Scaffolding Safety

Scaffolding failures are catastrophic and almost always the result of shortcuts taken during erection or inspections skipped when conditions changed. A properly erected scaffold is one of the safest working platforms on a jobsite: an improperly erected one is a trap waiting to be sprung.

1. Scaffolding must be erected, moved, disassembled, or altered only by a competent person, and inspected by a competent person before every shift.
2. All planks must be tightly decked with no gaps. Use scaffold-grade planks or manufactured decking. Never dimensional lumber as a makeshift platform.
3. Guardrails are required on all scaffolds 10 feet or more above the lower level: top rail, mid-rail, and toe board are all required.
4. Know your scaffold's rated capacity before loading. The scaffold must support its own weight plus four times the maximum intended load.
5. Never use a scaffold during high winds, ice, snow, or electrical storms. Inspect after any storm before resuming work.
6. Access must be provided by a built-in ladder, staircase, or frame access. Climbing on cross-braces is never permitted.
7. Tie the scaffold to the structure at regular intervals: every 26 feet of height for tube-and-coupler and frame scaffolds: to prevent overturning.