Overcoming challenges in scaffolding

Few sectors of the construction industry are as challenging and complex as scaffolding. Of course there are simple projects, but scaffolding requires a vast amount of expertise, from planners as well as from all scaffolders. New challenges keep appearing in this field, which seemed unlikely or negligible at this scale only a few years ago. With its longstanding experience in this industry, GEDA is the optimum partner with a variety of different scaffolding hoists. In the construction sector, the name GEDA has stood for competence and unparalleled quality “Made in Germany“ for over ninety years. Today it is difficult to find a construction site that does not use one of the hoists from the extensive range offered by the Bavarian height access specialist. Always with an eye on the market, GEDA offers a perfectly adapted hoist solution for all scaffolding elements and tools that require safe and fast upwards transport. The tough everyday conditions at construction sites often present great challenges for the equipment used. Thanks to their robust workmanship, GEDA hoists master these challenges with ease.

Growing shortage of skilled and unskilled workers

One of the greatest challenges is the shortage of skilled and unskilled workers. Many companies – not only in the scaffolding sector – are faced with this problem today. In view of the booming construction industry, there is no change in sight for the coming years. Wages have to be increased to attract and retain employees. GEDA scaffolding hoists enable faster and more efficient working and can compensate for a lack of workforce.

High requirements for health and safety

Good industrial legislation is socially necessary and important, but many regulations that support employees come at the employer’s expense. In light of such changes to industrial laws, scaffolding companies have to budget for additional costs for every existing job. The safety standards that have to be met not only at large construction sites or in industrial settings, but also at smaller sites, are continuing to increase. This generates costs and reduces the profit margin. The costs for personal protective equipment alone are much higher than a few years ago, even when the general inflation rate is taken into account. Generally, significantly higher sums have to be invested in employee safety to protect the workforce and benefit from it in the long term. The health of all employees has to be a priority for all employers – now and in future! The one-off cost for purchasing practical equipment, on the other hand, is hardly worth mentioning. GEDA hoist solutions can also pay for themselves by being loaned out for other projects later on.

Growing awareness for personnel and health issues

The topics of considerate building sites and the health of employees are increasingly becoming the focus of those responsible in the construction sector. Carrying heavy loads over many years often has a negative impact on the health of employees, resulting in sickness absences, in particular those due to back pain.

Even the smaller wire rope hoists and material hoists from GEDA allow construction workers to conserve their strength and make the tough work at construction sites considerably easier. Lugging heavy scaffolding materials to higher levels is a thing of the past with a GEDA construction hoist. Personnel will be grateful for this relief and significantly lower absences will become evident.

Logistics & transport of materials at the construction site

Vertical transport at a construction site has to be quick and easy. The economic efficiency increases due to the minimised time requirements. This is a very simple formula, which is not always that simple in practice, though. Transporting scaffolding elements can be time consuming and complex. Many employees have to work together to transport the elements up or down. The right equipment can produce enormous time savings here, fewer mistakes are made and the transport processes become safer.

A customer survey conducted by GEDA showed that these challenges occur throughout the entire scaffolding industry. While these vary from Germany and throughout the Scandinavian Peninsula and the United Kingdom down to the countries on the Iberian Peninsula, the core issue remains the same. At this point, the question is how to tackle the existing problems. We believe that the results of the survey clearly indicate that the solution can partially be found in the clever use of vertical transport equipment. An experienced scaffolding company with a number of wire rope hoists and material hoists can stay ahead of competitors who are equipped only with human resources and maybe tools such as manual winches. Wind and bad weather are no problem at all for GEDA scaffolding hoists. Thanks to the high GEDA quality, the hoists have become extremely popular in the scaffolding industry. One would be hard pressed to find comparable equipment at a construction site that is manufactured and sold to these high standards.

GEDA scaffolding hoists help to overcome the everyday challenges in the scaffolding industry:

GEDA Mini/Maxi – great power for a small price!

With two lifting speeds, overload protection and a slack rope switch as well as a variety of load handling devices, the compact scaffolding hoists from the GEDA Mini/Maxi series are the ideal helpers for efficient, yet safe transport of scaffolding elements and construction materials. The handy rope drum drive is easily mounted at the base of the scaffolding while the lightweight swivel arm is attached at the top of the scaffolding at the desired height.

The GEDA Mini/Maxi series offers great advantages primarily thanks to fast assembly and the option of quick location changes. The maximum working height is 40 m, and 76 m with a winch placed at a greater height. Depending on the model – GEDA MINI 60 S, GEDA MAXI 120 S or GEDA MAXI 150 S – the hoists feature an impressive load capacity of up to 150 kg. In addition to scaffolders, the quick helpers are used primarily by roofers and painters for transporting materials on the scaffolding.

A variety of different load handling devices and optimally adapted accessories allow for flexible and efficient transport of scaffolding elements, painting supplies, insulation and much more.

The GEDA Mini/Maxi series of wire rope lifts also includes a convenient transport frame. The scaffolding hoist is mounted safely with a quick-release mechanism and can be mounted onto the scaffolding directly within the transport frame. The robust undercarriage is suitable for any foundation.

While wire rope lifts are ideally suited for the assembly of smaller scaffolds, pure material lifts such as the GEDA 200 Z and GEDA 300 Z construction hoists are designed for higher load capacities and are perfect for larger scaffolding structures. The convenient equipment can also handle tight spaces with ease.

GEDA 200 Z – the compact and lightweight solution!

The compact and lightweight GEDA 200 Z is the ideal support for scaffolders and construction workers and wins over workers at all types of construction sites with its many benefits. Once it has arrived at the construction site, the material hoist scores with its simple installation directly from the platform and its extremely minimal space requirement. The patented quick release system of the ladder sections replaces complicated threaded connections and allows for quick and easy installation of the device. The base unit – consisting of a 2-m foot section, trolleys with drive and safety gear, a control, spring cable drum and trailing cable, bogie and overload protection together with the platform of the GEDA 200 Z – requires a footprint of only 1.5 x 1.5 m.

This means that it is possible to easily load the lightweight 44-kg platform parallel to the building, for example. The platform can also be swivelled by 90 degrees to the left or right, providing a perfect solution for unloading at the different landing levels. With a load capacity of up to 200 kg and a lifting speed of 25 m/min, the GEDA 200 Z travels up to heights of 35 m, safely transporting scaffolding materials as well as tools up and down.

GEDA 300 Z – maximum efficiency!

GEDA also has the right solution for very bulky and heavy materials. The GEDA 300 Z eases the workload for personnel and also saves a lot of time due to its large platform size and high load capacity. This is particularly interesting for hiring out the hoist because the purchasing costs can be recovered quickly. Whether scaffolding elements, tools or other construction materials: The GEDA 300 Z is the compact and robust partner for efficient material transport at construction sites. The lightweight 2-m aluminium mast elements can be assembled by one person. The convenient loading and unloading ramp ensures comfortable access to the platform, which is approved for up to 300 kg. Once at the landing level, the car of the GEDA 300 Z, which can be swivelled by 90 degrees, allows for a safe transition and comfortable loading and unloading. The GEDA 300 Z is available in a 230 V or a 400 V version and can therefore be adapted optimally to the power supply at the respective construction site.