Personal Injury Law

Be Safe with Scaffolds - Kirk Bernard's 7 Construction Safety Tips

By Kirk Bernard, Esq.

Falls from scaffolds are one of the main causes of Washington construction accidents. When a worker is on a scaffold, a number of things could go wrong. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that more than 2 million construction workers work on scaffolds each year. In addition, OSHA estimates that protecting these workers from scaffold-related accidents would prevent 4,500 injuries and 50 deaths every year.

As a skilled Seattle personal injury attorney, Kirk Bernard knows that some of the most common hazards include falls from elevation due to lack of fall protection; scaffold collapse; being struck by falling tools or object; and electrocution because of the proximity of the scaffold to overhead power lines. If you work on scaffolds, here are the top 7 safety tips:

1. Make sure that a competent person has inspected the scaffold before you work on it.


2. Wear protective gear, including a hard hat whether you are working on or under a scaffold.


3. Use a personal fall arrest system such as a harness.


4. Wear sturdy shoes with non-slip soles.


5. Always use common sense and move slowly and carefully. If you are not sure if a scaffold is safe, talk to a supervisor.


6. Never overload a scaffold or hit a scaffold with anything heavy such as truck or forklift.


7. Use an outdoor scaffold in stormy or windy weather or if it is covered with ice or snow.

Full post as published by Seattle Injury Blog on February 08, 2010 (boomark / email).