Hazards That Are Preventable With Scaffolding Safety Guidelines

Importance of Scaffolds

Scaffolds are crucial in the construction industry, and save both time and money when used properly.

However, there are several concerns that employers and employees alike must be aware of when erecting, working on, or disassembling any type of scaffold.

Falls

Injury or death from falls can be attributed to such things as a lack of guardrails, improperly installed guardrails, or failure to use personal fall arrest systems when required.

Safety measures should be adopted to ensure the height of structure or any other such measures.

Struck By Falling Materials

Getting struck by falling materials is one of the major reason behind deaths and injuries.

Toe boards or netting must be installed on work platforms to prevent loose items from falling to the ground or lower level work areas when there is a hazard to employees walking or working below.

Housekeeping on and around scaffolds is also an issue that must be addressed on a constant basis.

Barricades that physically prevent individuals from walking under work platforms must be erected.

Scaffold collapse

Another major event causing injury and death is the collapse of the Scaffolding structure.

Major reason is improper erection.

Scaffold weights should be observed and also consider the weights of other materials before making the structure.

Electrocution

A major part of accidents can be prevented if there are no electrical hazards present during scaffold use.

A minimum of 10’ must be maintained between the scaffold and electrical hazards.

If this distance cannot be maintained, then the hazard must be de-energized or properly insulated by the power company.

Coordination between the power company and the company erecting / using the scaffold cannot be over-stated.

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