According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there is an estimated 65% of construction workers who frequently work on scaffolds. This statistic coincides with the fact that scaffolds, hoists, ladders or other types of lifts play a role in a lot of the most common accidents at constructions sites. Failure to ensure the safety of the equipment mentioned could result to workers getting hurt through falls or objects falling on the workers in scaffolds which may at times result to fatalities.

OSHA Scaffold Regulations

The OSHA requires all employers, supervisors and workers to comply with regulations concerning scaffolds.

• Design and Construction: OSHA requires a certain standard in the design and construction of scaffolds, including the type of equipment used, construction methods, rated capacity and use. Each scaffold and scaffold component must be capable of supporting its own weight plus at least four times the maximum intended load without failure. Each suspension rope must be capable of supporting at least six times the maximum intended load.
• Inspection: OSHA also requires employers to assign a competent person who would inspect all scaffold and their components to identify possible defects before use on each work shift. Scaffolds should be erected, moved, dismantled, or altered only under the supervision of a competent person. All components of personal fall protection equipment (including body belts or harnesses, lanyards, droplines, trolley lines, and points of anchorage) should be inspected by a competent person before use. Any visibly damaged or worn equipment should be removed from service immediately. Employers should require a competent person to inspect all scaffolds and scaffold components for visible defects before use on each work shift.