
You know one of the most astounding and most aggravating things about the Bureau of Labor Statistics is the data is usually 3-4 years old. I mean come on! we can send a rocket into space and land back on a barge in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, but we cannot compile current labor statistics. What are they doing using an abacus and sticks? But I digress, this article is about scaffolds. From what I can tell in 2018 there were 791 reported fatalities[1] related to falls, 62 were related to scaffolds. 72% of workers injured in scaffold accidents attributed the accident either to the planking or support giving way, or to the employee slipping or being struck by a falling object.
OSHA recognizes scaffolds standards in all three industry classifications.
1. General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
2. Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926)
3. Maritime
a) Shipyard Employment (29 CFR 1915)
b) Marine Terminals (29 CFR 1917)
c) Longshoring (29 CFR 1918)
They are all virtually the same, there are some minor differences, we can discuss in a future topic. You as an employer need to know your responsibility when comes to employees and scaffolds. What is a scaffold you ask? Well, OSHA defines a scaffold as any temporary, elevated work platform and its supporting structure used for holding people, materials, or both. Scaffolding is used in new construction, renovation, maintenance, and repairs.
OSHA categorizes scaffolds into three basic types:
Supported scaffolds, which consist of one or more platforms supported by rigid, load- bearing members, such as poles, legs, frames, and outriggers.
Suspended scaffolds, which are one or more platforms suspended by ropes or other non-rigid, overhead support.
Other scaffolds, principally manlifts, personnel hoists, and the like. These are sometimes thought of as vehicles or machinery but can be regarded as another type of supported scaffold.
OSHA’s scaffolding standard for construction was the third most-frequently cited agency standard in FY 2018.
Enforcement citations FY 2018: 2,832
Number of inspections: 1,423
Proposed penalties: $7,163,515
Most frequently cited industries
· Construction
· Wholesale trade
· Waste management and remediation services
· Manufacturing
· Real estate and rental and leasing
· Arts, entertainment, and recreation
Services
For an employer to ensure employee safety and to ensure the scaffold they use is in compliance, employers must:
a) Construct all scaffolds according to the manufacturer's instructions.
b) Install guardrail systems along all open sides and ends of platforms.
c) Use at least one of the following for scaffolds more than 10 feet above a lower level.1
d) Provide safe access to scaffold platforms.
e) Do not climb cross-bracing as a means of access.
f) Always use a licensed professional engineer competent in scaffolding to design tube and coupler scaffolds that exceed the standard limits set forth by OSHA.
g) Use a licensed professional engineer competent in scaffolding to design the scaffolds (if the state has specific qualification requirements).
h) Ensure scaffolds are erected, moved, dismantled, and altered under the supervision of a competent person.
Train the employees to recognize all hazards, some of the most common hazards associated with all scaffolds include:
a) Falls from elevation, due to lack of fall protection.
b) Collapse of the scaffold caused by instability or overloading.
c) Being struck by falling tools, work materials, or debris.
d) Electrocution, due to the proximity of the scaffold to overhead power lines.
e) Employers must provide fall protection for each employee on a scaffold more than 10 feet above a lower level.
Employers must be aware of any scaffold going up on a job site where they might have employees working. If the employees are considering using the scaffold for access then they must take the time to ensure the employer and the person responsible for the scaffold have agreed to its use and the scaffold company who erected and inspected the scaffold warns the employer of any potential hazards. The employer must train employees on the proper use of the scaffold, to recognize hazards associated with scaffolds. Ultimately you as the employer are responsible for creating a safe workplace, it is your responsibility to ensure your employees know and understand your policy when it comes to working from scaffolds. Employees need to be made aware of whether you approve the use of scaffolds. If an employee falls or is injured using a scaffold that you did not erect or did not inspect, did not own the scaffold. You are still going to get cited. So, make sure its clear what your policy is and make sure your employees are trained. Lastly get out to the site and inspect it to see for your self the scaffold is safe.
References
OSHA’s scaffolding eTool includes FAQs, glossary, hazards and possible solutions for many types of scaffolding.
Narrow Frame Scaffolds. OSHA Fact Sheet (Publication 3722), (April 2014).
Using Aerial Lifts. OSHA Fact Sheet, (October 2005). [1] https://data.bls.gov/gqt/RequestData
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