How a great idea takes shape
Scaffolds have been around for thousands of years. They are commonly used to support a work crew and materials to aid in the construction, maintenance and repair of buildings.
You would be forgiven for thinking that there was no room for innovation in this well utilised space – but you would be wrong!
A spark of ingenuity enabled inventor Carl Williams to think outside the square, and patent an entirely new type of rail-scaffold. The rail-scaffold has revolutionised guardrail systems for roof workers throughout Australia, and South East Queensland in particular.
A simple yet effective solution
The problem with known roof-worker guardrail systems is that the guard rails are bolted to the eaves of a house. Assembling systems of this type is not only time consuming, but also causes tremendous damage to the house itself.
Williams developed his simple yet elegant solution of standing a large, A-frame rail-scaffold adjacent building eaves. The A-frame is rapid to install using conventional scaffolding parts. It is extremely safe, and will not topple should a roof-worker impact upon the guardrail extending above the eaves.
With Queensland storms and cyclones as a recent backdrop, Williams simply could not keep up demand for his unique rail-scaffold. He currently installs hundreds of kilometres of rail-scaffold every year.
The message
In order to meet demand, Williams has licensed his patented invention to scaffolders all around the country. The patent has also played a key role in ensuring that there is no unauthorised use of the invention to ensure the highest standards of safety are met.