Injuries on the workplace occur more often than one may think, and recent estimates point to more than 4,500 injuries every year from construction workers experiencing scaffolding-related injuries. What constitutes a scaffolding injury can come from a wide range of situations including things like being struck with falling objects, electrocutions, collapses, slip and falls, and height related injuries. While injuries can occur in a number of different ways, preventing injuries requires only a single thing be done, adherence and compliance with OSHA scaffolding requirements.
To help comply with these regulations, we have included a breakdown of each category, which includes a description of the regulations to decrease injuries and make the work place safer. When you need to speak with a scaffolding injury attorney, contact Avrek Law for a free consultation.
OSHA Scaffolding Requirements
1. Height Injuries
OSHA scaffold regulations recommend that your scaffolding include a guard rail across the base, mid rails and top of any scaffolding more than 10 feet in height. In addition, be aware that ladders are also require on scaffolding. As a final consideration, know that climbing the scaffolding rails is strictly prohibited.
2. Slip & Fall Injuries
OSHA scaffolding rules recommend that your employees should not be working on wet and slippery surfaces. On scaffolding greater than a one inch, every employee should be wearing cleats, whch helps to preserve traction when walking over grating. All scaffolding stairways should also include slip resistant treads and landings on walk-able surfaces.
3. Collapse Injuries
OSHA recommends and requires that when setting up scaffolding, it must be correctly leveled. In addition, it needs to be rigid and strong enough to carry around four times the maximum potential intended load. An individual with the proper knowledge background must perform maintenance and repair damage that may otherwise weaken the scaffolding.
They are also responsible for the construction, as well as the dismantling of the scaffolding that is being used. By having an individual with the right training in charge of the structure, injuries related to it collapsing are kept to a minimum.
4. Electrocution Injuries
OSHA recommends, as well as requires, that power lines be taken into consideration when constructing scaffolding. This is done to decrease the potential for electrocution-related scaffold injury. Scaffolding must be at least 10 feet away from overhanging power lines and a greater distance from lines that have a higher than average voltage. Be aware of electricity and make electrocution injuries a non-issue.
5. Falling Object Injuries
OSHA requires that there be barriers that border around scaffolding. This is to prevent employees and bystanders from being in harms way when under the scaffolding. To dramatically decrease the risk of injury and lawsuit, taking steps to prevent falling object injuries through things like toe boards and other barriers will help safeguard your construction site.
Additional Scaffolding Safety Requirements and Considerations
OSHA has a full and extended scaffolding resource to provide even more information on scaffolding rules and regulations, as well as best practices you can follow to safeguard your work zone. A little bit of prevention can go a long way to reduce injuries over the long-term, so this resource and the necessary legal requirements are as readily accessible as possible. Some additional safety requirements to take into consideration include:
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
Personal fall arrest systems have two major components: the harness worn by the worker and the lifeline to which the harness is attached. In the past, it was required to have a belt attached to a lifeline via a lanyard. Updated regulations now require that workers wear full harness vests attached by lanyard to a vertical or horizontal lifeline.
When a vertical lifeline is used, it must be attached to a fixed anchor that is not part of the scaffold. The anchor cannot be on a building’s vent, standpipe, electrical conduit or anything else that is likely to give way under the force of a fall. In addition, only one lifeline can be attached to a single anchorage, and lifelines cannot be attached to each other.
Guardrail Systems
OSHA requires that prior to scaffold use by employees, guardrail systems must be in place along every open side of a platform. Each top-rail of a guardrail must be strong enough withstand at least 200 pounds of downward or horizontal force. The surface of the guardrail must be designed so as to not cause lacerations or clothing snags.
Other Scaffold Safety Requirements
In addition to fall protection requirements, OSHA has several other rules related to the safe use of scaffolding. OSHA limits who can build or tear down a scaffold. Because building scaffolds is highly technical, only workers who have been specially trained are permitted to design, construct or remove scaffolding. Fall protection must also be used by those who build and dismantle scaffolds. Furthermore, scaffolds must be constructed only from specified materials and must be able to support at least four times its maximum load. Once erected, scaffolds must be inspected by specially trained individuals before they can be used.
Scaffold training involves making sure that those who build, tear down and inspect scaffolds understand the correct procedures for building and dismantling the different types of scaffolds. They must also understand the nature of fall hazards and the correct procedures for dealing with such hazards.
Failure to Follow Fall Protection Requirements
If an employer fails to follow fall protection and other scaffold safety requirements, the likelihood of worker scaffolding injury increases dramatically. Workers who fall from high elevations suffer serious injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, back injuries and broken bones. Many workers do not survive such falls. Employers may be legally liable for such injuries and required to compensate the injured employee or his or her family.
When to Contact a Scaffolding Injury Attorney
With more than 50 years of combined experience, Avrek Law has worked diligently on the behalf of scaffolding injury victims, and our accountability, integrity and passion have led to our success as a personal injury law firm. Having obtained more than $1 Billion in total settlements from verdicts through legal action, we have provided real and tangible benefits to our clients, working with them every step of the way to ensure they have the best case moving forward.
Knowledgeable of scaffolding safety requirements, Avrek’s scaffolding injury attorneys offer free consultations, and will work to answer any questions you have regarding the process. Contact us today – we’re here to help.
