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Good to Go Safety - Hope everyone has secured their scaffolding
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Good to Go Safety

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Storm Abigail: 70mph gusts ahead

A weather warning attached to Storm Abigail, the first storm to be officially named by the Met Office, has been upgraded from yellow to amber.

The amber "be prepared" warning covers the Western Isles, parts of Argyll and the north west Highlands and Orkney. The Met Office said winds could gust to up to 90mph and forecasters said large waves could affect coastal areas. A yellow "be aware" issued on Tuesday has also been updated and extended to cover the rest of Scotland.

It warns of gusts of up to 70mph, and possibly 90mph in exposed places. Rain and lightning have also been forecast for the next two days. Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne said all Thursday's Mallaig to Armadale sailings have been cancelled and other services could be disrupted because of the expected high winds. Drew Collier, Calmac's operations director, said: "There is clear warning that major weather related disruption to ferry services on the Clyde and Hebrides routes is likely later this week so I would urge people to factor this in when making travel plans.

Things to consider during stormy weather

With severe wind warnings issued nationwide now seems a sensible time to remind people working with/on scaffolding of the dangers and precautions that should be considered during such periods of inclement weather. Regardless of weather conditions it is always important to ensure that all scaffolds are erected in accordance with guidance from manufacturers' user guides, technical guidance such as the NASC's TG20, and / or with the appropriate scaffold design.

Of particular concern during periods of strong wind are bracing and tie arrangements. When ties are properly installed (correct tie pattern, sufficient coupler connections to scaffold, adequately tested etc) the chances of failure are significantly reduced. Scaffold designs do account for high wind speeds in the calculation of tie loads (70-80 mph wind or greater is usually built into the equation) as, let’s be honest, such wind speeds are not that rare within the UK.

Knowing that strong winds are on the way also allows for additional safety preparations to be put in place in advance of the storms arrival. Boards can be tied down with retaining couplers sheeting/netting can be removed or secured with additional ties (the last thing you want is for the sheeting/netting to act like a sail determined to bring your scaffold down). Remove any loose items/tools/equipment from atop the scaffold which could become a lethal weapon if whipped from above.

The Good to Go Safety checklist can be used to help indicate that pre-use checks have been carried out and a “Good to Go” message displayed in the tag window to inform people of its status. Such inspections take on extra importance during stormy conditions - Is your scaffolding Good to Go?
Good to Go Safety
Scaffold Check Book

 A comprehensive list of inspection checks to be completed to ensure that scaffold are in working order. 25 checks per book.
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Good to Go Safety
Weekly Scaffold Kit

This kit provides all you need for a full years worth of weekly scaffold inspections. 1 x Tag, 100 Seals, 2 Check Books and a Wallet & Pen.
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Good to Go Safety
Daily Scaffold Kit

This kit provides everything for a year of daily scaffold inspections. 2 x Tags, 300 Seals, 11 Check Books and a Wallet & Pen
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Unit 3 & 4 Mitchelston Industrial Estate,
Kirkcaldy, Fife, United Kingdom KY1 3NH