# How do I keep the hoodlums off my scaffold?



## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

I have 2 towers set up thirty feet tall on two sides of a church bell tower. 

The project was delayed for two weeks waiting on a committee to decide if we should proceed with an unanticipated repair. 

Back on track now, but I think the kids are using it as a jungle gym. I will be there another week at least. 

Neighbors are keeping an eye out, but it is a rough town. 

Any way to attach 110 volts? :w00t::w00t:


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Yes, you can attach 110 volts.:thumbsup:
But, don't waste your time, go straight for the 220v:clap::clap::shutup:


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## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

I knew I should have posted this in the DIY section...

Where is 480 when you need him???

I wonder where you connect the nuetral and would that be grounded or grounding???

I'm so confused:shutup:


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## bhock (Feb 17, 2009)

8 foot sheets of plywood stood around it several feet away?


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

bhock said:


> 8 foot sheets of plywood stood around it several feet away?


Hiding the razor wire:w00t:


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## bhock (Feb 17, 2009)

And blood thirsty dogs.


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

And a moat with piranha and alligators.

Actually, all you have to do is post a sign, "now hiring". That ought to make 'em run! :w00t:


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## knothead (Sep 30, 2007)

Put a sign on saying its a educational tool


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## jomama (Oct 25, 2008)

A. Spruce said:


> Actually, all you have to do is post a sign, "now hiring". That ought to make 'em run! :w00t:





knothead said:


> Put a sign on saying its a educational tool


 
:laughing::laughing::laughing:


Seriously, we just wrap the orange safety/snow fence around the rings for the first 8-10' from the ground. Wire or zip tie it in a few places, and you've at least done your job to create a deterant.

All the other ideas would probably work as well here though...... :whistling


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

hire security,that sounds like a hell of a liability issue


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## J F (Dec 3, 2005)

*How do I keep the hoodlums off my scaffold?*


Fire 'em? :laughing:


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## JonM (Nov 1, 2007)

​


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## Sar-Con (Jun 23, 2010)

Since its at a church, how about a sign with an arrow saying "this way to God"


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## remster (Jan 8, 2007)

Im sure its the same group of kids going on it, call the cops next time while they are on it. Im sure they won't bother to go back. You should also put something like a temp wall to deter people from getting close to it.


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

Go to the tractor supply and get a cattle fence electrifier. They pulse every second or so, preventing a full on electrocution.:whistling


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## rwa (May 6, 2009)

bhock said:


> And blood thirsty dogs.



... and cut their vocal chords :whistling


actually, I would put a wall around it at night and leave a few large rattle snakes inside


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## MBS (Mar 20, 2008)

rwa said:


> ... and cut their vocal chords :whistling
> 
> 
> actually, I would put a wall around it at night and leave a few large rattle snakes inside


Spread lots of dog poop around it.


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

mesh orange safety fence, very simple to put up and take back down. if some of the little varmints get tangled up in it, you'll know who they are in the morning when you start.


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## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

The orange mesh sounds like the best idea, but if it makes an accident more likely because climbing is more difficult, I'm not sure I have improved the situation. 

I haven't had any more negative feedback from the church, so I'm hoping the vagrants have moved on to more stimulating targets.

Already own an electric fence by the way. Great for four legged creatures, but way too easy to dismantle for the upright crowd.


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## Jaf (May 10, 2010)

What kind of staging are you using dak? I mostly see mason's using "mason staging". You know, that walk beneath stuff. 

Carpenter's can't climb it, I know, I've tried. Should stump the kiddys too. Stuff's cheap on the second hand market. 

If kids are climbing that stuff, send a recruiter around, get'em signed up afgy.


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

dakzaag said:


> The orange mesh sounds like the best idea, but if it makes an accident more likely because climbing is more difficult, I'm not sure I have improved the situation.
> 
> I haven't had any more negative feedback from the church, so I'm hoping the vagrants have moved on to more stimulating targets.
> 
> Already own an electric fence by the way. Great for four legged creatures, but way too easy to dismantle for the upright crowd.


 I was thinking more on the lines of electrifying the scaffolding itself.:thumbup:


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## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

I always enjoy your thoughts Lone, but you don't have much experience with electric fence. :shutup: 

Even if the scaffold was insulated to avoid grounding the whole loop, once a person was on the scaffold, they would not be shocked because they would not provide a ground for the pulse. The only deterent would be if the person touched the metal at the same time as the pulse was generated. (about once per two seconds) 

My luck would be some little old lady would come by to drop something off at church and get a shock that sends her into cardiac arrest and I would get charged with involuntary manslaughter. :w00t:

My scaffold is not the walk through type, so it is quite easy to climb. 


I am heading up there to make it ready for church later, I will snap some pics just for something to look at.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

dakzaag said:


> I always enjoy your thoughts Lone


 
you must be nuttier than you look then:blink:


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

dakzaag said:


> I always enjoy your thoughts Lone, but you don't have much experience with electric fence. :shutup:


 I have more experience than I'd care to.:laughing:

My neighbor across the street had one. They also had a couple really good looking daughters, so the boys in the hood spent plenty of time over there.

Anywho, every once in a while someone would be caught to close to the fence and someone else would grab them and the fence. It only takes a few times of your eyeballs coming out of their sockets to remember the fence and how wide your reach is.:w00t:


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## mudpad (Dec 26, 2008)

You don't need to have real power hooked up to it, just tie some dummy wire to it and post a sign that says : "Electrocution Danger- If you touch this scaffold you will die, but it will take a while and it will really hurt the whole time you're dying." :shifty:


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## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

loneframer said:


> I have more experience than I'd care to.:laughing:
> 
> My neighbor across the street had one. They also had a couple really good looking daughters, so the boys in the hood spent plenty of time over there.
> 
> Anywho, every once in a while someone would be caught to close to the fence and someone else would grab them and the fence. It only takes a few times of your eyeballs coming out of their sockets to remember the fence and how wide your reach is.:w00t:


Well, that starts to explain a few things right there.:whistling

I always tried to tell myself that those shocks were in fact electro therapy. My wife seems to think I need more therapy...


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## stacker (Jan 31, 2006)

cover the bottom few rungs with vasilene or grease.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

i ain't using all my vaseline on that:w00t:


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

The big concern is therm "Attractive Nuisance" that the scaffold may have created and increased your liability in a legal sense.

Things like pools are usually covered if the owner complies the the normal legislative code requirements. A scaffolding system is not usually covered by similar public protective legislation, so there is some burden on the person erecting or owning it.

One way to minimize liability is to recognize a reasonable way to prevent access, but nothing is "bullet-proof" if someone is hurt ot dies and it goes to court. Even though it is sign of a temporary construction problem, a fence or visible barrier is put up, it could be taken as an attempt to to prevent any injury.

Unposted electrical shocking systems may help, but if the person does not knw about it, how can it be a deterrent?


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## stacker (Jan 31, 2006)

tomstruble said:


> i ain't using all my vaseline on that:w00t:


i was kidding about that.but could you imagine the looks on those kids faces when they grabbed it and tried to pull themselves up on it and landed flat on their backside.


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## jmedgar (Dec 31, 2008)

You do have a liability issue. Typically, in those situations, we erect a temporary 8' fence and post the area no trespassing. This will not protect you 100%, but it does help. Your budget may not support a fence, but is there any way you can make the first stage inaccessible without compromising the integrity of the scaffolding? You don't have to keep the kids off, you just have to make reasonable efforts to keep the kids off.


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## ZachElwood (Nov 8, 2010)

Anyone ever try putting a fake security camera up? Or more than one? Then a couple signs saying 'This Area Under Video Surveillance'. My father put up a fake camera on his rural street to see if it would cut down on littering. It worked, and that camera is still attached to a pole on a rural road years later.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

You have a serious liability issue there. If kids are being able to access the job site, that means your site isnt protected enough. Orange fence wont suffice, id Call up those rent a fence company and enclose the scaffolding area with the fence. If someone gets hurt there, you are liable.


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## shanekw1 (Mar 20, 2008)

Put up a sign that says: "Job interviews up here".

Kids won't come within a block.


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## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

Scaffold is down and the main culprit did it once and someone spotted him taking a leak off the top walk board. About a week later the family moved to another town and that was the last problem I had.

I agree it would have been nice to totally fence it off and all, but church still met on Sundays and other occasions. I had to remove a brace so they could come and go through the front door. 

Wasn't the best situation but fortunately I finished the job and no one got hurt.


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## eliteconcrete (Nov 6, 2010)

mudpad said:


> You don't need to have real power hooked up to it, just tie some dummy wire to it and post a sign that says : "Electrocution Danger- If you touch this scaffold you will be hurt"


This is a great suggestion - insinuate real danger without the liability of a real electric fence.


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

What kind of contractors are you? hahahahah This thread shoudl be sticky just for the comments in here


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