Advice for preventing scaffolding-related injuries

A fall from six feet doesn’t sound very far, but did you know that a 200-pound man who falls from a height of just six feet will create a force of 1,200 pounds? This is why people can die when they fall from scaffolding. Most scaffolding accidents involve workers who fall from a height of 12 to 15 feet — and this is why scaffolding falls are so dangerous.

Because of the dangers, scaffold erections should always be completed by a trained and competent person. That person can eliminate predictable hazards while dismantling, erecting and altering scaffolds. The individual will also help ensure that accidents and falls don’t happen while the workers themselves are using the scaffolds.

Here is some additional advice for preventing these accidents from happening:

— Follow all instructions of the scaffold manufacturer

— Do not use scaffolds during windy and stormy weather

— Never climb onto a scaffold that is leaning or wobbling

— Avoid using scaffolds that have visibly loose or worn parts or torn, frayed, or damaged ropes

— Never jump onto or from a scaffold

— Use lanyards and safety harnesses when working on a scaffold that is 10 feet or higher

— Always lock the wheels of a rolling scaffold and brace them with rolling blocks

— Attend a scaffolding safety training session.

By following the above advice, many of the most common scaffolding accidents can be prevented. Meanwhile, if a scaffolding-related injury does occur, Pennsylvania construction workers may be able to seek workers’ compensation to pay for their medical care and time spent unable to work due to injuries.

Source: amerisafe.com, “Basic Scaffold Safety,” accessed July 07, 2016