29 CFR 1926.451: General requirements

Question 1

A supported frame scaffold is 6 feet wide and 21 feet tall, which gives a height-to-base-width ratio of about 3.5:1. The crew adds a cantilevered work platform that projects from one side so workers can reach over a parapet. The foreman says no tipping restraint is needed because the ratio is under 4:1. Which response is correct under the scaffold standard?

1. AThe foreman is wrong, but only guying is acceptable here, and only if a competent person first confirms the footings are level.
2. BThe foreman is correct, because restraint is required only when the ratio is more than 4:1.
3. CThe foreman is wrong, because ties, guys, braces, or outriggers must be used whenever an eccentric load such as a cantilevered platform is applied to the scaffold.
4. DThe foreman is correct, because restraint is required for cantilevered platforms only when the scaffold is taller than 26 feet.

Question 2

A crew is working from a two-point adjustable suspension scaffold fitted with an overhead protection canopy. The supervisor plans to tie each worker's lanyard to a separate vertical lifeline. Each lifeline would be anchored to a structural steel member of the building, independent of the scaffold, and padded at the roof edge to prevent abrasion. Is this fall arrest plan acceptable?

1. AYes, as long as each worker has a separate lifeline, so that no two lanyards share the same point of anchorage.
2. BNo. Building structural members are not safe anchorage points for vertical lifelines, so the lifelines must be tied to the scaffold's outrigger beams.
3. CYes. The lifelines are anchored to building structural steel, are independent of the scaffold, and are protected from abrasion, which is all the standard requires.
4. DNo. Vertical lifelines cannot be used on a two-point suspension scaffold that has overhead components such as a canopy, so another permitted attachment method is needed.

Question 3

A masonry crew is repairing a parapet. The foreman proposes using a forklift to hold a platform at the work height. The platform would be bolted across its entire frame to the forks. Because the wall run is 30 ft long, the foreman also plans to have the operator slowly drive the forklift along the wall to reposition the platform for each section while two masons stay on it, so they do not have to climb down. Which assessment is correct under the scaffold footing and support requirements?

1. ACompliant, provided the operator stays at the controls and the forklift's rated capacity exceeds the platform load
2. BNot compliant, because forklifts may never support a scaffold platform under any circumstances
3. CNot compliant, because the forklift may not be moved horizontally while the platform is occupied, so the masons must be off the platform before it is repositioned
4. DCompliant, because attaching the entire platform to the fork satisfies the requirement and slow travel does not change it

Question 4

A crew is working from a two-point suspension scaffold on a high-rise facade. Gusty wind is making the stage sway, and the competent person has evaluated the situation and decided the stage must be secured. The foreman points out that the building has permanent window cleaners' anchors close to each side of the stage and proposes tying the stage off to them because they are already in place and look strong. What is the correct response under the standard?

1. AAccept the plan, since the competent person has already determined that securing the stage is necessary
2. BAccept the plan only if the competent person documents in writing that the anchors are adequate
3. CSkip tying the stage off, because two-point scaffolds are not required to be secured against swaying
4. DReject the use of the window cleaners' anchors for this purpose and secure the stage to another means of tie-off