Introduction

Work Platforms and Scaffolding

Section 22 EM 385-1-1

Introduction

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course students will be

• familiar with the types of scaffolds acceptable for use on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) construction sites,

• able to identify basic safety elements of all supported scaffolds,

• able to identify scaffold loading requirements for light, medium, and heavy-trade scaffolds, and

• able to demonstrate the importance of frame stability and security of scaffolds to structures.

Introduction

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course students will be able to

• identify requirements for scaffold plank selection,

• identify when planks must be removed from service,

• specify when engineering is required for supported scaffold installations, and

• select the most important elements of suspended scaffolds.

Introduction

Course Objectives

Students will be able to

• identify requirements for aerial lifts of varying types, including safety standards, inspections, and operating rules,

• identify elements of mast climbing work platforms and safe work practices on mast climbers, and

• specify limitations on roofing operations and use of stilts on all USACE jobs.

Review Review

Scaffolds must

• be built plumb, level, and square;

• be tied to buildings at specified intervals;

• be properly supported on bases or mudsills; and

• have feet attached directly to frames or to screw jacks for leveling.

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Manufacturer’s instructions

• Must be on site

• Scaffolds • Metal scaffolds over 125’ and wood pole scaffolds over 60’

must be designed by a registered professional engineer.

• QP designs, CP (with trained crew) installs.

• light-trade scaffold 25# per square foot load

• medium-trade 50 # per square foot load

• heavy-trade 75# per square foot load

• Frame spacing Light 10’; medium 8’, Heavy 6’.

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Scaffold-grade planks required • Look for

• lumber grading stamp and

• laminated veneer lumber quality assurance document.

Manufacturer’s attachable planks part of a system

Checks • Solid and undamaged

• Remove cracked, cut, and/or chemically-damaged

• Warping

• Loss of design strength? Check by deflection.

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Swing stage systems must be

• installed per manufacturer’s instructions,

• operated only by trained personnel,

• inspected for proper installation before being put into service,

• inspected daily before use, and

• provided with fall protection for all users.

Review Review Elevating work platforms

• Training of operators mandatory. • Documentation mandatory for operation and safety on

machines. • Pre-shift inspection mandatory. • Job site area inspections also mandatory.

Firm support on slabs or soil. Use outriggers as necessary. No overloading. Follow manufacturer’s instruction. Maintenance per manufacturers specs.

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Mast climbing work platforms

• Operator and user training mandatory.

• Firm, solid foundations on slabs or compacted soils mandatory.

• Guardrails and fall protection equipment must be in place.

• Loads must be evenly distributed on platforms.

• Preventive maintenance program must be specified.

• Quarterly and annual inspections ; documentation required.

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Roofing and stilts

• Fall protection required at 6’, no exceptions.

• Roofing scaffold operations more restrictive than federal or state standards.

• Stilts not allowed • on stairs,

• on scaffolds, or

• to increase guardrail height.

Review

Review EM 385:

• Requires a Competent Person to use color-coded scaffold tagging system: • Green = inspected and safe to use; • Red = unsafe to use. • Tags: Must withstand the environment, be legible, include the CP’s

name and signature, dates of initial and last inspections. • Prohibits the use of ladder jack, lean-to and prop/shore scaffolds. • Requires that manufacturer’s recommendations be available on site.

If fall protection is not to be used, the CP must develop an activity hazard analysis (AHA) detailing why fall protection is infeasible plus the steps to be taken to protect workers in erection when fall protection is not used.

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Review Scaffold types:

• Tubular Welded Frame • Tube and coupler • System • Wood Pole • Swing stage • Hanging scaffold • Form and carpenter’s bracket scaffolds • Figure 4 Scaffold • Horse Scaffolds • Pump jack scaffolds

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Review Common scaffold elements to consider:

• Supporting surface adequate to support loads, level, compacted. No open holes • Two inch lumber Scaffold pads (or 1 1/8 “ plywood) at least 10” by 10” -- under

each leg, OR • Two inch sill to carry loads on compressible soils • Undamaged frames • All cross- and sway-bracing must be in place • Scaffold ties and braces when supported scaffolds are built to 4X their narrowest

base • Fully-planked platforms with guardrails, midrails, and toeboards • Adequate access with ramps, ladders, or stairs • Base plates/screw jacks • Scaffolds must be erected, moved, and dismantled under supervision of a CP. • Scaffolds must be plumb, level, square, and secure. • Always follow manufacturer’s instructions. • Erection, movement, and dismantling is performed under the supervision of a CP.

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Review The basic considerations for building a supported scaffold include:

• always follow manufacturer’s instructions and design criteria • provide training to erection crew • inspect all equipment and scaffold planks before erection

The three scaffold frame widths identified for tubular welded frame scaffolds in EM 385 are 6’, 8’ and 10’ Job site inspections by a CP must cover

• soil/ground conditions. • overhead obstructions. • electrical hazards. • special protection requirements for scaffolds.

Simple scaffolds can be built without drawings follow manufacturer’s instructions, except complex or metal frame-supported scaffolds over 125 feet in height require an engineer’s design and drawing.

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Review Scaffold Access:

• Built-in ladders, stair towers, or attachable ladders. • Scaffold frames only if specifically designed and constructed for use as

ladder. • Never use cross braces.

Scaffold frames must be pinned or secured together whenever: • there is the potential for uplift at ladder points. • there is a potential for eccentric loading such as side bracket

installations. • scaffolds are installed as a good practice.

Tagging systems are required by EM 385: • Green – OK to use • Yellow – Hazardous condition • Red – Not OK to use

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Review Scaffold grade planks must:

• be solid sawn and graded planks identified as scaffold-grade. • bear a lumber grading stamp identifying such grading. • be able to maintain a four-time safety factor. • be free of knots, chemical damage, or dry rot. • Standard stress-grade lumber is not acceptable.

Planks – criteria for removal: • Cracks in the plank extending 18” in a 10-foot span • Cuts, notches, or saw cuts • Dry rot or chemical damage • Deflection greater than 1.5” under load in a 7-foot span

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Fully-planked platform:

• 2” x 10” scaffold-grade planks or manufactured equivalents.

• Covered front to back, no more than 1” spacing

• The space between the last plank and the outside tube cannot exceed 9.5”.

• Planks must be cleated to hold them in place if minimum 6” overlap cannot be maintained.

• Scaffold planks must overlap bearers at least 6 inches.

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Pre-Drill Review #4 Suspended scaffolds shall be designed, constructed, operated, inspected, tested, and maintained as specified in the operating manual for the device. Workers using single-point suspended platforms (Bosun’s chairs) must be provided an independent life line, a full-body harness and a shock-absorbing lanyard as a life saving device should any of the supports fail. Platforms must have guardrails and be designed and installed to carry all loads specified. Powered scaffolds must be supported by wire rope systems with a safety factor of 6:1.

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All wire rope must be installed per manufacturer’s instructions and clips must be installed uniformly with the saddle on the live end of the rope

All rigging hardware must be installed per manufacturer’s instructions and secondary backup must also be installed in order to assure no system failures.

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Review Each employee on a swing stage must be trained per manufacturer’s instructions by a QP. Each employee on a stage must wear a full-body harness, with a shock-absorbing lanyard attached to a rope-grab device, which, in turn, is attached to an independent life line attached to a structural member of the building capable of supporting 5000 pounds per worker. Systems must be built with a safety factor of 4:1. All locations for supporting suspended staging must be inspected to assure the building components can carry the swing stage loads.

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USACE requires the manufacturer’s operating instructions to be on the equipment and that operators be trained to the requirements of the manual.

Daily inspections are required, as are site inspections before operating the equipment. Equipment inspection records must be kept on site.

If the manufacturer specifies that fall protection is to be used, users must tie off to manufacturer-rated fall protection anchors.

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Training:

• Only a person trained by a qualified person can operate a scissor lift.

• Basics include reading and understanding:

• operating manual

• decals

• lift-operating instructions

• Good source for training? Dealers and rental companies.

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Review Pre-start inspections are mandatory to prevent accidents. Items:

• Controls, safety devices, PPE, leaks, cables/wiring harnesses, loose/missing parts, tires/wheels, placards/warnings, outriggers, guardrails (installed and secured if removable), other items specified by manufacturer.

Work site inspections: • Drop-offs or holes, bumps/surface support, debris, overhead

obstructions, electrical lines, hazardous locations, weather.

Operations: • Operate only on level smooth surfaces • Use outriggers and stabilizers • Removable guardrails in place • Fall protection when necessary.

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Review The vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating equipment referred to in 22.M is typically boom lifts, bucket trucks, knuckleboom devices, and other aerial equipment Units must be operated, inspected, and maintained per manufacturer’s instructions. Also:

• guidance and instruction documents on the machines • all users trained in proper operation of the units. • all safety decals in place and legible. • If electrically insulated, copies of tests conducted on site, kept

on site.

Operate a boom lift? Then you must have fall protection

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Review Inspection and testing as required by EM 385 Section 18. Operating practices:

• Set brakes, use outriggers on solid surface or pads, chock wheels on inclines, test lift controls daily, never exceed load limits.

Fall protection: • Mandatory • Use designated tie-off points • Full-body harness and shock-absorbing lanyard but cannot

contact the ground • Preferred: keep operator inside lift and prevent bouncing out.

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Review A mast climber is a powered device consisting of an elevating assembly, base or chassis, and mast, that when erected, is capable of supporting personnel, material, equipment, tools and is capable of traveling vertically in infinitely-adjustable increments to reach the desired work level. Operating manuals are to be kept on the machine – They provide vital safety information Maintenance and inspections:

• By qualified person quarterly and annually • Written Records kept 3 years

Operation: Firm foundation, proper attachment, overhead restrictions, proper building ties, pre-start inspections, no ladders to increase size or height, no brace climbing.

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Roofing brackets

• Roof bracket supports must be nailed through sheeting to rafters.

• Ropes that support must be ¾” first-grade manila rope or equivalent.

• Positive fall protection required over 6 feet.

Stilts. If using stilts, be sure guardrails are raised accordingly.