Inspecting Suspension Scaffold Wire Ropes
Ensure swaged attachments or spliced eyes on wire suspension ropes are not used unless they are made by the manufacturer or a qualified person. When wire rope clips are used on suspension scaffolds, ensure:
- A minimum of 3 clips are installed, with the clips a minimum of 6 rope diameters apart.
- Clips are installed according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
- Clips are retightened to the manufacturer's recommendations after the initial loading.
- Clips are being inspected and retightened to the manufacturer's recommendations at the start of each subsequent work shift.
- U-bolt clips are not being used at the point of suspension for any scaffold hoist.
- When U-bolt clips are used, each U-bolt is placed over the dead end of the rope, and the saddle is placed over the live end of the rope.
- Make sure suspension ropes are being shielded from heat-producing processes.
- When acids or other corrosive substances are used on a scaffold, ensure the ropes are:
- shielded
- treated to protect against the corrosive substances
- are of a material that will not be damaged by the substances
Broken Suspension Ropes Result in Worker Death
Two victims and a co-worker were painting the side of a building in San Francisco. They were on a two-point suspension scaffold that did not have guardrails; the ropes suspending the scaffold were old and had not been inspected; and the employees were not wearing safety belts. When the left scaffold rope broke and the scaffold collapsed, one employee was killed and another fell to a nearby roof and broke both arms. The co-worker was left hanging on to the remaining scaffold rope.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
5-10. When inspecting wire rope clips on suspension scaffolds, ensure _____.
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