Doing the hard yards

Effective management of scaffolding yards is crucial for the construction industry. Scaffolding yards serve as the central hub for storing, maintaining and distributing scaffolding materials, and proper management of these yards ensures not only the safety and efficiency of construction projects but also the longevity and reliability of the scaffolding equipment.

Industry experts say that you can tell if a scaffolding contractor has the right safety culture by how well the office and yard are managed. On their own premises, they are the principal contractor, and any non-conformances in the yard directly reflects negatively on them.

Yard management includes the inspection of scaffolding components for damage or wear before being sent out to job sites. This includes checking for rust, cracks or other signs of deterioration that could compromise the integrity of the scaffolding. By maintaining a rigorous inspection and maintenance schedule, scaffolding yards can significantly reduce the risk of accidents on construction sites.

Efficiency is another critical aspect of good scaffolding yard management. Construction projects usually operate on tight schedules, and any delays can lead to increased costs and missed deadlines. Efficient management of scaffolding yards ensures that materials are readily available when needed, reducing downtime and keeping projects on track. This involves organising the yard in a way that allows for easy access to materials, implementing inventory management systems to track the availability and condition of scaffolding components, and coordinating with construction teams to anticipate their needs.

Good management practices in scaffolding yards can lead to significant cost savings. Proper storage and maintenance of scaffolding materials extend their lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements. This not only saves money but also minimises waste, contributing to more sustainable construction practices. Well-organised scaffolding yards can reduce the time and labour required to locate and transport materials, further lowering operational costs.

Effective scaffolding yard management also involves adhering to regulatory standards and industry best practices. Compliance with safety regulations is both a legal requirement and a moral obligation to protect workers. Scaffolding yards must stay up to date with the latest safety guidelines and ensure that all materials and practices meet these standards. This includes proper labelling and documentation of scaffolding components, maintaining clear pathways and signage in the yard, and providing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for yard workers.

Regular audits and inspections can help ensure compliance and identify areas for improvement. Having the right Yard Manager is critical, so Scaffolding Insider spoke to one of the best in the business – and one of the most modest: he asked not to be named. Our expert has worked for one of the leading names in the industry for the best part of 35 years, with 20 of those as Yard Manager.

He briefs all yard operatives regularly on the company’s yard operations manual and gives them weekly toolbox talks, as well as always being out in the yard ensuring everything is being done right. He also oversees auditors’ visits over 20 times a year. All information, including the operations manual, and NASC guidance is saved in a folder in the yard canteen for easy access. This includes the following - all important in a yard:

• SG40-20 Scaffolding yard operations
• TG5-24 Timber scaffold boards - BS 2482-2009
• TG6-22 Care and maintenance of scaffold boards
• TG7-21 Scaffold nailplates
• TG10-21 Flame retardant treatments for timber scaffold boards
• TG11-20 Stress corrosion cracking in high tensile steels and alloys
• TG17-22 Identification of EN74-1 couplers
• TG25-21 scaffold tube storage racks

The experienced yard manager explains: “When I first started 35 years ago, the yards then were crazy; dangerous, disorganised, you’d have to move stuff every time you wanted to get something. But people got on with it. So, I tried to organise it how I organised my jobs on site – I just like to know where things are, how to get to them and that it’s clean and tidy. It took a long time to get it done but we did. People started taking on board that the yard was as important as the scaffolders outside.

“Most yards are a lot better now because if you want to win the big work, you get audited, and you have to improve the yard to pass the audit. That is an economic driver as well as a practical one - the quicker we can turn around the equipment coming in and going out, the quicker the work is done.

“It’s a busy place: it feels like a merry-go-round and it never stops; you have to be on top of it all the time. I believe that as a yard manager, you have to be out there in the yard all the time, seeing things come in and go out. You’ve got to be with your men in the yard, sharing your knowledge and getting stuck in - they follow what you do, listen to you, and respect you. Yard staff have to listen and be prepared to evolve. Once you’ve got good people, as I have, you hold onto them. Workers in the yard don’t get the respect and the recognition they deserve - it is hard and important work.

“For me, being a good yard manager is down to experience and evolution. Over time you encounter problems, you work out how to overcome them, and you find a solution – and then that solution might stick and improve your process. It’s constantly evolving as you never stop seeking improvement.

“The evolution of my yards means we can now unload and load six to eight trailers a day. It’s a lot of work but it’s doable. We count everything off, and the scaffolders have been taught to put the tube on properly tied, so we can pick it off using forklifts. Fittings go in tonne bags. This all means we can unload trailers eight times quicker than without these systems. For this to work, everyone’s got to be on board.”

Facilities Management

Yard management is also about facility management, and the yard manager often must do this too, including managing, arranging inspections, including recording them and expiry dates (examples below):

• Yard scaffold weekly inspections
• Compressor inspections
• Oil tank inspections
• Machinery inspections
• LEV (local exhaust ventilation) inspections
• RPE inspections
• Shunter, forklift maintenance and LOLER inspections.
• Air conditioning inspections
• Emergency preparedness inspections, including spill kit tests
• Fire alarm tests, weekly and monthly inspections and emergency evacuation drills
• Electrical inspections, including PAT, and 5 year electrical inspections

Mark Collinson, Head of Technical at NASC, says that the impact of the yard can be far-reaching into the whole ethos of the company: “A well-managed, well-organised yard that consistently sends out high-quality equipment sets the tone for the standard of work scaffolders deliver. When scaffolders receive reliable, serviceable kit that’s delivered on time and properly stacked and arranged on the vehicle, it shows in the quality of the scaffold they build.

“On the other hand, if they’re given sub-par materials, such as seized fittings, bent tubes or split boards, it’s easy for their mindset to become, ‘Why should I care about quality if no one else does?’. This is also cyclical: when scaffolders are supported with good quality deliveries, they’re more likely to return gear in an organised way that helps yard staff, thus keeping the whole system running smoothly.”

Read a summary of NASC's Guidance SG40:20 Scaffolding Yard Operations here.