FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where is it made?
Light Bulb Scaffolding™ is made in the USA at the manufacturing plant of Non-Stop Scaffolding in Shreveport, LA.
What is the capacity?
The maximum capacity on the top platform at 150 feet high is 800 pounds (men and equipment).
How high can it go?
The maximum allowable height is 150 feet with guy wires.
I’ve never heard of the Light Bulb Scaffold™ System. How long has it been around?
The LBS was introduced in August 2010. In its short time on the market, the Light Bulb Scaffold™ System has proven to be indispensable in all sorts of applications:
• It’s used by Madison Square Garden to change LED scoreboard panels between seating levels in the few hours between games. It’s the perfect stadium scaffolding. Outside scaffold contractors are too slow and too expensive, taking days to do the job. They say they save over $5,000 every time their electricians use it.
• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema was faced with having to change out all their fire sprinkler heads. Rather than close their theaters for days, the LBS allowed them to do the job in hours.
• Many systems are in use by the US Government for security work at our embassies overseas.
• NBC Studios in NYC uses it for sound, lighting, etc.
• The new World Trade Center bought two systems for maintenance and installations.
• Electricians and theater service companies.
• Many universities for all campus maintenance.
• Independent school districts for auditoriums and gyms.
• 2012 Winner of Best Facility Maintenance Product at Worship Facilities Expo.
Do my workers have to take an OSHA trainging course to use it?
The answer is no, but we do provide OSHA-compliant training. It is in the form of our manual, and the test at the end of the manual. Your men will set up the tower according to the manual, and then take the test and sign it. Many have mistaken our system for conventional frame scaffolding and naturally think that a 30-hour training course may be required. In fact, OSHA only requires that your workers be trained, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, in the proper use of the exact equipment in use. This system is completely different than typical frame scaffolding. It consists of a single, highly-simplified tower. There is no need for a full–blown training course that would teach your men how to erect scaffolding 100 feet long and 80 feet high.
Can I get a card to prove my men know how to use it?
OSHA does not require written proof of training, although many trainers supply cards at the completion of a course. If a general contractor’s safety person asks for written proof of training, the signed test has always sufficed. However, if someone is demanding to see a card, we can issue a personalized card to each man who has learned the system.
How much working room does it have on the platform?
3′-3″ by 5 feet. That’s 20 square feet. Plenty of room for 2 men, their tools, and materials – 800 lbs. max. Compare that with electric lifts that barely give you 4 square feet and have a 350 lb. capacity. In addition, the Light Bulb Scaffold™ can go over 100 feet high. Most electric lifts will not go over 40 feet.
Is it stable?
Yes. The frame sections pin together as it’s built, giving you a solid tower with no sway. In addition, the 35-pound frames are 5 feet apart rather than the usual 7-foot spacing found on bulky 70-pound construction scaffolding. That makes it much more comfortable for men building and working on the scaffold. They can always maintain 3-point contact with the structure by grabbing both frames at the same time. They feel much more safe and secure.
Why is it green?
The other scaffolding products we make are painted green. Everything is dip-painted in vats for 100% coverage. You can re-paint the entire system any color you want without causing any problems with fit-up. Please don’t paint the walking surface of the walkboards. They have a built-in non-slip surface.
Why don’t you powder coat your components so they will be nice and pretty?
That’s a great question. Our commercial scaffold customers are not interested in pretty, they want longevity. Powder coating is not the best finish for the outdoor scaffolding products that we make – it’s too thin. We dip-paint everything so it’s covered inside and out for the best rust-resistance. Powder coating doesn’t do that. You may see a few runs on our components, but it’s a thicker finish that will last, even if you store your system outside.
What size are the storage racks?
The rolling Board and Brace Rack is about 28 inches wide by 79 inches long by 36 inches high. The rolling Frame Rack holds all the frames and is about 32 inches wide by 52 inches long by 72 inches high. Either one will roll through a standard 3-foot door to go right to where you need it.
What size trailer do I need to transport it?
Any 5 by 8 utility trailer will do the job.
Can I haul it in a pickup truck?
See the rack sizes above. Some pickups will haul them both at once, some won’t.
Can I put casters on the legs?
Yes, the system comes with 6 heavy-duty 800-lb. casters. DO NOT roll the tower while anyone is on it, have them climb down first.
Can I move the tower around in a theater while it’s standing?
Yes, but use some common sense. Have everyone climb down first. The system comes with locking swivel casters so you can roll it along a row of seating. You can quickly shift the legs and casters around and roll up and down a 4-foot-wide aisle.
How long does it take to build it?
That depends on high you’re going, of course, but an experienced crew (two men who have done it twice before) can build it 30 feet high in about 25 minutes. Taking it down goes faster.
How does the price of the LBS compare to electric lifts?
Most electric lifts that will go as high as the Light Bulb Scaffold™ system sell for about $11,000 or more. The complete Light Bulb Scaffold™ System, to reach a bulb 54 feet high, is about half that, about $5500. In addition, there is NO maintenance and the entire system has a Lifetime Warranty. Sometimes electric lifts are faster, but electric lifts can’t go all the places the Light Bulb Scaffold™ System can go (like up in balconies).
Aren’t electric lifts faster?
Yes and no. The Light Bulb Scaffold™ system goes everywhere electric lifts can go, and everywhere they can’t go. That means you can own one system for all the places you need to change bulbs and perform maintenance, at half the cost of an electric lift, with NO future maintenance costs. The LBS System may take about 10 or 15 minutes longer to reach a bulb, but it’s the most economical system in the long run.
The main complaints we hear about electric lifts are that they don’t work when you pull them out (dead batteries, faulty limit switches, and missing parts). Some facilities no longer allow them in carpeted areas after spilled battery acid and hydraulic oil leaks.
Are the parts heavy – is it hard to assemble?
No. The heaviest part, the frame, weighs only 35 pounds. The reason it’s so easy to assemble is because all the parts are brought up using a gin pole with a rope and pulley. The man on the ground pulls the rope to send the frames up, and the man up top simply guides them into place. There is no heavy lifting up top, or on the ground. Assembly instructions.
Do I have to buy any special tools for the LBS?
No. In fact, you erect the tower with NO TOOLS at all, but a crescent wrench sometimes helps.
Does it come with guardrails?
Yes. The LBS uses special guardrail posts that allow you to install guardrails at the proper height no matter what rung you put the platform on.
Can I use your base structure with the standard scaffold frames I already own?
No, and there are some very good reasons why you shouldn’t try to do that:
1. The Light Bulb Scaffold™ system uses a special light-weight (35 lbs.), but super-strong frame that is much easier to handle than conventional scaffold frames. Construction scaffold frames can weigh 75 pounds each!
2. The LBS frames set up up on 5-foot spacing rather than the usual 7-foot spacing of construction scaffold frames. This closer spacing makes assembly go faster and easier for workers who may not be used to working at height . The fact that they can put both hands on both frames at the same time and maintain 3-point contact at all times makes the difference between someone who fells safe and secure, and someone who feels wobbly and unsteady.
3. Setting up on 5-foot centers makes it much easier to handle the 22-pound walk platforms and build the deck as you go up.
4. When assembled, the LBS system gives you a 4-foot by 5-foot work platform supported by a 7-foot square base structure. This geometry yields a much more stable structure than you would get with standard scaffold frames.
How much is freight?
We will get a shipping quote based on your zip code and call you back with the amount, usually in about 15 minutes. If you have an inbound discount with a carrier you prefer, you can use them. Shipping usually runs from $300 to $900. The system is shipped from our factory here in Shreveport, LA 71104.
Do you accept credit cards?
Yes, you can pay using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. Check out pricing by clicking here.
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The Light Bulb Scaffold™ system meets all OSHA and ANSI scaffold standards.