RM Online - What you need to know about scaffolding

The rental market for scaffolding equipment traditionally has been contractor-based. That is shifting steadily toward homeowner applications, which means rental companies have a two-fold opportunity: expanding the use of existing inventory and/or expanding inventory to meet the market growth.

"We are seeing a definite expansion in the homeowner end of the business for scaffold rentals," says Chuck Hutchinson, vice president, sales and marketing, for Bil-Jax, Archbold, Ohio. "Traditionally, rental centers have tended to be more contractor-based with scaffold products or services, but that is changing."

As a result, manufacturers are seeing a high interest in multipurpose products, Hutchinson says. "Sales of utility-type scaffolds that focus on more multipurpose rental applications are hot because they are extremely popular with both homeowners and contractors.

"These products are relatively easy to put together, they can be used on stairs and they are great for doing ceiling and installation work," Hutchinson says. "They are also easy to store, and the nice thing is that they are easy to transport - there are no trucks required."

They also carry a high ROI because of their high utilization rates.

"I've always felt rental centers should manage inventory based on utilization as a way to monitor return on investment," says Hutchinson. "When we talk to people about renting scaffolding, we stress the very high return on investment due to the wide variety of applications. In addition, scaffolding equipment is relatively inexpensive to buy and does not require much maintenance."

Perry Manufacturing, Indianapolis, which mainly targets interior contractors with its scaffold line, also has recognized a shift toward more usage by what Greg Chambers, vice president, marketing, calls "serious DIYers."

"Unlike contractors, homeowners generally do not own scaffolding. Therefore a rental center's sales staff should insist on providing complete systems, including all of the safety rails, full decking and adjusting screws," says Marty Coughlin, executive vice president and COO, Waco Scaffolding and Equipment, Cleveland.

Scaffold systems are being used more and more for applications traditionally done with ladders, he says.

"And today, DIYers tend to use what they see on job sites," says Hutchinson. "When jobs require working at more than 8 to 10 feet, people don't want to use a ladder anymore."

So rental store employees are faced with a marketing situation. They need to know how and when to suggest a scaffold rental where a ladder might ordinarily be used.

"Rental employees have to let customers know there are safe ways of accessing without using ladders," Chambers says. "It means becoming knowledgeable about all scaffold products kept in the inventory and making sure they are compliant with OSHA regulations - there's a definite learning curve for employees."

Once you're familiar with what scaffolding can do, Chambers suggests making a list of the pluses and minuses of ladders and scaffolding.

"Normally, I always recommend scaffolding when the job involves more than just a couple of minutes to do," Chambers says. "The rental store employee also needs to consider how high the work is and the area allowed for the job."

Hutchinson suggests marketing specifically to homeowners by displaying counter cards that show various home applications for scaffolds. "Rental stores can bring in a lot of increased business by just provoking thought in the minds of customers," he says. "The communications need to make people say, 'Hey, this would make that job a lot easier,'" he says.

Chambers also suggests that rental stores should be more proactive about this kind of education. "Rental stores miss a lot of opportunities by not talking about possible applications with local contractors and other potential customers. For example, they could sponsor a tool night at a particular location or store, and demonstrate applications."

"The approach to guiding customers should be strictly job-related because that will drive the decision-making process," Hutchinson says. Showing the cost difference is especially important when scaffolding is used instead of self-propelled aerial equipment.

Attached to all this education is the importance of safety Chambers says. "OSHA has focused on scaffold safety, and it's a requirement of the rental employee to understand fully the manufacturer's instructions and OSHA requirements."

"Rental center sales staff should provide written safety instructions and warnings along with a thorough explanation of erection procedures," Coughlin says. "The sales staff should be comfortable that each customer, including homeowners, fully

understands the proper erection and safe use of scaffolding products."

Organizations like the Scaffolding Industry Association and the Scaffold Training Institute offer full training programs that include a number of courses, videos and materials, all tuned to OSHA regulations and occupational safety codes as well as state and local statutes. Contact the Scaffolding Industry Association at (818) 786-3027.

Due to the seriousness of safety compliance requirments, many companies have turned this into a real positive by offering scaffold erection/dismantling crews. "Some manufacturers and rental companies alike run these crews and make more money that way," Chambers says. "From a geographical standpoint, it might make sense to have dedicated crews, especially where large industrial applications are plentiful."