How can you prevent scaffold injuries?

Workplace accidents can easily lead to a severe injury, especially on a construction site. 

Scaffolding injuries are no exception, with dangerous ladders, lifts, or other equipment sometimes breaking or falling onto you. 

Certified people 

According to the American Safety Council, a qualified person must have designed the scaffolding. This refers to someone with a wide knowledge of safety and education about the specific design of the scaffold. 

Additionally, a competent person must be in charge while you are on the scaffold itself. After this person has inspected the area and declared it is safe, you can proceed. 

Tested structures 

Once on the scaffolding, it is important to check that it can bear the load. This includes anyone who may be walking on it at any given time. By law, it must hold at least four times the intended load. The ropes of the scaffold must hold up to six times their intended weight. This allows for safety measures in case of an unexpected increase in weight on the beams or any other sudden change. 

Platforms are typically 18 inches wide. If they are any smaller, it becomes a falling hazard. In addition, guardrails and other easily accessible rails should be in place for any beam higher than ten feet off the ground. 

Close inspections 

Each scaffold must get tested for any weak areas. These could include holes or cracks in the surface, or even bent metal components that could easily give way and lead to serious injury. Any instruction or training given to workers must encompass types of hazards and how to recognize them.