Scaffolds are vital Operational Health and Safety (OH&S) systems. They are required when undertaking construction, repairs, maintenance work, demolitions, inspections and other closely-related operations. Once set up, a scaffold system allows easy access around the worksite, reduces work time, and improves site safety. If you are about to start on a construction project, you may find yourself debating whether to rent or buy scaffolding supplies. Read on to see why you should go with the former.
You only build once
Unless you're a bona fide building company, you will only use scaffolding equipment once; when constructing. As such, it does not make sense to invest in scaffolding materials if you're only going to use them once. Instead, hiring lets you use the scaffolds only when you need them without having to retain them or pay for full ownership. The only other reason you should think of buying is if you own multiple buildings, meaning the scaffolds will come in handy for regular maintenance and repairs.
Renting is cheaper than buying
Scaffold supplies are made of aluminium or steel tubes. They can therefore amount to quite a hefty price tag depending on the size of your site. To reduce costs, hiring lets you pay only a fraction of the cost of the materials. If expenses are a factor to you, you can considerably slim your budget by choosing to rent scaffolds as opposed to buying.
Enjoy professional installation services
You may not be aware of this, but most scaffold hire companies do offer installation services as part of the package. Others charge a separate surcharge fee for the installation service. Either way, you get to enjoy having your scaffold system set up by highly-experienced professionals. This factor alone can greatly improve the safety of your site and ensure that work is completed on time and without any mishaps.
Co-share any liability risks
Construction sites present a number of public liability risks. This includes risks such as debris falling on pedestrians, tools injuring fellow workers, and so on. When you buy scaffolding materials, you own all the liability associated with the scaffold system. However, if you rent the system, the owner (hire company) co-shares in that liability (unless otherwise stated in the rental contract). With a co-shared liability agreement, you can enjoy knowing that should any liability pay-out be required, you will not be in it alone.
Talk to a scaffold hire company like Instant Scaffolding WA to find out the possible rates for your construction work site. Some of the factors to consider when hiring include the duty of the system (light, medium or heavy) and the materials used (aluminium or steel).
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