Workers in construction and other industries use scaffolding to accomplish tasks at heights. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, millions of construction industry workers use such apparatuses in performing their job duties.
Unfortunately, however, scaffolding accidents occur all too often and may result in serious injuries or death for workers. By taking some precautions, you may help protect yourself and your coworkers from suffering injuries due to falls from scaffolding or getting struck by equipment or objects.
Replace parts in disrepair
According to OSHA, one step you may take to help prevent scaffolding accidents includes making sure they remain in good repair. A competent person should regularly inspect the scaffolding to look for issues and immediately conduct any needed fixes.
Build with appropriate materials
To ensure scaffolding can carry the loads it must, you will need to erect these platforms on solid footing. Therefore, you should only build and repair scaffolds with scaffold-grade materials or equivalents. Further, you should never support scaffolding or scaffold planks with unstable items such as loose bricks, barrels or boxes.
Use guardrails
Using the appropriate safety precautions, such as guardrails, may also help avoid some scaffolding accidents. Additionally, any scaffolds in use should also have mid rails and toeboards. These safeguards may prevent workers from falling off in some cases.
If you suffered an injury due to a scaffolding accident while working at a construction site, you may have entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits. This includes coverage of your associated medical expenses and partial wage replacement for the time you must take off work to recover from your injury.