A British company is celebrating the arrival of a new lightweight composite scaffolding tube that will change the way the industry uses its materials. Scaffmag has been carefully studying the potential success of lightweight tubing and beautifully designed toe boards.

Life becomes better when materials are easier to transport, handle and cause personal injury problems. As we enter the 21st century, the entire scaffolding industry is working hard to achieve this goal.

Thanks to the teams of Kapiti Engineering Ltd and Forefront Scaffolding Hire and Sales, on-site professionals in the UK and other regions will snap up a new form of tube.

Although the outer diameter of the comb tube is the same as the traditional steel or aluminum scaffold tube, it has several other attractive features. First, the elasticity of the composite materials that make up the comb tubes makes them resistant to corrosion even in harsh chemical environments.

More importantly, they are ideal for onshore and offshore applications. In fact, com-tube is very suitable for operation near high-voltage electrical projects, such as power stations, transmission lines and railways.

Due to its non-sparking characteristics, com-tube provides an ideal solution when operating around potentially flammable environments (such as chemical plants, oil and gas facilities).

It is worth noting that this innovative pipe is made of an advanced composite material with elastic thermosetting resin combined with longitudinal and spirally wound reinforcing fibers. This means that it is stronger than traditional steel scaffolding tubes in bending.

However, if you think that a great creation is enough, is a versatile toe board clip designed to allow the toe board to be fixed to the adjacent standard without the need to tighten the bolts? Industry experience is once again fully utilized. Therefore, the new com-clip is made of a material that will never corrode.

Now, the toe board can be connected to the adjacent standard with reasonable manual force. Once connected to the tubes, they should remain in place, and they can be manually slid into position on the board with very little force. When positioned on the edge toe board, the locking arm should protrude far enough to allow the second end toe board to be fixed between the arms. Positioning them correctly will certainly not constitute a safety hazard in any way, and due to their light weight, construction tasks become easier.

There are currently no specific regulatory requirements for the strength of the toe clamp. "For the toe board, the horizontal point load is 0.150kN." This relates to the strength of the toe board itself against the outward force generated by the operation on the platform. These outward forces acting on the board will be resisted by the skirting board against the standard to which they are connected, which means that the com-clip® skirting board clip is more than enough. NASC TG 20 has similar requirements to BS EN 12811-1.

Observe carefully, the clip must also be able to withstand inward winds between 0.06 and 0.08kN (6 to 8kgf). Tests show that the com-clip toe board Clips have a pull-off capability of 0.075kN (7.5kgf).

This article was first published in the 14th issue of ScaffMag magazine