If you've decided to hire a scaffold to work on the outside of your home, then you probably initially planned to just book the basics. However, there are some scaffolding accessories, like rubbish chutes, which can be useful for some jobs. How does this kind of chute work, and what are the benefits of using one?
What Is a Scaffolding Rubbish Chute?
A rubbish chute is a tube that fits up the side of the scaffolding. It has a hopper hole at the top that you use to throw in rubbish. This then slides down the tube until it comes out of the bottom into a bin, skip or another storage receptacle.
While some chutes come in one piece, some are sized to fit by clamping smaller tubes together. Chutes can be made of metals or hard or soft plastics.
Why Use a Rubbish Chute?
Some jobs don't create that much rubbish. For example, if you're using scaffolding to paint your home's exterior walls, then you probably won't generate that much stuff to throw away. You probably wouldn't need a chute for this kind of job.
However, a chute can be a real time-saver if you will create a lot of rubbish on the job. For example, if you're removing tiles or bits of cladding, then you need to get the stuff you take off down to ground level. If you use a chute, you simply chuck it down as you work and then empty the bin when it is full.
This can make your work on the scaffold safer. If you have to store a lot of rubbish on the platform until you're ready to take it down, then you use up space. The rubbish could get in your way as you're working; you could trip or fall if you forget it's there and knock against it or back into it.
Accidents like this could also see rubbish fall off the scaffolding itself. Anything that drops from a height is a hazard for anyone who happens to be underneath.
You may also find that getting rubbish off the scaffold is a tricky job. If you're using a ladder to get up and down, then you have to find a safe way to do this while you're carrying the rubbish. You're more likely to lose your footing and fall if you have things to carry.
For more advice on whether you should hire a chute, talk to domestic scaffolding suppliers.