Scaffolding - Structures that are Built
in a Day
Sealant Waterproofing and Restoration Institute, Member Briefs
April 2006
By Marc Brewer, Safety Resources, Inc.
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Nothing good comes from a scaffold collapsing. What was an
effective work platform; suddenly becomes a landslide of twisting steel and
crushing wood. A collapsing scaffold can destroy trucks, equipment, even
buildings and is ranked as one of the major causes of death on construction
sites. The five most serious scaffold hazards are: Falls, Unsafe access, Falling
objects, Electrocution, and Scaffold collapse. Those five things are a lot to
consider when you are just trying to go to work everyday, but the important
thing is that you go home that night as well. OSHA does require that anyone
working on or even near a scaffold be trained on scaffold safety. It is
important that anyone using or working in the vicinity of a scaffold realize the
danger that is present. The following are safe work practices for working with
scaffolding but realize that these just scratch the surface and there are many
more items to consider in order to work safely.
Safety Tips for Scaffolding
- Be sure to have a secure stable base• Make sure there
are no missing pieces (i.e. guardrails, pins, base plates, etc.)
- Inspect scaffold for changes, shifting, and damage at
the beginning of each shi and throughout the day
- Be sure employees are accessing the scaffold by
approved means (i.e. not climbing on the cross bracing)
- Be aware of dangerous conditions like snow, ice, and
high winds
Next time you use or work near a scaffold remember to
inspect, especially if you were not involved with the setup. Inspection should
be done at the beginning of each shi and the scaffold should be tagged at the
point of access. Just like a stop light: green means go, a yellow tag means use
caution and get approval from the competent person before accessing the
scaffold, and red means stop, under no circumstances should you be on the
scaffold. So every time you use a scaffold don’t forget to look for the tag, and
even if it is a green tag you should still be looking and inspecting because
like everything else, things change.