Professional Documents
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Scaffolding Safety (Erecting and Dismantling)
Scaffolding Safety (Erecting and Dismantling)
Safety
Erecting & Dismantling
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Introduction
As a person who erects and dismantles scaffolding, your
safety - and the safety of those who will work on the
scaffold - depends on your ability to closely follow the
minimum safety requirements for constructing and using
scaffolds.
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Introduction
The scaffold system you erect will support many workers
and allow them to carry out their job functions. How well
you follow proper procedures and safe work practices
while erecting scaffolds will have a direct affect on their
safety. If you have any questions about erecting or
dismantling scaffolding, ask your supervisor.
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Pre-planning
It is important that thorough pre-planning takes place
before scaffolding is erected. This should include:
• Evaluation and Preparation of the Site
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Pre-planning
• Is the surface level and sound?
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Pre-planning
• Are there any nearby electrical power lines?
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Pre-planning
• What type of pedestrian, vehicular, or equipment traffic
will be in the area?
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Scaffolding Inspection
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Scaffolding Inspection
Items to Check
Some areas to inspect include the following:
• Are planks and wood components free of splits, rot, burns,
warps, splintering, oil, or paint and opaque finishes that
could cover potential defects.
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Scaffolding Inspection
CAUTION!
• Any defective parts must not be used.
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Load Capacity
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Load Capacity
• The scaffold and each scaffold component must be capable
of supporting four times the maximum intended load. This
includes all personnel, equipment, and supplies.
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Load Capacity
• All suspension ropes and connecting hardware must be
capable of supporting at least six times the maximum
intended load.
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Platform Construction
The platform surface that supports workers and materials
on the scaffold is called planks. Planks are usually made
of steel, aluminum, or wood. Wood scaffold planks
should be 2 by 10 inches, scaffold plank grade, and
stamped by an agency approved by the American
Lumber Standards Committee. Any unsafe planks should
be removed from service and clearly marked or made
unusable.
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Platform Construction
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Platform Construction
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Platform Construction
• The front edge of the platform must be no more than 14
inches from the face of the work, unless guardrails are used
along the front edge and/or personal fall arrest systems are
used.
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Platform Construction
• When platforms are overlapped to create a long platform,
the overlap must occur only over supports and must be at
least 12 inches, unless the platforms are restrained to
prevent movement.
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Supported Scaffolds
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Supported Scaffolds
• All supported scaffold poles, legs, posts, frames, and
uprights must bear on base plates, mud sills, or other
firm foundation.
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Supported Scaffolds
• Never use cinder blocks, bricks, gravel, loose fill, or other
means for leveling uneven surfaces, or providing a
foundation for the base plate.
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Suspension Scaffolds
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Suspension Scaffolds
The following are some general requirements for
suspension scaffolds:
Ropes
• NEVER use repaired wire rope as
suspension rope.
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Suspension Scaffolds
Support Devices
• All suspension scaffold support devices (such as outrigger
beams, cornice hooks, and parapet clamps) must rest on
surfaces that are capable of supporting four times the load
imposed on them.
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Suspension Scaffolds
Outrigger Beams
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Suspension Scaffolds
Counterweights
• Never use sand, gravel, or other materials that can
be easily dislocated as counterweights. Only objects
specifically designed as counterweights must be
used.
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Access Requirements
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Access Requirements
• When the scaffold platform is more than two feet above or
below a point of access, then a portable ladder, stairway,
ramp, or other means of access that does not affect the
scaffold’s stability must be used.
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Access Requirements
Portable, Hook-On, and Attachable Ladders
• Place hook-on and attachable ladders so their bottom rung
is not more than 24 inches above the scaffold support level.
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Access Requirements
Integral Prefabricated Scaffold
Access Frames
• Rungs on integral prefabricated scaffold access frames
must be at least 8 inches long.
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Access Requirements
Stairtowers (Scaffold Stairway/Towers)
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Access Requirements
Stairtowers (Scaffold Stairway/Towers)
• Each side of the scaffold stairway must have a stair rail
that includes a toprail and a midrail. Stair rails must be
between 28 inches and 37 inches in height, from the top
of the stair rail to the surface of the thread.
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Access Requirements
Stairtowers (Scaffold Stairway/Towers)
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Access Requirements
Ramps and Walkways
• All ramps and walkways that are six feet or more above
lower levels must have guardrails.
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Access Requirements
Access for Supported Scaffolds
• When erecting or dismantling a scaffold, a safe means of
access must be provided, if possible. A competent person
will determine this based on site conditions and the type
of scaffold being erected or dismantled.
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Access Requirements
Access for Supported Scaffolds
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Fall Protection
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Fall Protection
Guardrail Systems
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Fall Protection
Guardrail Systems
• The top edge height on supported scaffolds
manufactured or in service before that date, and on all
suspended scaffolds where both a guardrail and
personal fall arrest system are required, must be
installed between 36 and 45 inches.
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Fall Protection
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
• When engineering controls, such as guardrails and safety
nets cannot protect you from fall hazards, then a personal
fall arrest system must be used. In the construction
industry, a personal fall arrest system is required at
heights of 6 feet or more.
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Fall Protection
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
• The personal fall arrest system must limit free fall to
six feet or less.
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Fall Protection
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
• The anchor point must be able to support 5,000 pounds
per attached worker. When vertical lifelines are used,
the anchor point must be independent of the scaffold.
Standpipes, vents, other piping systems, electrical
conduits, outrigger beams, and counterweights are
NOT considered safe points of anchorage.
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Falling Object Protection
A hard hat must be worn whenever there is a possibility
of being struck by falling objects, impact while handling
material at head level, or other situations where the
danger of injuries to the head exists. OSHA
(Occupational Safety and Health Administrator)
recommends that if a hard hat is needed anywhere on the
job site, then you should wear it at all times.
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Falling Object Protection
• If tools, materials, or equipment could fall and strike
employees below, then the area must be barricaded
and unauthorized personnel must not be allowed to
enter. If the platform is more than 10 feet above a
lower level, then toeboards must be used.
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Falling Object Protection
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Dismantling Scaffolding
All scaffolds must be dismantled only under the
supervision or direction of a competent person who is
qualified.
• Before dismantling scaffolding, check that it was erected
properly and that no structural alterations were made.
• Make sure the correct number of ties and braces are in place.
• Check that all planks are correctly seated and will not fall as
you remove other planks.
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Dismantling Scaffolding
• Lower all components to the ground by rope, hoist, or man-
to-man. Never throw the parts to the ground.
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