Scaffolds prove
indispensable when it comes to constructing or performing maintenance
on the outside of a building. A quality scaffold not only makes it
possible to reach the entire face of the wall, but it also gives you
a handy place to store tools and supplies while you work. Yet even a
well-installed scaffold comes with certain risks.
To minimize the
chances of injury, everybody working on a scaffold must understand
and obey basic safety protocols. If you have a building project that
involves you or your employees using a scaffold, keep reading. This
article outlines four useful tips for safety when mounting and
working from a scaffold.
One of the most
fundament aspects of scaffold safety involves creating as stable a
base as possible. Always be sure to install square metal base jacks
at the bottom of your scaffold frames. These jacks usually have a
threaded stem that allows you to adjust the height of each leg in
order to ensure that the scaffold ends up correctly leveled.
For the best
possible stability, don't stop at a metal base jack. Also place an
appropriately large block of wood beneath each base plate. This wood
helps to distribute the weight of the scaffolding across a greater
area, thus reducing the likelihood of one or more legs sinking down
into soft soil or pavement.
However, don't use
more than one block of wood. People who attempt to level their
scaffolds with stacks of wood - often in lieu of base jacks - create
a highly dangerous situation. Moreover, shimming up a scaffold leg
with wood blocks violates OSHA regulations governing the use of
unstable objects.
Most scaffolds have
climbing rungs at one or both of their ends. While these rungs permit
safe and reliable access for a stable scaffold, most contractors
agree that a safer option involves mounting your scaffold from an
adjacent ladder. Using a ladder eliminates the chance - however
unlikely - that the weight of a climber could unbalance the scaffold
and cause it to tip over.
Ladders also make a
far better choice for scaffolds whose planking overlaps the ends of
the scaffold. Attempting to climb up and around such projecting wood
puts workers at a greatly increased risk of falls. The same holds
true for scaffolds that do not contain a handhold above the platform,
which makes safely mounting the scaffold more difficult.
Once you have
mounted your scaffold, your safety depends on the quality of the wood
planks used to form your decking. To begin with, cover the entire
width of the scaffold with planks. By doing so, you increase your
working area, while reducing the risk of somebody misstepping and
slipping down past the guard rails.
You must also pay
particular care to the wood used to construct your platforms.
Generally speaking, construction-grade lumber does not meet OSHA's
stringent criteria for scaffold safety. Instead, look for planking
specifically designated as scaffold-grade. Such lumber tends to have
a much higher weight capacity and more precisely cut dimensions.
You can find
numerous types of scaffolds. Even within the narrower realm of
systems scaffolding, a variety of different systems exist, including
Cuplock, Kwikstage, Haki, and Staircase Tower scaffolding. No matter
how compatible two different scaffold styles may seem, resist the
temptation to mix and match components, as the result may lack the
necessary stability.
Those who ignore the
dangers inherent in using a scaffold have greater risks. Wise people
strictly adhere to basic safety protocols. For more information about
what it takes to install and work from a scaffold safely, please
contact the pros
at Pacific Scaffold Company.
