What it means
A scaffold is a temporary structure that holds workers and materials at height. Supported scaffolds stand on the ground or a base. Suspended scaffolds hang from above. There are also mobile and specialty types.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.451 covers scaffolds in construction: the footing, the planking, the guardrails, access and what must be checked. Check the current rule and your own procedures. The maker's instructions apply to system scaffolds.
A competent person inspects the scaffold before each shift and after anything that could affect it, like weather or an impact. Only trained people erect, move or take down a scaffold.
Why it matters
A scaffold failure drops people and material at once. Most problems are visible before they matter: a missing pin, a loose plank, a footing that settled. The inspection is where they get caught.
What it looks like on a site
- A competent person inspects the scaffold before each shift and signs the tag at the access point.
- Green, yellow or red tags show whether the scaffold is cleared, limited or closed.
- Footing, bracing, planks, guardrails, ties and access ladders get a look every time.
- Nobody alters a scaffold except a trained crew with approval.
- Loads stay under what the scaffold is built to carry, and the weak spots get reported.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current rule and your own procedures. Back to the glossary