The purpose of this safety alert is to highlight hazards and risks associated with temporary platforms in lift shafts.

Background:

During building construction temporary working platforms may be required inside lift shafts to facilitate activities such as formwork, reinforcement, or finishing works. This type of working platforms fits the definition of void scaffolds as per AS/NZS 1576.1:2019.

SafeWork NSW has responded to three incidents involving the failure/collapse of temporary working platforms installed in lift shafts. These incidents resulted in workers falling from height and sustaining serious injuries.

Temporary working platforms in lift shafts present a high risk due to the potential for sudden failure, limited rescue access, and the significant fall distances involved.

Incident 1: A temporary steel platform supported on reinforcement bars inside the lift shaft collapsed during formwork activities, resulting in a worker falling approximately 8 metres and sustaining injuries.

Incident 2: A temporary timber platform inside the lift shaft collapsed during the stripping of formwork, resulting in two workers falling approximately 3.5 metres and sustaining injuries.

Incident 3: A temporary timber platform inside the lift shaft collapsed, triggering the progressive failure of multi-level temporary platforms below. As a result, a worker fell more than 20 metres and sustained injuries.

Temporary platforms collapse showing rebars sticking out of wall
Photo 1 Showing rebars sticking out of wall being used as supports for steel platform
Temporary platforms collapsed temporary platform supported of timbers bolted to the concrete
Photo 2 Showing collapsed temporary platform supported of timbers bolted to the concrete
Temporary platforms collapse showing multiple 6 levels of collapsed temporary platform
Photo 3 Showing multiple 6 levels of collapsed temporary platform supported of timbers bolted to the concrete
                                                                                                                              

Key Hazards include:

  • Inadequately designed or engineered temporary platforms
  • Platforms supported on formwork or reinforcement bars not designed to carry imposed loads
  • Overloading of temporary platforms
  • Inadequate inspection, maintenance, or supervision
  • Removal or alteration of structural elements supporting the platform.

Identified Risks:

Risks of using temporary working platforms installed inside the lift shaft include:

  • Structural collapse of the temporary platforms which may result in serious injuries or even death of workers and others in a workplace
  • Falls from height due to structural collapse
  • Falling objects due to structural collapse.

Action required:

Work Health and Safety legislation requires PCBUs, persons with management control of structures and plant, designers, manufacturers, installers and workers to manage risks to health and safety associated with risks of using temporary working platforms.

Specific control measures

  • Ensure temporary working platforms are adequately designed and engineered by a competent person such as a structural engineer.
  • Installation supervisor to confirm the platforms are duty rated, installed and stripped in accordance with the design.
  • Site supervisor to confirm the platforms are used in accordance with the design.
  • Catch platforms should be designed and installed with a maximum vertical distance of 3 metres below the working platform and must have sufficient capacity to withstand the impact loads resulting from a fall by a person or falling objects, including the dead load of the working platform.
  • Do not use coil ties and coil ties bolts to support the platform components unless they are designed, tested and certified by a competent person such as structural engineer.
  • Ensure platforms supported on any formwork components, brackets or reinforcement bars are designed and certified to carry self and imposed loads.
  • Rated capacity of the platforms is visible to all workers and overloading of temporary platforms are monitored. Construction materials including formwork equipment are not loaded and stored beyond the rated capacity.
  • Adequate inspection and maintenance regimes are implemented. It is recommended that platforms are inspected minimum every 30 days or after extreme weather events or incidents similar to other scaffolds.
  • Provide appropriate information, training and supervision to workers on installation, dismantling and use.

Further information and guidance material:

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