How To Ensure The Safe Installation of Adjustable Steel Props for Scaffolding?

I. Pre-Installation: Foundation Preparation & Risk Assessment

1. Product Quality Inspection (Prevent "Being Used with Defects")

• Inspect the overall condition of steel props: No bending, deformation, cracks, or severe corrosion (galvanized layer peeling to expose the base material). Welds must be free of detachment or incomplete penetration.

• Verify the integrity of key components: Ensure G-pins/straight pins, adjustment nuts, top plates, base plates, and handles are complete and functional—pins should insert/remove smoothly without breakage; adjustment nuts rotate flexibly with no thread wear or jamming; top/base plates are free of deformation/cracks and firmly connected to the tube.

• Compliance verification: Products must be accompanied by factory certificates and load test reports, complying with local safety standards (e.g., EN 1065 for Europe, BS 4074 for the UK). Unauthorized, non-standard, or modified steel props are strictly prohibited.

2. Foundation & Supporting Surface Preparation (Ensure "A Stable Foundation")

• The supporting surface must be flat, solid, and free of settlement risks: Prioritize concrete floors, compacted ground, or load-bearing scaffolding platforms. For soft ground (e.g., soil, sand), thickened steel plates (≥10mm), sleepers, or base plates must be laid to expand the stress area and prevent post-installation settlement.

• The base plate must fully fit the supporting surface: No suspension or tilting is allowed. The edge of the base plate shall not exceed the scope of the pad to avoid slipping due to uneven stress.

3. Personnel & Tool Preparation (Professional Operation is Prerequisite)

• Installers must hold valid certificates: Familiar with the steel prop’s structure, adjustment mechanism, and safety operating procedures; receive specialized training; and clearly understand load limits and risk points.

• Tool preparation: Equip with torque wrenches (to check nut tightness), spirit levels (to verify verticality), and tape measures (to confirm spacing and height). Using brute force or unqualified tools is strictly prohibited.

II. During Installation: Core Operations & Safety Control

1. Strictly Follow "Height Adjustment & Locking Specifications"

• Height range: Do not exceed the product’s rated "minimum/maximum height" (conventional 1.5m-4.5m). The overlap length between inner and outer tubes ≥ 10 times the tube diameter (e.g., ≥483mm for φ48.3mm tubes) to avoid reduced stability due to insufficient overlap.

• Adjustment process: First use G-pins for "rough adjustment" (insert into corresponding holes to fix the approximate height), then use adjustment nuts for "fine adjustment" (calibrate verticality with a spirit level). Finally, ensure precise height and firm locking—pins must be fully inserted into holes with equal exposure on both ends (no loosening); after tightening adjustment nuts, verify with a torque wrench (recommended torque ≥30N·m) to prevent loosening during use.

• Prohibited operations: Do not force pins into place by tapping; do not over-tighten nuts to avoid tube deformation; do not use foreign objects (e.g., wooden blocks, bricks) under the top plate to adjust height.

2. Ensure "Vertical Force Bearing & Uniform Load Distribution"

• Verticality requirement: Steel props must be perpendicular to the ground after installation (deviation ≤ 1°, detected with a spirit level). Tilting is strictly prohibited—tilting increases lateral force and may cause toppling.

• Top plate fit: The top plate must fully fit the supported structure (e.g., formwork, beams, floors) with no gaps or offsets. For uneven supporting surfaces, use specialized metal shims (wooden shims are prohibited due to easy compression deformation).

• Load control: The load-bearing capacity of a single steel prop shall not exceed the rated load (10-20kN for light-duty, 20-50kN for heavy-duty). Calculate spacing and quantity according to the construction plan to avoid local overloading—e.g., during concrete pouring, do not stack materials concentratedly on structures with insufficient strength to indirectly increase the load on steel props.

3. Reasonable Layout & Lateral Reinforcement (Prevent "Instability & Toppling")

• Spacing specifications: Adjust spacing based on load and support height (conventional spacing ≤1.5m, ≤1.2m for heavy-load scenarios). Connect adjacent steel props with crossbars (steel tubes) to form a "stable frame" with crossbar spacing ≤1.8m.

• Height reinforcement: For steel props with height >3m, must install lateral bracing and diagonal braces, connecting to surrounding scaffolding or fixed structures to enhance overall stability. For height >4m, add intermediate horizontal ties to prevent shaking caused by wind loads or construction disturbances.

• Edge protection: For steel props near openings or edges, install additional guardrails and warning signs to avoid collisions by personnel or impact from falling materials.

4. Additional Controls for Special Scenarios

• High-altitude operations: For installation height >2m, personnel must wear safety belts and use operating platforms (standing on top of steel props or formwork is prohibited). Tools must be tied with ropes to prevent falling and injury.

• Severe weather: Installation or use is prohibited during rainy days or strong winds (wind speed>6 级). In high-temperature and humid environments, regularly inspect steel props for corrosion and locking status, and address hazards promptly.

III. Post-Installation: Verification & Dynamic Monitoring

1. Comprehensive Post-Installation Inspection

• Individual inspection: Confirm that the verticality, locking status, and spacing of all steel props meet requirements; no missing or loose pins/nuts; no suspension of top/base plates.

• Overall stability: Gently shake steel props to ensure no obvious displacement or abnormal noise; lateral bracing and diagonal braces are firmly connected without loosening.

• Load testing: If conditions permit, conduct pre-loading tests (load up to 80% of the rated load) and observe for 10-15 minutes. Only put into use if there is no settlement, deformation, or abnormal noise.

2. Dynamic Monitoring During Construction

• Regular inspections: Conduct inspections every 2 hours during concrete pouring and stages of increased structural dead weight (e.g., before formwork removal). Focus on observing whether steel props have deformation, loose pins, or base plate settlement.

• Emergency handling: If abnormal conditions (e.g., bending, abnormal noise, settlement) are found, immediately stop construction, evacuate personnel in the surrounding area, take reinforcement measures (e.g., adding steel props, adjusting loads), and resume work only after troubleshooting.

• Prohibition of unauthorized modifications: Do not arbitrarily disassemble, move, weld, cut steel props or lateral bracing during construction, or hang heavy objects on them.

IV. Core Safety Principles Summary

1. Compliance: Only use qualified and certified steel props; strictly follow product manuals and industry standards.

2. Stability: Ensure a solid foundation, vertical installation, and lateral reinforcement; avoid "single-point support" or independent arrangement without ties.

3. Load Control: Do not overload; ensure uniform stress distribution and avoid local concentrated loads.

4. Full-Process Control: Conduct pre-installation inspections, standardize in-installation operations, perform post-installation verification, and implement dynamic monitoring during construction to eliminate hazards promptly.