General Requirements for All Scaffolds

A.      General Requirements for All Scaffolds:

1.                     Scaffolds shall be furnished and erected for persons engaged in work that cannot be done safely from the ground or from solid construction.

2.                     The footing or anchorage for scaffolds shall be sound, rigid and capable of carrying the maximum intended load without settling or displacement. Unstable objects such as barrels, boxes, loose brick, concrete blocks shall not be used to support scaffolds or planks.

3.                     Scaffolds and their components shall be capable of supporting without failure at least four times the maximum intended load.

4.                     Any scaffold damaged or weakened from any cause shall be immediately repaired and shall not be used until repairs have been completed.

5.                     Scaffolds shall not be loaded in excess of the working load for which they are intended.

6.                     All load-carrying timber members of scaffold framing shall be a minimum of 1,500 fiber (stress grade).

7.                     Nails or bolts used in the construction of scaffolds shall be of adequate size and in sufficient numbers at each connection to develop the designed strength of the scaffolds. Nails shall not be subjected to a straight pull and shall be driven full length.

8.                     All planking or platforms shall be overlapped (minimum 12 inches) or secured from movement.

9.                     An access ladder or equivalent safe access shall be provided.

10.                Scaffold planks shall extend over their end supports not less than 6 inches nor more than 12 inches.

11.                Employees shall not work on scaffolds during storms or high winds.

12.                Tools, materials, and debris shall not be allowed to accumulate in quantities to cause hazard.

13.                Wire or fiber rope used for scaffold suspension shall be capable of supporting at least six times the intended load.

14.                OSHA has determined a 10 - foot fall protection for scaffolding.

15.                Scaffolds cannot be erected, used, closer than 10 feet (3.1m) near energized power lines. (from 300 v to 50 kv).

16.                OSHA requires that scaffolding must always be secure when height of the scaffold exceeds four (4) times the minimum base width.

A load of scaffolding:

O.S.H.A. requires that a scaffold be designed with a 4 to 1 safety factor. This safety factor should be included in the maximum load capacities recommended by the manufacturer.

1.                 The use of the scaffold is being put to OSHA defines the design load to be applied to each working level depending on use.

A.               Light Duty – 25 pounds per square foot of work platform. This is for trades such as painting, window cleaning, etc.

B.               Medium Duty – 50 pounds per square foot of work platform for trades such as plastering, etc.

C.               Heavy Duty – 75 pounds per square foot of work platform for trades such as masons, stone setters, etc., where heavy material loads will be put on the work platform.

These loads must then be appointed to the structure depending on the area of the platform.

2.                 The number or work platforms which will be used simultaneously above each other. The sum of the loads per working platform must then be added and applied to the structure.

3.                 The height of the scaffold. The self-weight of all components of the scaffold must be added.

Total Load Applied:

The total load applied is the sum of the working platform loads plus the self-weight of the scaffold. (dead load + live load)

Material loads should be evenly distributed on platforms and not concentrated in one small area.