Suggestion of Safety Certification Standards and Performance Evaluation Methods for Fabricated Mobile Scaffold in South Korea

Abstract

At construction sites, various types of temporary equipment and structures are used for safety and work efficiency. However, various temporary equipment-related accidents frequently occur for many reasons, including inappropriate installation, usage, and material and structural imperfections. A mobile scaffold is one of the most commonly used indoor temporary equipment for work in high places. In general, the main structural members of the mobile scaffold, such as the mainframes, horizontal members, braces, caster wheels, outriggers, and handrails, are installed on the construction site for this purpose. This means that the load-carrying capacity of the equipment can vary depending on the assembly details. In Korea, there are safety certification standards applied for frequently used temporary equipment, such as scaffolds and shoring. However, the standards concern the strength criteria for the member itself, rather than the global load-carrying capacity. Therefore, it is difficult to review whether the fabricated mobile scaffold has sufficient load-carrying capacity, or to confirm the structural safety considering the various uncertainties affecting the structural performance. In this study, rational safety certification standards and evaluation methods are suggested for fabricated mobile scaffolds. The suggested safety certification standards present structure-level criteria for checking the load-carrying capacity, horizontal stiffness of the structure, and overturning risk. It is expected that the structural performance for safety can be directly checked based on the suggested safety certification standards and performance evaluation methods during the safety certification stage.

Types and Characteristics of Fatal Accidents Caused by Multiple Processes in a Workplace: Based on Actual Cases in South Korea

“…On the other hand, in the case of the construction industry, the ratio of industrial accidents is increasing unlike other industries, and most accidents are caused by falls. This hazard is due to the use of improper temporary structures as well as the unsafe behavior of workers [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Therefore, to prevent industrial accidents in the construction industry, the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), an organization under the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), is implementing policies such as “Evaluation of Construction Company Industrial Accident Prevention Activities”, “Hazard and Risk Prevention Plan Review”, and “KOSHA-Management System” [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ].…”