Builders and Contractors Exchange
Weekly Bulletin: 10 May 2004
OSHA - Safety Requirements With Regard To Scaffolds
By: Katharina Brekke Powers
In March 2004 OSHA cited three companies more than $671,500.00 in proposed or final fines for failing to protect workers against risks of falling from scaffolding. Scaffolding violations remain the most frequently cited safety hazard in construction and the significant penalties demonstrate OSHA's commitment to protect the health and safety of American workers. Every year an average of 362 fatal falls occur and makes it the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. See www.osha.gov. Many of these accidents happen because of scaffolding without proper fall protection.
These accidents may be avoided by some easy steps including but not limited to:
- constructing all scaffolding according to the manufacturer's instructions;
- installing guardrail systems along open sides and ends of platforms unless appropriate exceptions apply;
- using at least one of the following for scaffolding more than 10 feet above a lower level:
- guardrail systems
- fall arrest systems
Subpart L of 29 CFR 1926.450 et seq. sets forth the requirements and criteria for fall protection with regard to most scaffolding used in the workplace. This part of the CFR can be found at www.osha.gov. This subpart does not apply to crane- or derrick-suspended personnel platforms, which are covered by 1926.550(g). In accordance with the regulation, all employees must be provided with fall protection when the distance they may fall exceeds 10 feet. However, exempted from this rule are employees engaged in the erection and dismantling of supported scaffolds. This requirement applies regardless of the size of the scaffold. Unless specified otherwise, any form of fall protection may be used. Keep in mind that the standard requires a personal fall arrest system for certain scaffolds, such as ladder jack scaffolds. Furthermore, note that scaffolds, such as single point and two point suspension scaffolds are required to have fall protection that consists of a personal fall arrest system and a guardrail system.
The employer shall have each employee who performs work while on a scaffold trained by a person qualified in the this type of work and who recognizes the hazards involved and associated with the type of scaffold used. The employee should also be trained in procedures involved to control or minimize any hazard involved.
Contractors who are not familiar with fall-protection standards should review the following guide available on the OSHA web-site
"A Guide to Scaffold Use in the Construction Industry" at www.osha.gov/.../osha3150.pdf.
Questions?
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This article is meant to bring awareness to this topic and is not intended to be used as legal advice.