Dear Friends,
A safetyman should have basic engineering background. Scaffolds are designed to hold weight depending upon intended use. We give a factor of safety too because of the risk of failure.
Standards are the ones to bear the load. Standards will be resting on the ground. Since we use only pipes as standards which will rest on the ground surface there will be limited area of contact on ground to support the entire load coming over it. On loading the ground surface may easily give way with the limited area of contact of the pipe. We need to expand the area of contact on the ground for which we use base plate under standards over concrete/asphalt, or other solid surfaces. Where the surface on which the scaffold is erected is not solid enough we also use sole boards.
With the U head shown:
1. There will be limited area of contact.
2. The load bearing capacity of the supporting plate is questionable. On load it may also open up. Side plates are not intended to take any load but only to hold the section in position.
Because of the above issues it is not advisable to use it as shown.
Not only engineers but the nature itself designs every organism with very many components. Every component has its intended use.
Can anyone walk upside down on your head? Head is designed to serve a definite purpose and so also the feet.
Hope this gives a satisfactory explanation.
Regards,
Kesava Pillai