Scaffolding has been used since the beginning of human civilization. It has been speculated that the ancient Egyptian pyramids were built using timber scaffolding.

Before the year of 1922, when steel was not widespread around the world, timber scaffolding was widely used in construction. Then, as steel was widely used in the construction industry, steel tubes started to replace timber poles.

Scaffolding using steel tubes or we called tubular scaffolding has been the industry standard since the 1950s. It’s lightweight without compromising strength. As for now, ringlock scaffolding is the popular form. Ringlock scaffolding is quick and easy to assemble without the need for nuts and bolts. The metals used for ringlock scaffolding are typically steel or aluminum.

Steel scaffolding has great strength and durability. At the same time, it has a certain amount of elasticity which helps prevent cracks. Steel can support very heavy loads, and workers can use it to transport heavy equipment and supplies. For tall structures, steel is a necessity as the weight of the scaffolding itself requires structural strength that only steel can provide.

For less demanding conditions, aluminum scaffolding can be a viable alternative.

With the use of steel scaffolding, workers are able to safely access high and remote locations. By incorporating diagonal bracing, structures of great stability can be built.

Steel scaffolding structures have three basic elements:

Standards

Ledgers

Transforms

The standards are the vertical tubes that run throughout the entire structure and keep it upright. They transfer the weight of the structure to the ground via a square base plate which spreads the load.

The ledgers are the horizontal tubes connecting the standards to keep the structure in place and ensure stability.

The transoms are horizontal tubes placed across and perpendicular to the ledgers to give the structure more strength and to provide support for the platforms on each level of the scaffold.