Platform and Walkway Widths
Platforms and walkways should generally be at least 18 inches wide with the following exceptions:
- If work areas are too narrow for 18-inch platforms or walkways, workers can use narrower platforms, but they should be protected from fall hazards by guardrails and/or personal fall-arrest systems.
- Some states allow 12-inch widths for ladder jack, top-plate bracket, roof bracket, and pump-jack scaffolds.
Platform and walkways should generally be at least 18 inches wide.
Guardrails on Building Side
Guardrail systems are generally not required on the building side when the platform is less than 14 inches from the building, except for suspended scaffolds where the maximum distance is 12 inches.
Scaffold setbacks will depend upon the needs of the trade. As an example, masons require the scaffold platform to be as close to the wall as possible (within 6 inches), while lathers and plasterers using spraying apparatus should stand back (and prefer a set-back distance of at least 18 inches).
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1-10. How wide should platforms and walkways generally be?
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