Subpart L: Scaffolds
Scaffold basics
Subpart L, 1926.450–1926.454, covers scaffolds. Each scaffold and scaffold component must support its own weight plus at least four times the intended load (1926.451(a)(1)). Platforms must be fully planked, at least 18 inches wide, and guarded. Scaffolds must be braced, tied, or otherwise stabilized; base plates and mud sills are required where necessary.
Fall protection and access
Fall protection is required when a scaffold platform is 10 feet or more above a lower level (1926.451(g)(1)). Guardrails must have a top rail 38–45 inches high, a midrail, and toe boards where required. A competent person must inspect the scaffold before use and after changes. Access must be by ladder, ramp, or equivalent-not by climbing the frame.
Worked example
A two-point suspended scaffold is 40 feet high. Workers need guardrails and personal fall arrest; the scaffold must be tied to the building, and the competent person must inspect it before each shift and after any alteration. If a guardrail is removed for material handling, workers must use fall arrest.
Traps
The scaffold fall-protection trigger is 10 feet, not the general 6 feet. A top rail is 38–45 inches, not exactly 42 inches. “Fully planked” means no gaps that allow tools or feet to fall through. Never use a scaffold as a storage rack or as an anchorage unless designed for it.