Scaffolding — The Hazards To Consider.
Have you ever seen a person on top of a scaffold and wondered to yourself whether it is safe to climb that high? You may have seen in movies that a person not following safety precautions can fall off a scaffold and severely injure themselves. When used properly, scaffolds are extremely convenient, necessary, and can save companies a lot of money as well as time. If specific safety protocols are not followed scaffolds can lead to deadly consequences.
Here are some general scaffolding hazards to be aware of:
- Badly Engineered Scaffolds
Improper construction of scaffolds can cause the collapse of the whole structure or falling of material, both of whose results can be fatal. A scaffold must be safe and sound. Before erecting scaffolds several things should be taken into account, for instance, the amount of weight a scaffold can withhold, stability, proper installation of planks, beams, and distance from the scaffold to the workplace.
- Damaged Scaffold
A damaged scaffold is always at a risk of collapse. Rusted parts, deteriorated planks, damage from nearby pieces of equipment all these factors result in an unsound scaffold. Routine inspection should be ensured to minimize the risk of accidents.
It is important to note that according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), approximately 60 people die every year due to scaffold-related accidents. Yet astoundingly enough companies still don’t follow required safety protocols.
- Falls
Almost half of scaffold-related accidents are falls. The use of guardrails is advised for any platform with a height higher than 5 feet. OSHA standard often requires guard rails to be installed at a height higher or equal to 10 feet.
According to the data collected by The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 747 construction workers died in a year, which shows 14.5 percent of the total fatal work injuries throughout the year.
- Electrocution
The slightest touch to high voltage electrical wires can be fatal. The workers at construction sites have to take this risk because most of the scaffolds are at the same elevation as the electrical wires. Now consider that the scaffold is made of metal, the chance of electrical shock increases by 100%.
To prevent this scaffold should be constructed at least 10 feet away from the hanging wires. And all metal parts should be well insulated and the coordination between the power supply company and the construction company should be ensured.
Almost 28%, scaffold accidents are caused by electrocution and other related accident.
- Inadequately Trained Employees
A trained employee is a necessity when it comes to scaffolding. A worker should know how to climb move or do certain tasks. Otherwise, they will be more prone to accidents. They should know about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). To ensure worker training employees should enforce certain standards on workers.
- Transportation Of Materials
Falling materials from a height are one of the most major concern for employees while working at construction sites. OSHA provides two ways to ensure that workers do not get hit by falling objects
1. To install toe boards to prevent items from falling.
2. To erect barricades to prevent from walking under work platforms.
Scaffolds safety starts from ground level. Companies need to ensure a safe environment for workers to minimize injuries.
