confined ourselves to discussing the philosophy behind
the code and to listing factors which we believe are
essential to consider in the code.
In Part 5 we propose certain procedures which should
help to correct the inadequacies discussed in Part 3.
We recommend the appointment of a Temporary
Works Co-ordinator with the duties of ensuring that
necessary procedures have been followed and of
co-ordinating the activities of the different specialists.
We also discuss the relationship of the designer of
permanent works to the falsework and this leads to a
consideration of responsibility, liability and insurance.
None of the improvements we consider necessary can
be achieved unless a determined effort is made to
improve the training of all concerned. Designers must
be helped to master the technology of falsework.
Managers must be helped to appreciate the special
problems of falsework, and to be convinced of their
duty to promote safe practices. Site workers, particularly first line supervision, must be trained to work
accurately and safety. The committee visited the
CITB Training Centre at Bircham Newton to study
the facilities available there and also received evidence
from safety organisations. In Part 6 we discuss how
and where the required training can be carried out.
We recommend that certain activities should be carried out only by properly qualified people and that
contractors should be encouraged to institute proper
schemes for training their work force.
We end with a summary of the actions already taken
since we started work and the further actions which we
believe are necessary. In making our recommendations
we have tried to be practical and not to suggest
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vhich would put an unnecessary economic
burden upon the industry. The reactions which we
have received to our interim report and the adoption
of the recommendations in it by a number of contractors in the industry, who have assured us of their
practicality and benefit, encourage us to continue on
the lines which we initially adopted.
Since the report is rather long we can hardly expect
that it will be read by everyone involved in the design
and construction of falsework and permanent works.
On the other hand we believe that much of what it
contains is worthy of a wide audience. We therefore
consider that a version which includes the most important points of our final report ought to be produced.
We hope that, in setting out so much of the fact and
argument presented to us, our readers will be helped
to understand our lines of thought. We make no claim
to have covered every detail of the use of falsework
and its associated problems though we hope that we
have considered all the major issues. We wish to
acknowledge that this work would not have been
possible without the enormous fund of goodwill and
support which has been shown to us by all concerned.
Principal Recommendations
1 Any collapse of falsework whether it leads to injury or not should be made reportable by statute.
2 Regulations relating to falsework should be harmonised with those relating to periodic examination of scaffolding so that the same administrative
rules apply whether or not the falsework is used
for access.
3 Designers must consider the lateral and longitudinal stability of falsework. Unless and until an
authoritative body, backed by appropriate research
and field testing, recommends a different figure we
reiterate the recommendation in the Interim
Report. That is, all falsework should be designed
to withstand a total horizontal load in any direction equal to the sum of the calculated loads plus
1 % of the vertical load or 3 % of the vertical load
whichever is the greater.
4 Although individual components in a falsework
may have their own accepted factors of safety we
nevertheless recommend that the overall factor of
safety for the falsework as a whole should not be
less than two. Particular elements may require the
adoption of a higher figure.
5 In his calculations the designer should allow for
possible variations in positioning and alignment
which are inevitable even with good workmanship.
The drawings should state the tolerance within
which the falsework must be const~ted.
