Health & safety bulletin
Fixings, safety, quality and production
18th May 2007
Signs are designed to withstand expected weather conditions in the country in which they are installed; this can only be guaranteed if the correct type and number of fixings are used for each component, in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines.
LADDER RAILS – If these are being fixed to a steel canopy then a Fine Thread Steel Tek should be used. The following guidelines should be followed:
- There should be at least 2 fixings used per vertical section
- Fixings should be used as close to the top as possible
- Fixings should be used as low as possible but still allowing the panel to be fitted correctly
- If they are being fixed to an Aluminium clad canopy then Course Thread Ali Teks should be used
- Never leave a gap in ladder rails, always fit so that the flashing is all the way around the canopy
- Under no circumstances should they be fixed to timber, if engineers identify timber fascias on the canopy, work must be stopped immediately and a supervisor informed
Remember:
Ali to ali = ali
Ali to steel = steel
Steel to ali = ali
Steel to steel = steel
On occasions, when fixing panels, engineers may need to use ‘counter sunk’ or ‘pan head’ screws which should be colour coded or painted out to match the panel colour. It is recommended that these screws should be the ‘Self Tapping’ type which means that they have thread all the way up and will drill and tap the thread into the back-frame or angle. A minimum of 3 per panels should be used, fixed at 25mm from the ends and centred. Every panel must be inspected to ensure that the correct number of fixings have been used - this number will vary depending upon the size of the piece.
Remember:
- Using too many fixing is better than not using enough
- Keep all fixings neat
When installing ‘Bullnose’, always use the correct amount of brackets or “D Rings”, never miss one because it’s quicker. The correct (and only acceptable) quantity is 3 per 2400mm section and again always fix the brackets with the correct type and number of Teks; never use self drilling screws for this as they are not strong enough to take the strain. The ‘bullnose’ sections can be secured using the self drilling type fixings or ‘peel back rivets’.
On 13th February 2007, we issued a bulletin on Butterfly Banners and how and when they should be fixed. It stated that if it comes with 6 fixing holes pre-drilled then you use 6 fixings of the correct type. The same principle applies to all installations. Never cut corners or minimize; this is bad practice that may result in signware falling down, potentially causing harm or damage to life and/or property.
Always remember that Xmo Strata’s commitment to both employees and customers is “Safety, Quality and Production” - in that order.
SAFETY - Every sign must be installed safely; this encompasses everything from driving to the job to installing the signware, using whatever fixing method is specified or whatever access equipment is required and how it should be used.
QUALITY - Every installation must pass the quality inspection; this will be a physical and visual check.
- Will an engineer be happy to put their name on it?
- Has enough attention been paid to detail?
- Can the engineer walk away from the site knowing that they have not cut any corners, missed fixings, not touched out ‘screwheads’, not left gaps in panels or ladder rails?
- Has the engineer cleaned their work area and swept up?
- If the site belonged to an engineer, or the work was carried out on their home, would it pass a quality inspection?
PRODUCTION - Every installation must be completed (safely) on time and to achieve this engineers must do as much work in a day as possible, and be productive when on site. Justify each days work. Can the engineer stand back at the end of each day and honestly say “I’ve earned my wages”?
If staff are on site with (or after) other crews and think something has not been fixed correctly or notice a possible snagging issue then the person responsible should be approached in line with IIF training and concerns must be discussed. Engineers must never walk away if they notice a problem, this could potentially result in a near miss with damage to life and or property.
We are all responsible for the quality and safety of our installations and must take this very seriously. At the end of the day it’s, your name on the job sheet and OUR name on the job.
We have all worked hard to achieve our company’s market leading position and must work even harder to keep it there; we can only do this with your full commitment to the company ethos and adherence to the company rules and procedures as laid out on your Health & Safety manual.