16 March 2023 / Safety Alert

Scaffold Alert / Stair Brackets

Hutchinson Builders maintains in stock a fleet of aluminium stretcher stair pans as well as the recently introduced 2.0m rise construction stairs.

The aluminium stretcher stair risers and 2.0m construction stair pans must be secured to the scaffold using the ’stair brackets’ that are provided.

This falls in line with industry best practice and reflects the guidelines stated in the Queensland Code of Practice (Scaffold COP 2021) – Chapter 3.4, with an extract provided below.

Stairs should be secured to the scaffold bay. If not secured, the supplier should provide documentation illustrating the maximum amount of clearance allowed between the transom and the top and bottom of the stair module.

The detail showing how these brackets are to be configured is provided on every scaffold design series. This detail is reproduced below.

The photographs provided below demonstrate the correct orientation of the bracket when installed.

MicrosoftTeams-image-1-.png
MicrosoftTeams-image-3-.png

As shown in these images, the angled part of the 90º bracket hooks around the transom and there are two nuts on the through bolt that lock the stair in place. Please note, the threaded rod will have one nut permanently fixed to one end. An additional two nuts are required on the stair riser section on every bracket to prevent unintentional nut travel.

Each stair riser unit is to be locked into the scaffold structure at the top and the bottom of the risers. Therefore, each rise of the stretcher stair will require a total of four brackets, and each rise of a construction stair will require two brackets.

Please ensure that the brackets are installed, and the risers are secured immediately after the stair riser units are in position, and that the brackets are removed as the last activity prior to the stair riser units being dismantled.

There are five locations in the stringers where the two stretcher stair riser units are to be connected using the nuts and bolts provided in the kit. A minimum of two only bolts are required in any of the five available locating holes. There is no requirement to bolt either handrail or stair unit to the adjacent stair unit for the construction stairs.

Each time stretcher stairs or 2.0m rise construction stairs are ordered, the delivery will automatically include the correct number of brackets and connecting nut / bolt assemblies required to complete a compliant installation.

Other Recent Activities

View all activities
30 October / Quality Alert

Engineered stone ban effective 1 July 2024

ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage will be banned


Alternative products must be considered and implemented on all projects.

The industry is shifting away from engineered stone due to the risks of respirable crystalline silica, which can cause silicosis and other silica-related diseases. Although the consultations are under way and there has been no official announcement by Federal or State Governments on the issue, the health and safety risks along with the uncertainty around this issue warrants a decision to ban all engineered products entering job sites nationally. The ban will take effect on 1 July 2024 and will extend to ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage. 

An update to this alert will be provided before the end of the year when the Federal and State Governments are expected to issue a formal decision on the ban. In the meantime, to mitigate the impact of potential delays and variations, the best approach is to inform the clients of the pending ban and to propose and seek approval for an alternative product. Similarly, ensure all future estimates have the stone specification qualified and priced accordingly.

Product alternatives going forward include:

Compact Laminates

  • Under 1% silica content
  • Extremely competitive pricing
  • Only comes in 12mm thickness
  • Heat resistance is an issue
  • Product not suitable for high end applications

Porcelain Surfaces

  • Under 10% silica content
  • Price dependant of product and supplier
  • Large variety of colours and thicknesses (4, 8, 12, 20 and 30mm)
  • Great resistance to staining, scratches, UV and heat
  • Good warranty terms

Acrylic Solid Surfaces

  • 0% silica content
  • More expensive alternative
  • Limited thickness availability
  • UV stable and heat resistant but direct heat exposure not advised
  • Minimising wastage through flexibility in sheet sizing
  • Seamless joints

Natural Stone*

  • Various silica content percentages
  • Variety of products at different price points available
  • Ongoing maintenance may be an issue
  • Unlikely to satisfy specific warranty requirements

*Although this alert does not directly impact natural stone, some types have high silica content so risk of using these on projects should be considered carefully.

For an up-to-date list of available products and their usability, click here.


More information

If you need additional support, please contact the Quality Team:

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES
Email QualityTeam@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

View More
10 October / Update

Make sure bin chute systems are installed correctly, following the tested systems and the manufacturers’ instructions.

Check the detailed drawings from Elephant’s Foot and Wastech for different wall types (plasterboard, shaft-liner, speed panel, concrete, Hebel, and masonry).

Any changes to the tested systems must be approved by your project certifier, signed off by the fire engineer in the fire engineering report (FER), and accepted by the relevant state / territory fire service.

View More