![]() Whether utilizing metal or wood planking, one thing’s for certain: The structure and its components must be able to withstand certain wind conditions no matter what, especially in an area where extreme weather can appear from seemingly out of nowhere. ![]() That said, the benefits of metal decking, such as strength, rigidity, wind latches, lifespan, and the fact that the access industry revolves around our ability to create solutions, makes them a very worthwhile addition to any inventory.” While the engineering behind such products gives the erector and the end-user peace of mind when it comes to both structural integrity and uplift prevention, there are often fewer options in terms of design and layout. “Metal decking on the other hand is newer to the industry and can be less forgiving. You could also cleat them or secure the deck with plywood nailed fast to the face. “One could wire a plank running perpendicular across the top of the deck or use wire alone. As wood planking has historically been used when providing access solutions, the industry has developed a myriad of ways to install and secure such a platform,” McNamara said. “The decision to utilize wood plank versus metal decking in terms of preventing uplift almost invariably comes down to the specific needs of the project. James McNamara, third-generation owner of Safety Scaffolds based in New Jersey and co-chair of the SAIA-Supported Scaffold Council, talked about his experience with wind risks and how he secures his scaffold planking. So, what is the best option, especially when it comes to wind risks and reducing any instances of flying or falling planks? However, in today’s innovative and technological-driven world, aluminum decking has found its way into the industry and proven to be very reliable and increasingly popular. Wood planking has been a tried and true scaffold board option for decades. “In a world where nuclear verdicts on claims have become less of a surprise and more of an expectation, planking that causes damage to someone else’s property is ammunition to be used against your company,” said Cameron Boots, Gallagher’s director of risk engineering, scaffold and crane practice. “We are now working with our risk engineering team to help increase awareness of this claims driver and develop mitigating strategies for our clients.”Īt an average of $17,000 per claim, these incidents can seriously hinder a scaffold and access organization by making it difficult to afford future coverage, secure future jobs, or incur additional costs through lawsuits. “During a recent claims review, we identified that over the past five years a significant number of claims have been caused by wind dislodging planking and causing it to strike a third party’s property or person,” explained Tres Whitlock, Gallagher’s national director, crane and scaffold practice. With such an impact on frequency and severity, customer education on wind uplift was necessary. These claims account for nearly 10 percent of all incurred losses within this practice and average about $17,000 per claim. Over the past five years, nearly 13 percent of the Scaffold & Construction Access practice claims were directly related to scaffold planking uplift caused by the wind.
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