12 Aug Scaffold Use – JSA

Scaffold Use Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

Job / Task

Accessing, working from, moving materials on, and descending from supported, suspended, or mobile scaffolds used for construction, maintenance, repair, installation, inspection, and related activities. Scaffold erection, dismantling, alteration, and repair shall be performed only by personnel authorized and qualified for those activities under the direction of a competent person.

Purpose

This Job Safety Analysis (JSA), also known as a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), identifies hazards associated with scaffold use and establishes controls to prevent falls, scaffold collapse, falling-object incidents, electrical contact, overloading, unsafe access, and injuries caused by improper scaffold condition or use.

Personnel Qualifications

Employees who use scaffolds shall be trained by a qualified person to recognize scaffold hazards and understand the procedures necessary to control or minimize those hazards. A competent person shall inspect scaffolds and scaffold components for visible defects before each work shift and after any occurrence that could affect structural integrity.

Employees shall:

• Use only scaffolds that have been inspected and released for use according to site procedures.
• Understand the scaffold’s intended use, load limitations, access requirements, and fall-protection requirements.
• Inspect the work area and report damaged, altered, incomplete, or unstable scaffold conditions.
• Use designated access such as ladders, stair towers, ramps, or walkways.
• Maintain required guardrails or personal fall-protection systems.
• Keep platforms free of unnecessary materials, debris, snow, ice, oil, and other slip or trip hazards.
• Control tools and materials to prevent falling-object hazards.
• Maintain required clearance from energized electrical conductors.
• Never alter, remove, or reposition scaffold components unless authorized to do so.
• Stop work and notify the competent person when scaffold conditions become unsafe.

Required PPE

PPE shall be selected based on the scaffold type, task, and surrounding hazards and may include:

• Hard hat.
• Safety glasses with side protection.
• Work gloves appropriate to the task.
• Slip-resistant safety footwear.
• High-visibility apparel where traffic or mobile-equipment exposure exists.
• Full-body harness and compatible personal fall-protection equipment where required.
• Hearing protection where noise exposure requires it.
• Additional task-specific PPE identified by the hazard assessment.

JSA – Job Steps, Hazards, and Controls

Step 1 – Evaluate the Work and Scaffold Requirements

Potential Hazards

• Wrong scaffold type.
• Fall exposure.
• Overloading.
• Electrical contact.

Required Controls

• Determine the work to be performed, required working height, materials, equipment, and anticipated loads.
• Verify the scaffold type is suitable for the task and environment.
• Identify overhead power lines, openings, traffic, excavations, falling-object exposures, and other nearby hazards.
• Determine required fall protection and access methods.
• Coordinate unusual scaffold conditions with the competent person before use.

Step 2 – Verify Scaffold Inspection Status

Potential Hazards

• Use of defective or incomplete scaffold.
• Collapse.
• Fall.

Required Controls

• Confirm the scaffold has been inspected by a competent person before the work shift.
• Do not use scaffolds that are tagged, barricaded, or otherwise identified as incomplete or unsafe.
• Report visible damage, missing components, settlement, movement, or unauthorized alterations.
• Require reinspection after storms, impact, movement, modification, or other events that could affect scaffold integrity.
• Do not rely solely on a tag when visible unsafe conditions are present.

Step 3 – Inspect the Scaffold Base and Support

Potential Hazards

• Settlement.
• Tip-over.
• Collapse.

Required Controls

• Check that supported scaffolds are founded on adequate, firm support.
• Verify base plates, mud sills, casters, or other required support components are properly positioned.
• Look for settlement, erosion, undermining, damaged supports, or unstable ground.
• Keep the scaffold away from excavation edges or other unstable areas unless specifically designed for those conditions.
• Notify the competent person if support conditions have changed.

Step 4 – Inspect Scaffold Components

Potential Hazards

• Structural failure.
• Missing components.
• Fall.

Required Controls

• Check frames, posts, uprights, braces, bearers, runners, connections, pins, couplers, and platforms for visible damage.
• Verify required bracing and connections are present.
• Do not use bent, cracked, corroded, broken, or otherwise damaged components.
• Do not mix incompatible scaffold components unless their safe compatibility has been determined.
• Do not modify scaffold components.

Step 5 – Inspect Platforms and Decking

Potential Hazards

• Fall through gaps.
• Platform failure.
• Trips.

Required Controls

• Verify platforms are fully planked or decked as required for the scaffold configuration.
• Check planks and decking for cracks, splits, excessive deflection, damage, or displacement.
• Verify platforms are secured against movement where required.
• Keep platform openings and gaps within applicable requirements.
• Do not use makeshift platforms, boxes, ladders, or other devices on scaffold platforms to gain additional height.

Step 6 – Verify Guardrails and Fall Protection

Potential Hazards

• Fall from elevation.
• Improper fall-arrest connection.

Required Controls

• Verify required toprails, midrails, and other guardrail components are installed and secure.
• Do not remove guardrails to facilitate work unless alternate required fall protection is established.
• Use personal fall protection where required for the scaffold type or work condition.
• Connect personal fall-protection equipment only to approved anchorage points or systems.
• Maintain required protection during access and work.

Step 7 – Inspect Access

Potential Hazards

• Fall while climbing.
• Unsafe climbing.

Required Controls

• Use ladders, stair towers, ramps, walkways, or integral access specifically designed for scaffold access.
• Do not climb cross braces unless they are specifically designed and approved for access.
• Keep access points clear of materials and obstructions.
• Secure access ladders where required.
• Maintain safe handholds and footing during ascent and descent.

Step 8 – Access the Scaffold

Potential Hazards

• Fall.
• Dropped tools.
• Loss of balance.

Required Controls

• Face the ladder or access system while climbing where applicable.
• Maintain three points of contact when using ladders.
• Keep hands free for climbing; raise or lower tools and materials separately where necessary.
• Do not jump onto or from scaffold platforms.
• Use required fall protection during transitions.

Step 9 – Load the Scaffold

Potential Hazards

• Overloading.
• Platform failure.
• Falling materials.

Required Controls

• Know the scaffold’s maximum intended load and duty rating.
• Include employees, tools, equipment, and stored materials when evaluating loading.
• Distribute loads to avoid concentrated overloading.
• Do not load scaffolds beyond their rated or designed capacity.
• Remove unnecessary materials promptly.

Step 10 – Work from the Scaffold Platform

Potential Hazards

• Fall.
• Overreaching.
• Slip or trip.

Required Controls

• Keep both feet on the platform and maintain stable footing.
• Reposition the work or scaffold rather than leaning or reaching excessively outside the protected work area.
• Do not stand on guardrails, boxes, buckets, ladders, or makeshift devices placed on the platform.
• Keep the platform orderly and free of trip hazards.
• Maintain required fall protection at all times.

Step 11 – Handle Tools and Materials

Potential Hazards

• Falling objects.
• Loss of balance.
• Manual-handling injury.

Required Controls

• Keep tools and materials away from platform edges.
• Use tool lanyards, containers, toe boards, screens, debris nets, or barricades as appropriate.
• Use hoists or other suitable methods for heavy or awkward materials.
• Do not throw tools or materials to or from a scaffold.
• Maintain a controlled area below when falling-object hazards exist.

Step 12 – Protect Employees Below

Potential Hazards

• Struck-by falling object.

Required Controls

• Use toe boards, screens, panels, debris nets, canopies, barricades, or other appropriate falling-object protection.
• Restrict access below scaffold work where necessary.
• Require head protection in exposure areas.
• Secure loose tools and materials.
• Communicate overhead work to affected employees.

Step 13 – Work Near Electrical Hazards

Potential Hazards

• Electrocution.
• Arc contact.

Required Controls

• Identify overhead and nearby energized electrical conductors before scaffold use.
• Maintain applicable minimum approach clearances.
• Use additional controls when conductive scaffold components could approach energized conductors.
• Do not move conductive scaffolds into electrical clearance zones.
• Coordinate de-energization, guarding, insulation, or other protective measures with authorized personnel when required.

Step 14 – Use Mobile Scaffolds

Potential Hazards

• Tip-over.
• Uncontrolled movement.
• Fall.

Required Controls

• Verify casters and wheels are suitable and properly installed.
• Lock casters or wheels while the scaffold is in use unless designed for controlled movement.
• Keep the scaffold plumb, level, and properly braced.
• Do not move a mobile scaffold with employees riding on it unless all applicable requirements for riding are satisfied.
• Keep the travel path clear of holes, slopes, debris, overhead obstructions, and electrical hazards.

Step 15 – Move a Mobile Scaffold

Potential Hazards

• Tip-over.
• Collision.
• Electrical contact.

Required Controls

• Remove or secure tools and materials that could fall during movement.
• Check the route for floor openings, uneven surfaces, slopes, overhead obstructions, and power lines.
• Apply force as close to the base as practicable unless the scaffold is designed otherwise.
• Move slowly and maintain control.
• Relock casters and verify stability before employees resume work.

Step 16 – Use Scaffolds in Adverse Weather

Potential Hazards

• Slips.
• Wind-related instability.
• Lightning.

Required Controls

• Do not work on scaffolds covered with snow, ice, or other slippery material except as necessary for removal under controlled conditions.
• Evaluate wind conditions before and during scaffold use.
• Do not use scaffolds during storms or high winds unless a competent person determines it is safe and required protection is provided.
• Secure loose materials.
• Suspend work when weather creates unsafe scaffold or rescue conditions.

Step 17 – Maintain Housekeeping

Potential Hazards

• Slips and trips.
• Falling debris.
• Blocked access.

Required Controls

• Remove scrap, packaging, cords, hoses, and unnecessary materials from platforms.
• Keep access ladders and stairways unobstructed.
• Clean spills promptly using safe methods.
• Route cords and hoses to minimize trip hazards.
• Do not allow debris to accumulate on or below scaffolds.

Step 18 – Respond to Scaffold Damage or Movement

Potential Hazards

• Collapse.
• Fall.
• Structural instability.

Required Controls

• Stop work immediately if the scaffold shifts, settles, sways excessively, is struck, or shows signs of structural damage.
• Keep employees off the affected scaffold.
• Barricade the area when necessary.
• Notify the competent person.
• Do not resume use until the scaffold has been inspected and determined safe.

Step 19 – Respond to Unauthorized Alteration

Potential Hazards

• Missing guardrails.
• Loss of bracing.
• Collapse.

Required Controls

• Stop work if components have been removed, relocated, or altered without authorization.
• Do not attempt to correct structural scaffold deficiencies unless authorized and qualified.
• Notify the competent person.
• Prevent access until the scaffold is restored and inspected.
• Communicate the restriction to affected employees.

Step 20 – Descend from the Scaffold

Potential Hazards

• Fall during descent.
• Dropped materials.

Required Controls

• Remove or lower tools and materials safely before descending where necessary.
• Use designated access.
• Maintain three points of contact on ladders.
• Do not climb down braces or jump from platforms.
• Maintain required fall protection until safely within a protected area.

Step 21 – Complete Post-Use Inspection

Potential Hazards

• Unreported damage.
• Hazard to next shift.

Required Controls

• Report damage, missing components, contamination, or other unsafe conditions observed during use.
• Remove loose tools and materials from platforms.
• Keep unauthorized personnel off scaffolds that require repair or reinspection.
• Ensure unsafe scaffolds are identified according to site procedures.
• Communicate conditions that could affect the next shift or work crew.

General Safe Work Requirements

• Scaffolds shall be designed, erected, altered, moved, dismantled, and inspected in accordance with applicable requirements and under competent-person oversight where required.
• A competent person shall inspect scaffolds and components for visible defects before each work shift and after occurrences that could affect structural integrity.
• Employees shall not use scaffolds that are incomplete, damaged, unstable, improperly altered, or otherwise unsafe.
• Scaffolds and components shall not be loaded beyond their maximum intended loads or rated capacities.
• Required guardrail systems and personal fall-protection systems shall be maintained.
• Safe access shall be provided when scaffold platforms are more than 2 feet above or below a point of access.
• Cross braces shall not be used as a means of access unless specifically designed for that purpose.
• Scaffold platforms shall be properly planked or decked and maintained free of unsafe gaps and damaged components.
• Employees shall not use ladders, boxes, barrels, or makeshift devices on scaffold platforms to increase working height.
• Falling-object hazards shall be controlled for employees working below.
• Required clearance from energized power lines and electrical conductors shall be maintained.
• Scaffolds shall not be used during storms, high winds, or slippery conditions unless the applicable requirements and competent-person determination are satisfied.
• Mobile scaffold casters or wheels shall be locked during use unless the scaffold is being moved under an approved procedure.
• Employees shall not alter or remove scaffold components unless authorized and qualified to do so.
• Work shall stop whenever scaffold condition, access, fall protection, electrical clearance, loading, weather, or structural stability is inadequate.

Training

Employees who perform work while on a scaffold shall be trained by a person qualified in the subject matter to recognize hazards associated with the type of scaffold being used and understand the procedures necessary to control or minimize those hazards. Training shall address electrical hazards; fall hazards and falling-object hazards; procedures for dealing with electrical hazards and for erecting, maintaining, and disassembling fall-protection and falling-object protection systems used by scaffold users; proper scaffold use; handling of materials; maximum intended loads and load-carrying capacities; and applicable requirements. Retraining shall be provided when workplace changes, scaffold changes, or employee knowledge or performance indicates that previous training is no longer adequate.

References

• OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L – Scaffolds.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.451 – General Requirements.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.452 – Additional Requirements Applicable to Specific Types of Scaffolds.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.454 – Training Requirements.
• Applicable scaffold manufacturer instructions, engineered scaffold designs, site procedures, and client requirements.