6-4) Scaffolds in Construction

An estimated 2.3 million construction workers, or 65% of the construction industry, work on scaffolds frequently. There are 4,500 injuries and 50 deaths in the U.S. every year from scaffold-related accidents, at a cost of $90 million in lost workdays. In a recent federal Bureau of Labor Statistics study, 72% of workers injured in scaffold accidents receive the injury when planking or support gave way, the employee slipped, or the employee was struck by a falling object.

29 CFR 1926.451 (general scaffolding requirements)

OSHA has developed several scaffolding rules that set performance-oriented criteria that, when followed, will help protect workers from scaffolding hazards such as falls, structural instability, falling objects, overloading, and electrocution. OSHA’s general scaffolding rule has several key safety provisions that apply to all types of scaffolds.

29 CFR 1926.454 states that employees who perform their work while on a scaffold must be trained by a person qualified in the subject matter to recognize the hazards associated with the type of scaffold being used and to understand the procedures to control or minimize those hazards.