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807 Focus Four: Caught-In/Between Hazards
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Buried-by Accidents: Structures and Materials

Measures need to be taken by your employer to avoid the collapse of other structures, such as scaffolds, that could bury workers underneath them.

Scaffold Collapse

There is a danger of collapse anytime there is inadequate support, improper construction, or a shift in the components of a scaffold (including the base upon which the structure is built). For instance, cinder blocks or other similar materials should not be used to support a scaffold because they could be crushed. To support scaffolds, use only suitable base plates on wood sills.

OSHA standards require that scaffolds can only be erected, moved, dismantled or altered under the supervision of a competent person. The competent person selects and directs the workers who erect the scaffold. The selected workers must be trained by a competent person on correct procedures and hazards of scaffold erection.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

2-7. What is suitable for supporting scaffolds so they won't collapse?