Toolbox Talk: Scaffolding Safety
An estimated 2.3 million construction workers, or 65 percent of the construction industry, work on scaffolds. Protecting these workers from scaffold-related accidents may prevent some of the 4,500 injuries and more than 60 deaths that occur every year (Bureau of Labor Statistics). In addition, falls from scaffolds cause injuries ranging from sprains or strains to broken bones to death.
Many of these injuries could have been prevented if every person using a scaffold followed some basic guidelines:
1. Follow all local codes, ordinances, and regulations about scaffolding.
2. Be sure you inspect all equipment before use and daily thereafter. Check for cracks or bent parts, connectors, bracing, guard rails, access ladders, and especially footings. NEVER use any equipment that has been damaged. Be sure the scaffold is not overloaded.
3. NEVER ride a rolling scaffold and be sure to lock or block the wheels after moving it.
4. The working platform height of a scaffold must not exceed four times the minimum base dimension unless adequately secured to a structure.
5. Keep platforms and the area around the scaffold free of debris and unnecessary material or other hazards that could cause you to trip or fall.
6. Be sure to plank all work areas and only use lumber that is graded as scaffold plank.
7. Never allow unsupported ends of planks to extend an unsafe distance beyond supports and be sure all planks are secured so they cannot be dislodged.
8. Fasten all braces securely and do not mismatch side braces.
9. Provide overhead protection if there is a hazard above the work area.
10. Don’t use scaffolds near power lines (stay clear a minimum distance of 10 feet).
11. Check access. If your scaffold is not equipped with a built-in ladder be sure to have a safe means to ascend and descend.
