Aluminium tower advice please

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As above the secret for getting one started on you own is to put the horizontal rail on the first frame sideways on so it self supports the frame with its end on the ground, then put another frame on the other end, then put on a platform and that squares it all up for continued assembly. If you look at post 17 in detail at the base you will see what I have described.
 
If you look at post 17 in detail ...

I thought you had posted that picture as an example of how not to use a tower.

There is no safe way to get from the ladder onto the tower or to exit the tower via the ladder. Every single hire company and PASMA course will teach you the "three T's" - through the trap. No aluminium tower is designed to have the side loads applied to it that would result from a person climbing the ladder.
 
You'll need to be careful that it doesn't cause it to tip over though as it should be hauled internally through the trap door.
Counterweight; get a fat bloke to stand on the opposite side of the platform. Ot better still - get him/her to haul up another balancing bag of gear simultaneously. Obvious innit?
 
Whatever the theory, I agree with some that it's a lot nicer to use these in practice when attached to the building (hopefully through a window as that's the easiest, piece of timber across the inside and a couple of rachet straps or whatever).
 
I have a lightweight aluminium tower about 15 years old. It gets me to the top of the chimneys on the gable end of a two storey house.it doesn’t have a ladder attached to the ends like the one in post 17. You just climb up the end frame on the inside. I have 3 decks and use them all if going upt to top of chimney heights. I can easily lift tools etc from one deck to the next and I do it not through the 3 traps, but lifting them outside the frame and up.because the outriggers go out way beyond any thing I hold outside the frame, there is no chance of it tipping. In reality it is the feet of the outriggers that form the corners of the tower not the bottom of the main frame. I see no point of using wall anchors fot my use. Mine also only has one pair of wheels at one end, and they only contact the ground when you tilt the structure a bit. Which I like.
Because I have a lot of space when not using it I remove he decks and some of the height but leave am frame about 9M outdoors lying long the ground not erect. It doesn’t suffer with the weather.
Stuart
 
I thought you had posted that picture as an example of how not to use a tower.

There is no safe way to get from the ladder onto the tower or to exit the tower via the ladder. Every single hire company and PASMA course will teach you the "three T's" - through the trap. No aluminium tower is designed to have the side loads applied to it that would result from a person climbing the ladder.
Absolute rubbish, the top rail is side mounted and hinges outwards to allow access, as too the loads applied to it you obviously have no opposing loads experience, don't just read books and listen to PASMA or hire companies so called counter staff/teachers, most of them have never worked on a tower in their lives.
 
How do they suggest you get your tools and materials up through a hatch?, in my case it is big windows.
In my experience they gloss over tricky questions like that. So long as you've been on the course, everyone's backside is covered and it's your fault if you get caught doing something stupid. In reality if you've got the outriggers set correctly you'd be fine hauling them up the outside. The official answer would probably be something like get a telehandler to lift it up to you - cost isn't a consideration in the pursuit of safety!
 
In my experience they gloss over tricky questions like that. So long as you've been on the course, everyone's backside is covered and it's your fault if you get caught doing something stupid. In reality if you've got the outriggers set correctly you'd be fine hauling them up the outside. The official answer would probably be something like get a telehandler to lift it up to you - cost isn't a consideration in the pursuit of safety!
My bold.

Indeed, what is the price of your life?
 
My bold.

Indeed, what is the price of your life?
I'm lucky enough to work in industry. If its the right way to do it, thats what happens (generally). There's an acceptance that it's going to cost what it costs. Management don't look kindly on people splattering themselves across the factory floor. I've worked on plenty of sites that won't even let us use stepladders - its got to be a MEWP (scissor lift etc), scaffold or podium steps.

Mr bloggs down the road on the other hand isn't going to be impressed with a quote for 4 blokes, a scaffold and a telehandler to change his windows.
 
Then I can only suggest walking away and letting Mr Bloggs get the cowboys in if he doesn't want it done with safety in mind.

After all it isn't Mr Bloggs' life and he's probably clueless anyway.
 
Bring back the cantilevered powered Ginny wheel.

But lets not forget the exclusion zone below and warning signs and hard hats, and site fencing all while working on your own house, Oh wait a minute the Health and Safety at Work at does not apply, Im not at work and in a private garden, Ignore the above. 😇
 
Thank you all for your comments and thoughts. Some useful stuff.



This has got to be a classic example of what not to do.

Two things come to my mind: the ladder and the stabilisers.

From the safety videos I have watched, setting up a ladder on top of a tower is a huge NO. Here, the force the base of the ladder applies to the tower causes the top of the tower to be pushed away from the wall. The weight of the man up the ladder aggravates this.

There appears to be a stabiliser at the right base of the tower but it is aligned along the path. This plays no part in stopping the tower from tipping. Putting the stabiliser in the correct position would obstruct the road. This would mean speaking to the council beforehand, getting permission, sorting out bollards et c.

The tower is on a public pavement and there appears to be no provision for passers by. ( Luckily for me, my land extends around my house enough to put up a tower).

Those two guys were lucky to walk away from that one. At least they managed to land on their sides, which if you have to make a landing, is probably the least bad way to do it.

Any thoughts?
 
Thank you all for your comments and thoughts. Some useful stuff.



This has got to be a classic example of what not to do.

Two things come to my mind: the ladder and the stabilisers.

From the safety videos I have watched, setting up a ladder on top of a tower is a huge NO. Here, the force the base of the ladder applies to the tower causes the top of the tower to be pushed away from the wall. The weight of the man up the ladder aggravates this.

There appears to be a stabiliser at the right base of the tower but it is aligned along the path. This plays no part in stopping the tower from tipping. Putting the stabiliser in the correct position would obstruct the road. This would mean speaking to the council beforehand, getting permission, sorting out bollards et c.

The tower is on a public pavement and there appears to be no provision for passers by. ( Luckily for me, my land extends around my house enough to put up a tower).

Those two guys were lucky to walk away from that one. At least they managed to land on their sides, which if you have to make a landing, is probably the least bad way to do it.

Any thoughts?

How they got away with it apart from being young I don't know!
 

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