3 WAYS TO IMPROVE SCAFFOLDING SAFETY AT A JOB SITE
June 28, 2019


According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), more than 2.3 million construction workers — or 65 percent of the industry — work on scaffolds. It is a dangerous job: 4,500 scaffold-related injuries and 60 scaffold-related deaths hit job sites in the U.S. each year. That adds up to $90 million in lost work days.
As a site manager, one of your main priorities – in addition to delivering customer satisfaction – is scaffolding safety. Once scaffolding goes up, it is not just a set-it-and-forget-it addition to the job site. So, how can you effectively protect your crew on your next job?
1. Use High-Quality, Properly Installed Equipment
Of the workers injured in scaffold-related accidents, 72 percent attributed the incident to either the planking, support giving way, or to the employee slipping or being struck by a falling object.
What does that tell us? Well, for starters it indicates that the scaffolding in use may not be properly designed and deployed. A poorly designed scaffolding system can have disastrous consequences. If your job requires non-slick surfaces or special materials, any missing component could mean injury or worse for your team members.
Train your employees to recognize deficient, noncompliant and/or damaged structures, including missing essential safety components like Toeboards, Planks, or Guardrails. Also, consider working with a scaffolding manufacturer that provides application engineering to ensure you have the correct equipment for your project requirements.
2. Ensure Proper Training
3. Keep the Site Clean and Organized
4. Keep Your FLRA Updated
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