Qualifications for Inspecting Scaffolds
For some types of scaffolds, a competent person should supervise the erection, installation or relocation of scaffolds. If an employee meets the requirements for a competent person for those purposes, that employee would also be qualified to periodically inspect those scaffolds.
Scaffold Inspection Timeline
There are periodic inspection requirements for a number of different types of scaffolds. "Periodic" means frequently enough so, in light of these factors and the amount of time expected for their detrimental effects to occur, there is a good likelihood problems will be found before they pose a hazard to employees.
OSHA standards do not specify how often a scaffold should be inspected to meet the "periodic" requirement. However, the company should have a clear policy regarding the frequency of periodic scaffold inspections. The frequency of periodic safety inspection should depend on factors such as:
- the type of scaffold
- site and weather conditions
- intensity of use
- age of the equipment
- how often sections or components are added, removed or changed
These factors will determine how quickly or slowly safety related faults, loose connections, degradation and other defects can be expected to develop.
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2-8. According to OSHA standards, how often must the employer conduct periodic scaffold inspections?
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