SCAFFOLDING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

Created by REM: 3/05 1

Updated: 8/16
 SCAFFOLDING S.O.P.
FOR
PFW FACILITIES MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES

Please review and implement the following Standard Operating Procedures for Facilities
Management’s work with Fabricated Framed scaffolding (1926.450, 1910.28):

Base Section
 In order to assure stability, supported scaffolds must be set on: base plates, mud
sills or other adequate firm foundation; Base plates are required on every scaffold
whereas mud sills are mostly just used for scaffolds constructed on dirt or gravel
 Footings must be capable of supporting the loaded scaffold without settling or
displacement;
 Unstable objects may not be used for support;
 Wheels are not to be used at the base of any scaffolds
 Supported scaffold poles, frames, uprights, etc. must be plumb and braced;
 Frames and panels must be connected by cross, horizontal, or diagonal braces,
alone or in combination, which secure vertical members together laterally;
 Cross braces must keep the scaffold plumb, level, and square;
 All brace connections must be secured to prevent dislodging;
 Frames and panels must be joined together vertically by coupling or stacking pins
or equivalent means;
 Frames and panels must be locked together to prevent uplift (separation of a
frame from the frame below it), where uplift can occur;
 Scaffold components manufactured by different manufacturers are not allowed to
be modified to make them fit together and should not be used together since
chemicals in the metal from different material can mix together

Support Structure
 Scaffolds and their components must be capable of supporting, without failure,
their own weight and at least 4 times their maximum intended load;
 Scaffolds shall be altered only under the supervision and direction of a competent
person*

Access
 Employees must be able to safely access any level that is 2 feet above or below an
access point;
 OSHA forbids climbing cross-braces;
 Portable, hook-on, and attachable ladders cannot tip the scaffold and must be
designed for use with the type of scaffold being used;
 Ladder rungs shall be positioned so that the bottom rung is not more than 24
inches above the scaffold supporting level;
 Rungs must have uniform spacing between rungs with a maximum of 16 ¾
inches;
 Rungs must have a minimum rung length of 11 ½ inches;

Created by REM: 3/05 2

Updated: 8/16
  With hook-on and attachable ladders used on supported scaffolding, there must be
rest platforms provided at a maximum of 35-foot vertical intervals;
 With stairway-type ladders, there must be rest platforms provided at a maximum
of 12 feet with a minimum step width of 16 inches and have slip-resistant treads;
 Employers are required to provide safe access for employees erecting or
dismantling supported scaffolds where it is feasible, and where it does not create a
greater hazard;
 With tubular, welded-frame scaffolds, end frames may be used as climbing
devices for access provided: the horizontal members are parallel, level, and not
more than 22 vertical inches apart

Fall Protection
 This is the #1 scaffold hazard!
 With Fabricated Frame scaffolding, fall protection may consist of either personal
fall-arrest systems (PFAS) or guardrails;
 Fall protection must be provided on any scaffold 10 feet or more above a lower
level;
 PFAS are to be attached by lanyard to a vertical lifeline, horizontal lifeline, or
scaffold structural member;
 For guardrail use, the following requirements shall be met: guardrails must be
installed along all open sides and ends of platforms; each topsail must be able to
withstand a force of at least 200 pounds, the top edge height must be between 38-
45 inches, and mid rails must be able to withstand a force of at least 150 pounds

Platform
 Each platform must be fully planked or decked between the front uprights and the
guardrail supports;
 No gaps greater than 1 inch are permitted between adjacent planks, or between the
platform and the uprights;
 Platform must be at least 18 inches wide;
 Nothing that could cause a slip, trip, or fall is allowed on the platform;
 Platforms must be cleated at each end;
 Each end of the platform may not extend over its support more than 18 inches;
 Platforms must be able to support their own weight, plus four times the maximum
intended load;
 The area below the scaffold should be barricaded to prevent overhead hazards, or
a toe board shall be erected along the platform edge

Keeping Upright
 When a supported scaffold reaches a height that is more than four times its
minimum base dimension (4:1), it must be restrained by guys, ties, or braces to
prevent tip over;
 Any scaffold part that has been damaged or weakened must be repaired, replaced,
braced, or removed from service;
 Scaffolds may not be moved horizontally while employees are on them;
 Work cannot be done from a scaffold during storms or high winds

Created by REM: 3/05 3

Updated: 8/16
Electrical Hazards
 Scaffolds must not come closer than 10 feet to the power line;
 All portable electric equipment used on the scaffold must be protected by GFCI’s

Personnel Training and Competent Persons*

 Scaffolds must be designed by a qualified person, and be constructed and loaded
in accordance with that design;
 Scaffolds are to be erected, moved, dismantled, or altered only under the
supervision of a competent person;
 Employees who are involved in activities such as erecting, dismantling, repairing,
and inspecting scaffolds must be trained by a competent person to recognize
hazards. This training shall include: nature of scaffold hazards, correct
procedures for erecting, disassembling, etc. the type of scaffold in question, the
design criteria, maximum intended load capacity, and intended use of the scaffold,
and any other pertinent requirements;
 Employees who perform work while on a scaffold must be trained to recognize
the hazards. This training shall include: the nature of electrical hazards, fall
hazards, and falling object hazards in the work area, the correct procedures for
handling the hazards, the proper use of the scaffold and the materials used on the
scaffold, and the maximum intended load and the load-carrying capacity of the
scaffold, and any other pertinent requirements

*Competent person: one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards
in the surroundings of working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous
to employees, and who has the authorization to take prompt corrective measures to
eliminate the hazard.

Created by REM: 3/05 4

Updated: 8/16
 Appendix A

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Scaffolding Standard Operating Procedure
Training Certification Form

By signing below you acknowledge that you have received training and information
concerning the OSHA Safety Requirements for Scaffolding Standard and the policies and
procedures applicable to your work when scaffolding structures are being utilized. This
training program contained at a minimum the following elements:

• A general description of what scaffolding structures are and how they are used
• The different types of scaffolding structures and the hazards associated with
them
• Knowledge of how to assemble and dissemble scaffolding
• What types of surfaces are appropriate for scaffolds to be built on
• The maximum weight limits each type of scaffolding structure is rated for
• The requirements for platforms used as worker platforms
• The fall protection requirements including the use of guardrails and personal
fall-arrest systems
• The roles and responsibilities of the competent person(s) assigned to each
scaffolding project

• Date Training Video was viewed ______________________

Name________________________________ Department________________________

Building______________________________ Job Title__________________________

Signature_____________________________ Date______________________________

Designated Training Individual (DTI) Name__________________________________

DTI Signature_______________________ Date______________________________

Created by REM: 3/05 5

Updated: 8/16