The regulations state that cross-bracing can only be a top rail OR a mid-rail, depending on where the two braces cross. People assume they are protected by “guardrails”. The other part that’s missed is where cross-braces exist. Companies will spend time to ensure the length of the scaffold is protected behind the workers, but forget to enclose the width of the scaffold, front to back on each end, leaving a fall hazard unprotected One of the most frequently cited issues with railings is that the ends of scaffolding are left unprotected. These are oftentimes not even installed or not completed properly, making them unsafe.
Rails usually consist of 2 x 4s wired to the upright. Often, providing these pieces is left up to the company erecting the scaffold. What is not included is mudsills, planks, or railings. Masonry scaffolding is made up of components – uprights, outriggers, cross braces, base plates. Why? Special Attention: Masonry Scaffolding Masonry scaffolding, on the other hand, is often assembled incorrectly.
#Yellow tag scaffold meaning professional#
System scaffolding set up by a professional scaffold company (or properly set up by your own personnel) includes the necessary rails as well. Suspended scaffolding is often just as simple (though we’ll talk specifically about fall protection requirements in suspended scaffolding in a moment). The rails are a part of the system and pop easily into place.
Scaffolding rules are complex, which is why OSHA requires they be erected under the supervision of a Competent Person (somebody with both the knowledge to recognize a hazard and the authority to correct it).įor something like Baker’s scaffold, it’s simple. The problem is, many don’t get the rails right.
#Yellow tag scaffold meaning install#
Most companies opt for safety railing because they’re easy to install and are a form of passive protection, or protection that requires no interaction to work. Like most other fall hazards, you’re looking at one of two solutions: roof guardrails or tying-off with an anchor point. Now, we understand when fall protection is required, but how do we achieve compliance once we pass the ten-foot mark? Achieving Fall Protection Compliance on a Scaffold You might ask why it’s okay to have no fall protection on a single scaffold bay? Well, it was deemed to be an undue burden on masons and other trade professions that frequently use scaffolding, so the height restriction was raised. The regulation in Subpart M, the horizontal, would require a worker on a single scaffold bay to have fall protection. The simplest answer is that one section of scaffolding is often more than 6 feet tall. Why does OSHA allow for falls of up to 10 feet on scaffolding when most other situations require protection at 6 feet? Do we fall more gently from scaffolding than we do from any other elevated surface? Of course not. If you said 10 feet, that's right! That is because the vertical standard overrides the horizontal standard. However, subpart L (vertical) rejects this and instead says that when you’re using scaffolding, it’s 10 feet.
Simply put: Any rules in a vertical standard, like Scaffolds, override any rules in a horizontal standard, like Fall Protection.įor example, Subpart M (horizontal) tells us that, in construction, you must have fall protection beginning at 6 feet. The Fall Protection Height Regulation for Scaffold Let's dig a little deeper and look at a particular application. It is important to note that issues addressed in a vertical standard always override the same issue addressed in a horizontal standard. It is where you begin.Ī vertical standard is more specific, it applies to a particular industry, application, condition, or practice like Subpart L: Scaffolding. This standard is your basis for fall protection, it's general and applies to any industry. These terms refer to two different types of OSHA regulations.Ī horizontal standard is a broad, general standard, like Subpart M: Fall Protection. To fully understand the fall protection regulation related to scaffolding, you must first understand the concept of vertical and horizontal standards. When exceptions to some of these standards come into play, there’s bound to be some people who get completely lost. Fall protection regulations consist of some complicated and confusing standards.
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