WORKING AT HEIGHT QUALIFIED ACCESS
Before anyone assembles a mobile access tower, it's essential to check they have the right PASMA qualification. Don Aers, Technical Director at PASMA, explains why not all tower cards are the same.
Need a quick, environmentally friendly and competitively priced way to work safely at height? Towers are a convenient solution. And with advanced configurations, they’re flexible enough to overcome obstacles and provide spacious platforms. But remember – you need competent people assembling them.
You probably already ask for a PASMA card from anyone working with towers. However, unless you know what you’re looking for, there’s a risk they’ll end up building or dismantling a tower they’re not qualified on.
There are seven tower configurations, each one covered by a different PASMA qualification. Asking to see the card is just the first step. Next, check the qualifications on it to ensure they cover the tower configuration being used.
MOBILE ACCESS TOWERS
A familiar feature on high streets and construction sites alike, these simple, straight-up-and-down structures can go up to 12 metres indoors or 8 metres outdoors.
The skills needed to work with them safely are taught on a PASMA Towers for Users course. It’s the first user course everybody does, and it earns them a PASMA card. This qualification is shown on the card as level U / category T.
STEPPED TOWERS
Useful for working over stairways or stadium seating, stepped towers are often used for painting and decorating, maintenance and repair, and also for overhead installations.
The specialist techniques and unique components needed for this tower are taught on a PASMA Towers on Stairways course. Check cards for category A5.
CANTILEVER TOWERS
If there’s an obstacle in your way, a cantilever tower can help you reach over it. Using counterweights for stability, cantilever platforms project from the side or end of the tower.
The specialist techniques and unique components needed for this tower are taught on a PASMA Cantilever Towers course. Check cards for category A6.
TOWERS WITH BRIDGES
Joining two or more towers together with a bridge creates an uninterrupted platform with clear space below to span obstructions or leave an access route for pedestrians or vehicles.
The specialist techniques and unique components needed for this tower are taught on a PASMA Towers with Bridges course. Check cards for category A7.
LINKED TOWERS
Linking towers together provides a long, uninterrupted platform at one or more levels. This is useful when you’re working across the façade of a building, such as for painting, plastering or replacing windows.
The specialist techniques and unique components needed for this tower are taught on a PASMA Linked Towers course. Check cards for category A8.
LARGE DECK TOWERS
An arrangement of towers joined together creates a big working area, useful for accessing a whole ceiling, such as for painting or electrical work.
The specialist techniques and unique components needed for this tower are taught on a PASMA Large Deck Towers course. Check cards for category A9.
NON-STANDARD TOWERS
When no standard configurations are suitable, bespoke towers can be designed especially for your site. No job is too awkward for a non-standard tower.
These towers can be very complex. The planning, assembly, and dismantling process must be managed by a fully qualified Access Tower Specialist – the most highly skilled PASMA operatives. They’re qualified to build any type of tower and to build them as a service for others to work at height.
Their PASMA card will say Access Tower Specialist and have a CSCS hologram.
EFFECTIVE COMPETENCE CHECKS
Make sure that your card verification process is based on up-to-date information and that site managers are enforcing it correctly. That way, you can make full use of towers with confidence that the work is always done safely.
PASMA has a guide to checking qualifications here.
https://pasma.co.uk
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https://pasma.co.uk/training/checking-qualifications/
WWW.TOMORROWSHS.COM
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