Best practice guidelines for scaffolding |workplace safety|

Introduction

It is unfortunate and better truth that everyday scaffolding related accidents are reported in which the worker gets serious injuries or sometimes lost their lives. And those who survive scaffold falls are often paralyzed and become victims for the rest of life.

These accidents are caused mostly due to improper use of scaffolding and its poor maintenance but sometimes these accidents are caused by faulty design and faulty construction.

In order to avoid such accidents, we need to fully understand scaffold safety. Mindful construction workers keep both feet on the scaffold.

Now let's discuss how to behave as a practical and foresighted person while working with scaffolds. In this article we will discuss good practices and guidelines for  below important elements of the scaffold in details;

1. Erection of Scaffolding
2. Working on Scaffolds
3. Mobile Scaffolding 
4. Inspection of Scaffolding and other important checks 

Erection of Scaffolding 

Scaffolding erection required below important check to be ensured; 

• you have sufficient material for the job and that it has been inspected and found to be in good condition. 
• Timber or fiber sole plates are used, and they must be of adequate dimensions to provide a safe bearing. 
• Metal base plates are used on all standards. 
• Scaffold boards are in good condition. 
• Standards are upright and set out in accordance with the drawings or sketches provided. 
• The scaffold is adequately tied to the structure. 
• Working platforms are fully boarded complete with guardrails and toe boards. 
• That there is a safe way to get on and off the scaffold, such as a ladder (without climbing on cross braces). 
• It has a minimum of 4-1 safety factor. 
• The scaffold must be at safe distance from electric wire where applicable 

Working on Scaffolds 

When working on scaffolds is a very critical job and it is in everyone responsibility to follow the safety  rules to avoid any undue accident few good practices or guidelines for working on scaffolds are given below;

• Do not use incomplete or defected scaffolds - always seek permission from competent personnel 
• Always use a ladder for climbing up and down the scaffolds.
• Use appropriate tools while working on scaffolds and ensure none of them could fall from scaffolds
• Do not interfere or make changes in the structure of scaffolds - especially the removal of mid-rails, toe boards, etc. Any type of alteration must be subjected to the approval of competent persons
• Follow the load-bearing or load capacity chart to store or stack the material and  leave a gangway at least two boards wide 
• Report to your immediate superior or the competent person if any scaffolding which appears defective
• Braced the material stacked to avoid any accidental knocked off the working platform, Use clampers or bricks guards to secure the material 
• Do not  leave material lying on the working platform - Proper housekeeping must maintain on the working platform 
• Never throw, drop or tip any material from the height or scaffolds. Always use a safe method for transportation of material which can be tackle or garbage duct

Mobile Scaffold Towers 

Mobile scaffolds can readily be moved from place to place, and are convenient for painters and other tradesmen whose work entails frequent moving. 

In order to use a mobile tower scaffold safely following best practices and guidelines can help;

• No – one should work on a mobile scaffold unless they are sure it is safe. 
• For outside use, the maximum height of the tower should not be more than three times the shortest base, and 31⁄2 times for inside use. If these heights to base ratios have to be exceeded, an outrigger must be used.
• When tower height is greater than 2m, guard rails and toe boards must be fitted 
• Mobile Scaffold should only use where the ground is level and free of any trip hazard
• Mobile scaffold wheels must have locking system and these locks must be lock while climbing on the scaffold
• Do not move the mobile scaffold tower if there is anyone on it
• When mobile scaffold tower is moving the space around must be safe and free from any electric wire or lines
• Do not hurry while moving mobile scaffold tower 
• A ladder should be provided within mobile scaffold tower for safe access and egress 
• The recommended load should never be exceeded on the mobile scaffold tower
• Other contractor’s towers should not be used without permission. 

Scaffolds Inspection

As we know that scaffolding is a temporary structure or platform used to perform work at height in all types of industries. Because it is temporary it is subject to wear, loose, and unauthorized change. Therefore, it required a regress inspection to repair where wear-out or loose and control any unauthorized change.

The scaffold requires regular inspection and it is done before every shift starts. These inspections can be done by a safety person or any competent and authorized worker before a shift starts. The best practices and guidelines for scaffold inspection are outlined under;

• Scaffolding must be erected on level firm ground that must be capable of
• carrying the maximum intended load. Loose concrete blocks, boxes, and barrels
• or brick must not be used to support the scafolding structure.
• Complex scaffolds must-have designs and structural diagram
• The safety signs must be arranged scaffold entry and around to create
• awareness among workers and alert them from immediate danger
• The load capacity of the scaffold must be calculated by considering the
• weight of people instead of working on it and the load of material that is either
• stacked or stored in a scaffold platform.
• Consider the weight the scaffold is to carry. As a rule of thumb, It must be
• capable of supporting 4 times the maximum intended load without failure.
• Due to the narrow base of the scaffold, it is naturally unstable structure,
• in order to squeez this, the scaffold must be braced or tied off to a stable
• structure such as a building wall, shared walls, etc.
• The planking used must be scaffold grade and free of any defect. To
• create a proper work surface, usually, 2 planks need to be laid alongside to form
• a 20 wide work platform. At the ends, the planking must join at least 6; but no
• more than 18 (limited to 12 for shipyards and construction) unless the planks
• are fastened to the supporting members
• Toeboards at least 4 inches high (3 ½ inches ) should be fixed along the
• outer scaffold edge, to avoid tools or materials from falling onto workers below.
• Guard rail requirements for supported scaffolds vary for different
• industries. OSHA standard for general industry and construction requires
• guardrails when a platform is 10 ft. higher. 
• Guard rails are usually made of 2x4 ft. lumber or steel pipe. The top rail
• should be about 42 inches from the scaffold walking surface, with a mid-rail at
• about 21 inches. It is important to be considered that the railings must be of
• sufficient in strength to bear weight of worker who started to falling.
• Never make any changes to scaffolding yourself. Only designated
• Competent Persons should make modifications.

Other Important Checks

It is everyone's primary responsibility to Inspect scaffolds daily before you trust your life to them. These inspections can be checking of guardrails, connectors, fastenings, footings, tie-ins, and bracing.

• Check to see that platforms are closely boarded, guarded, and securely fastened.
• Do not stockpile materials on scaffolds unnecessary, always keep stacking as per load capacity chart
• Never overload scaffolds. stacked necessary materials over ledger and bearer points.
• .Boxup or remove all tools and left-over materials at the end of the shift
• Ground yourself during storms or high winds.
• When hoisting material from the ground, control it with a tagline.
• Keep platforms and areas near the scaffold clear of unneeded equipment or material, debris, and anything else that might cause you to slip or trip.