Scaffolding

Scaffolding, also called scaffold or staging, is a temporary structure used to support a work crew and materials to aid in constructing, maintaining, and repairing buildings, bridges, and all other artificial structures. Scaffolds are widely used on-site to get access to heights and areas that would be otherwise hard to get to. Scaffolding is also used in adapted forms for formwork and shoring, such as grandstand seating, concert stages, access/viewing towers, exhibition stands, ski ramps, half pipes, and art projects.

Each type is made from several components, which often include:
1. A base jack or plate is a load-bearing base for the scaffold.
2. The standard upright component with connector joins.
3. The ledger, a horizontal brace.
4. The transom is a horizontal cross-section load-bearing component that holds the batten, board, or decking unit.
5. Brace diagonal and cross-section bracing components.
6. Batten or board decking component used to make the working platform.
7. Coupler, a fitting used to join components together.
8. Scaffold tie, used to tie in the scaffold to structures.
9. Brackets are used to extend the width of working platforms.

Specialized components used to aid in their use as a temporary structure often include heavy duty load bearing transoms, ladders or stairway units for the ingress and egress of the scaffold, beams ladder/unit types used to span obstacles, and rubbish chutes used to remove unwanted materials from the scaffold or construction project.