806 Focus Four - Fall Hazards

Improper Scaffold Construction

Major Hazards

Working with heavy equipment and building materials on the limited space of a scaffold is difficult.

Falls from improperly constructed scaffolds can result in injuries ranging from sprains to death. Guardrails or personal fall arrest systems for fall prevention/protection are required for workers on platforms more than 10 feet above a lower level.

The majority of the workers injured in scaffold accidents attribute the accident to factors like the planking or support giving way, or to lack of guardrails or other fall protection. OSHA's most frequently cited serious scaffold violations include lack of fall protection; scaffold access; use of aerial lifts without body belts and lanyards, platform construction and no worker training.

Practice Identifying Hazards

Try to identify the hazards present in each of the pictures below. Then click on the links below to open the examples. Click on each picture to see if you correctly identified the hazards.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.