Scaffolding safety apparatus and method of installation

Abstract

A safety apparatus capable of installation around the top level of a scaffolding from one scaffolding level below includes a plurality of support posts and rails. The support posts each have a set of hooks for pivotably attaching rails, and are each capable of attachment to a scaffolding by workers at a lower level so that a portion of the support post extends above the scaffolding's top level work surface. Apparatus installation entails pivotably attaching rails to a first support post, which is raised to the edge of the scaffolding and attached. A second support post is then pivotably attached to the free ends of the rails and similarly raised and attached to form a barrier along one edge of the scaffolding. Auxiliary rails may be pivotably attached to an installed support post from the lower level, and the free ends of these auxiliary rails may be pivotably attached to a third support post, which may then be raised and attached to form an adjacent safety barrier. A final barrier may be erected by way of a finishing post, which may be used to attach auxiliary rails to a previously installed support post. An advantage of the apparatus is that no workers are required to be present atop an unsafe top level of a scaffolding while safety barriers are being installed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A safety apparatus for installation at a top level of scaffolding, comprising: 
 (a) a support post having: 
 (i) at least one rail connector to which a rail may be connected; and  
 (ii) at least one scaffolding connector arranged for connecting said support post to scaffolding below said top level of said scaffolding such that said at least one rail connector is situated above said top level of said scaffolding.  
   
     
     
         2 . The safety apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 (b) a rail, including: 
 (i) a post connector arranged so as to be freely joined and released by said at least one rail connector when said rail makes a first angle with said post and so as to be, after being joined to said at least one rail connector, unreleasably joined to said at least one rail connector when said rail makes a second angle with said post.  
   
     
     
         3 . The safety apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 (b) a finishing post, including: 
 (i) at least one finishing post rail connector to which a rail may be connected; and  
 (ii) at least one post connector arranged for connecting said finishing post to said support post from below said top level of said scaffolding such that said at least one finishing post rail connector is situated above said top level of said scaffolding.  
   
     
     
         4 . The safety apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one scaffolding connector comprises a downwardly opening U-bracket for resting on a horizontal member of said scaffolding.  
     
     
         5 . The safety apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one scaffolding connector further comprises a depending tether and a tether connector for releasably holding a free end of said tether, said tether and tether connector arranged such that said tether may be wrapped around said horizontal member below said downward opening of said U-bracket and then held by said tether connector.  
     
     
         6 . The safety apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a rail having an slot with a major axis making a non-zero angle with a longitudinal axis of said rail.  
     
     
         7 . The safety apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said slot is a first slot at a first end of said rail with a major axis making a first angle with said longitudinal axis of said rail, and further comprising a second slot at a second end of said rail with a major axis making a second non-zero angle with said longitudinal axis of said rail.  
     
     
         8 . The safety apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said first angle is approximately 45 degrees.  
     
     
         9 . The safety apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said major axis of said first slot is substantially parallel to said major axis of said second slot.  
     
     
         10 . The safety apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one rail connector comprises a hook which lies in a horizontal plane when said support post is upright.  
     
     
         11 . The safety apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said hook is a J-shaped hook.  
     
     
         12 . A safety apparatus for installation at a top level of scaffolding, comprising: 
 (a) a support post having: 
 (i) rail connecting means for connecting at least one rail; and  
 (ii) scaffolding connecting means for connecting said support post to said scaffolding below said top level of said scaffolding such that said rail connecting means is situated above said top level of said scaffolding.  
   
     
     
         13 . The safety apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 (b) a rail, including: 
 (i) post connecting means arranged so as to be freely joined and released by said rail connecting means when said rail makes a first angle with said post and so as to be, after being joined to said rail connecting means, unreleasably joined to said rail connecting means when said rail makes a second angle with said post.  
   
     
     
         14 . The safety apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 (c) a finishing post, including: 
 (i) means for connecting at least one rail; and  
 (ii) means for connecting said finishing post to said support post from below said top level of said scaffolding such that said at means for connecting at least one rail extend above said top level of said scaffolding.  
   
     
     
         15 . A method of erecting safety apparatus at a top level of scaffolding, comprising: 
 (a) attaching an end of at least one rail to a first support post;    (b) attaching said first support post to said scaffolding from a level below said top level such that said end of said at least one rail extends above said top level of said scaffolding;    (c) attaching an opposite end of said at least one rail to a second support post; and    (d) attaching said second support post to said scaffolding from said level below said top level such that said at least one rail extends above said top level of said scaffolding.    
     
     
         16 . The method of erecting safety apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one rail is as claimed in  claim 7 , each of said first and second support posts is as claimed in  claim 10 , and said attaching of step (a) comprises passing said first slot at said first end of said at least one rail over said at least one hook of said first support post, and said attaching of step (c) comprises passing said second slot at said second end of said at least one rail over said at least one hook of said second support post such that during said attaching of step (d), said first and second slots are re-oriented with respect to said hooks of said first and second support posts so as to be unreleasable from said hooks of said first and second support posts.  
     
     
         17 . The method of erecting safety apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one rail is an at least one first rail and further comprising: 
 (a) attaching an end of at least one second rail to said second support post from a level below said top level of said scaffolding;    (b) attaching an opposite end of said at least one second rail to a third support post; and    (c) attaching said third support post to said scaffolding from said level below said top level such that said at least one second rail extends above said top level of said scaffolding.    
     
     
         18 . The method of erecting safety apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 (a) attaching a fourth support post to said scaffolding adjacent to said first attached support post from a level below said top level of said scaffolding;    (b) attaching an end of at least one third rail to either of said first support post or said fourth support post from a level below said top level of said scaffolding;    (c) attaching an opposite end of said at least one third rail to a finishing post; and    (d) attaching said finishing post to the other of said first support post and said fourth support post from said level below said top level such that said at least one third rail extends above said top level of said scaffolding.    
     
     
         19 . A protection bar for attachment across gaps in scaffolding support structure, comprising: 
 (a) an elongate member; and    (b) a scaffolding interconnection bracket depending from each end of said elongate member, each said scaffolding interconnection bracket being so arranged as to be attachable to an upright scaffolding member when said protection bar is inclined from the horizontal and so as to be, after being attached to said upright scaffolding member, non-detachable from said upright scaffolding member when said protection bar is oriented horizontally.    
     
     
         20 . The protection bar of  claim 19 , wherein each said scaffolding interconnection bracket comprises a U-shaped retaining bracket having a base attached at an end of said elongate member so as to be substantially orthogonal to said elongate member and two sides extending longitudinally from said base away from said elongate member, said two sides being sufficiently spaced from one another to permit an upright scaffolding member to be received between them.  
     
     
         21 . The protection bar of  claim 20 , wherein each said scaffolding interconnection bracket further comprises a support bracket having a transverse leg extending transversely across an open end of said U-shaped retaining bracket, said transverse leg being sufficiently longitudinally spaced from said U-shaped retaining bracket to allow an upright scaffolding member to be received therebetween.  
     
     
         22 . A telescoping bar for attachment across gaps in scaffolding support structure, comprising: 
 (a) a tube;    (b) a telescoping rod slidably received within a first end of said tube;    (c) biasing means mounted within said tube so as urge said telescoping rod to slide outwardly from said tube;    (d) limiting means to limit the outward sliding of said telescoping bar from within said tube;    (e) a first scaffolding interconnection bracket affixed to a second end of said tube; and    (f) a second scaffolding interconnection bracket affixed to the outer end of said telescoping rod.    
     
     
         23 . The safety apparatus capable of  claim 22 , wherein said first and second scaffolding interconnection bracket each comprise a U-shaped bracket capable of receiving an upright scaffolding member.  
     
     
         24 . A plank moving tool comprising: 
 (a) a lower arm;    (b) an upper arm parallel with said lower arm and offset rearwardly with respect to said upper arm; and    (c) a handle extending below said lower arm.    
     
     
         25 . The plank moving tool of  claim 24 , wherein said lower arm has at least one upwardly directed plank gripping element.  
     
     
         26 . The plank moving tool of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one upwardly directed plank gripping element comprises a plurality of teeth.