Metal Scaffolding Safety – Interpretation

Unless otherwise defined in this Code of Practice, the terms used in this Code of Practice have the same meaning as those in the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations, and

2.1  ‘FIUO’  is  the  abbreviation  for  the  Factories  and  Industrial  Undertakings

Ordinance, Chapter 59.

2.2  ‘CSSR’ is the abbreviation for the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations,

subsidiary legislation of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance.

2.3  ‘competent person’

2.3.1  A competent person, in relation to any duty to be performed by such a person under the CSSR, means a person who is:

(a)     appointed for that purpose by the contractor required by the CSSR to ensure that the duty is carried out by a competent person; and

(b)    by   reason   of   substantial   training   and   practical   experience,

competent to perform the duty.

2.3.2  As a general guidance:

(a)     ‘substantial training and practical experience’ of a competent person in respect of metal scaffolding refers to a person

(i)      who    has    satisfactorily    completed    a    full-time    formal training in metal scaffolding works organized by the Construction Industry              Council   Training   Academy   (CICTA)   or   other similar     metal    scaffolding    training    courses/programmes and possesses an experience of 4 years or more in metal scaffolding works (inclusive of experience under the formal training period); or

(ii)     who has at least possessed a higher certificate in civil/structural engineering or other similar disciplines and has satisfactorily completed a metal scaffolding training course/programme organized  by  the  CICTA or  other  similar  metal  scaffolding training courses/programmes and possesses an experience of 1 year or more in metal scaffolding works (inclusive of experience under the formal training period); or

(iii)    who   has   satisfactorily   passed   the   trade   test   on   metal scaffolding  of  the  CICTA and  possesses  an  experience  of

4  years  or  more  in  metal  scaffolding  works  (inclusive  of

experience under the formal training period),

and has the ability to read and understand the scaffolding plan, design drawings, specifications and method statement of the scaffolding  work  in  order  to  competently  supervise  the scaffolding   work   and   certify   that   the   scaffolding   is   in   safe working order. He should also be capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary or hazardous to employees.

(b)     A competent  person  should  be  appointed  in  writing  and  should have authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate existing and predictable hazards mentioned above.

2.4  ‘trained workman’

A trained workman in respect of metal scaffolding refers to a scaffolder who is  responsible  for  on-site  erection,  addition,  alteration  and  dismantling  of metal scaffold under the immediate supervision of a competent person, and has satisfactorily completed a formal training in metal scaffolding works equivalent to any of those mentioned for a competent person or has satisfactorily passed the intermediate trade test for metal scaffolder of the CICTA and possesses at least

1 year of experience in metal scaffolding works (inclusive of experience under the formal training period). This Code of Practice also recognizes scaffolders who are registered skilled, semi-skilled, skilled (provisional) or semi-skilled (provisional) workers under the Construction Workers Registration Ordinance (Cap. 583) for the trade of metal scaffolder as trained workmen.

2.5  ‘Form 5’ is a form approved by the Commissioner for Labour for the purposes of

Regulation 38F(1) of the CSSR. A sample of the form is at Appendix I.

2.6  ‘ladder’ includes a folding step-ladder.

2.7  ‘place of  work’ means any place which is used by any person for the purposes of

(a)    construction work; or

(b)     any work activities arising from, or in connection with, construction work,

and includes any place to which such a person has access whilst at work.

2.8  A   ‘professional  engineer’  means  an  engineer  of  structural  or  civil discipline. He should be a corporate member under the constitution of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers or equivalent and should have adequate training and experience, and be able to justify how and why the scaffold he designed can safely resist the imposed loads in accordance with recognized engineering principles.

2.9  ‘safety belt’ includes a safety harness.

2.10 ‘scaffold’  means  any  temporarily  provided  structure  on  or  from  which persons perform work in connection with operations or works to which the CSSR apply, and any temporarily provided structure which enables persons to obtain access to or which enables materials to be taken to any place at which such work is performed, and includes any working platform, gangway, run, ladder or step- ladder (other than an independent ladder or step-ladder which does not form part of such a structure) together with any guard-rail, toe-board or other safeguards and all fixings, but does not include a lifting appliance or a structure used merely to support such an appliance or to support other plant or equipment.