Scaffolding Safety

The Scaffolding Safety training course includes a full-length video that features audio narration of award-winning content and more than 25 interactive animations.

Students will navigate a series of self-grading quizzes along with a final exam and an OSHA Study Timer tracks your progress and allows you to log in and out at your own convenience.

All completed hours count as Continuing Education Units (CEUs). This course is eligible for .1 Continuance of Certification (COC) points from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).

Upon completion of the Scaffolding Safety course, you will be able to identify the various classifications of scaffolds, understand the basic OSHA safety requirements, and learn the proper measures to ensure safe working conditions on a scaffold.

The topics covered in this modular course include:

1. Scaffolding History
2. Common Causes of Accidents
3. Scaffold Platform Construction
4. Scaffold Required Capacity
5. Competent Person
6. Scaffold Platform Construction Requirements
7. Scaffold Planking
8. Supported Scaffold Requirements
9. Suspended Scaffold Requirements
10. Scaffold Access
11. Use of Scaffolds
12. Fall Protection

There are no prerequisites for this course.

There are no physical or on-site requirements for scaffolding safety.

What are the highlights of the scaffolding standard?

Fall protection or fall arrest systems — Each employee more than 10 feet above a lower level shall be protected from falls by guardrails or a fall arrest system, except those on single-point and two-point adjustable suspension scaffolds. Each employee on a single-point and two-point adjustable suspended scaffold shall be protected by both a personal fall arrest system and a guardrail. 1926.451(g)(1).

Guardrail height — The height of the toprail for scaffolds manufactured and placed in service after January 1, 2000 must be between 38 inches (0.9 meters) and 45 inches (1.2 meters). The height of the toprail for scaffolds manufactured and placed in service before January 1, 2000 can be between 36 inches (0.9 meters) and 45 inches (1.2 meters). 1926.451(g)(4)(ii).

Crossbracing — When the crosspoint of crossbracing is used as a toprail, it must be between 38 inches (0.97 m) and 48 inches (1.3 meters) above the work platform. 1926.451(g)(4)(xv).

Midrails — Midrails must be installed approximately halfway between the toprail and the platform surface. When a crosspoint of crossbracing is used as a midrail, it must be between 20 inches (0.5 meters) and 30 inches (0.8 m) above the work platform. 1926.451(g)(4)

Footings — Support scaffold footings shall be level and capable of supporting the loaded scaffold. The legs, poles, frames, and uprights shall bear on base plates and mud sills. 1926.451(c)(2)

Platforms — Supported scaffold platforms shall be fully planked or decked. 1926.451(b)

Guying ties, and braces — Supported scaffolds with a height-to-base of more than 4:1 shall be restained from tipping by guying, tying, bracing, or the equivalent. 1926.451(c)(1)

Capacity — Scaffolds and scaffold components must support at least 4 times the maximum intended load. Suspension scaffold rigging must at least 6 times the intended load. 1926.451(a)(1) and (3)

Training — Employers must train each employee who works on a scaffold on the hazards and the procedures to control the hazards. 1926.454

Inspections — Before each work shift and after any occurrence that could affect the structural integrity, a competent person must inspect the scaffold and scaffold components for visible defects. 1926.451(f)(3)

Erecting and Dismantling — When erecting and dismantling supported scaffolds, a competent person must determine the feasibility of providing a safe means of access and fall protection for these operations. 1926.451(e)(9) & (g)(2)