Two scaffold safety organizations have developed a concise scaffolding code of safe practices that would beneficial for employers to post at worksites, follow and instill in all applicable workers.

With enough content to fill a small poster, the code covers general guidelines as well as erection, use, and dismantling. Download it here now, and put it to use.

The rules don’t go into all systems so any manufacturer guidelines also need to be followed. Instead this is a way to reinforce basic rules that should be common sense, but can easily be broken without proper education and constant reminders.

In the general guidelines is a step to survey and correct job site hazards looking for: untamped earth fills, ditches, debris, high tension wires, and unguarded openings. In the erection section is a reminder that free standing scaffold towers need to be restrained from tipping if they vertically exceed four times the base, with a 3 to 1 ratio for other agencies such as CAL/OSHA. Dismantling guidelines remind workers to be mindful that the scaffolding isn’t made unsafe in the process, visually check planks, not accumulate excess equipment on each level, or remove ties until the level above is dismantled…

This PDF can also be found under the “Safety Practices & Rules” tab of the Scaffolding, Shoring, & Forming Institute Inc. (SSFI) website. The SSFI has been around since 1960 and helps develop technical material, testing procedures and guidelines, often working with ANSI to test and rate equipment among other safety elements.

The other organization that developed this code is the Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA) which promotes scaffold and access information working with state, federal and other agencies.

Other Safety School articles that examine the more academic concepts of occupational safety:

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