Chapter XI: Legal Matters Affecting Scaffolding. Local Bye-Laws

Regulations governing the erection of scaffolding have been made by many of the principal Local Authorities in the Kingdom. Their purpose is to safeguard the public using the thoroughfares near which the structures are built. Those issued by the City Corporation of London are summarised as follows:—

CORPORATION OF LONDON

_REGULATIONS FOR SCAFFOLDS_

APPLICATIONS

_Each application for a scaffold is to be entered in a book, with
headings for the following information:—_

_Name of street or place, and number of house._

_Nature of work to be executed._ _Area of ground level of new
premises to be built, or old premises largely altered._

_Number of storeys, including ground floor, if new premises are to
be built or old premises altered._

_Length of scaffolding needed._

_Time for which license is requested._

_Name and address of Owner._
_Name and address of Architect._
_Name and address of Builder._

_Date of Application._

_Signature of Applicant._

REGULATIONS

_The Inspector of Pavements is to report in the application book
the time he thinks needful for the scaffold to be licensed; the
license is then to be made out, and the conditions entered in the
book by the Engineer’s Clerk._

_If there is disagreement between the applicant and the Inspector,
as to the time needed, the Engineer will decide._

_No scaffold is to project beyond the foot-way pavement where it
is narrow, nor more than 6 feet where it is wide enough to admit of
such projection; any deviation on account of special reasons is to be
stated upon the license._

_No scaffold is to be enclosed so as to prevent passengers passing
under it._

_The lower stages of scaffolds are to be close or doubly planked;
each stage to have fan and edge boards, and such other precautions to
be taken as the Inspector of Pavements requires, to prevent dirt or
wet falling upon the public, or for the public safety._

_No materials are to be deposited below any scaffold._

_Where practicable or needed, a boarded platform, 4 feet wide, and
as much wider as may be necessary for the traffic, with stout post
rails, and wheel kerbs on the outside of it, are to be constructed
outside the scaffold, as the Inspector may direct._

_Where it is necessary in the public interest, applicants shall
form a gantry, stage, or bridge over the public-way, if required, so
as to allow the foot passengers to pass beneath it. The gantry is to
be double planked, and so constructed as to prevent dust, rubbish,
or water falling upon the foot passengers, and the licensee shall
keep the public-way beneath it clean to the satisfaction of the
Inspector._

_Scaffolds are to be watched and lighted at night._

_All fire hydrants must be left unenclosed in recesses formed of
such size and in such manner as may enable the hydrant to be easily
got at and used._

_Public lamps are not to be enclosed without the permission of
the Engineer. When such enclosure is permitted, the applicant shall
put a lamp or lamps temporarily outside the scaffold, so that the
public-way may be properly lighted._

_The licensee shall undertake to employ and pay the Contractors
to the Corporation to make good the pavements, lamps, and all works
disturbed, to the satisfaction of the Engineer._

_Licenses are not allowed to be transferred._

Other cities have similar regulations, but are not generally so complete in detail.

=Scaffoldings.=—The Burgh Police (Scotland) Act of 1903 (3 Edw. VII., ch. 33) contains among its general clauses the following:—

=Sec. 32.=—_The dean of guild court shall on the application
of the burgh surveyor have power to prohibit and stop the erection,
use, or employment, and to order the alteration or removal of any
crane, scaffolding, staging, or shoring in or connected with the
construction and erection, or the demolition, alteration, repair, or
securing of any new or existing building, or in or connected with
any excavation for the purpose of any work authorised by the dean of
guild court, where such crane, scaffolding, staging or shoring is, or
is likely to be, in the judgment of the burgh surveyor, a source of
danger._

=Sec. 103.=—_'Dean of guild court’ shall, in this Act, as
regards burghs where there is no dean of guild court, mean the town
council._

The above Act applies to Scotland only, and the section mentioned first is carried out only so far as it affects the safety of the public at large.

_FACTORY AND WORKSHOP ACT, 1901_