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SAFETY MOMENT, MAY 2

A competent person checks it every shift

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Safety moment, May 2

A competent person checks it every shift

A scaffold changes every day as it is built, moved, loaded and taken down. One missing plank, a soft base or a rail left off can turn a normal shift into a fall. People working below are at risk too, from tools and material that drop off the platform. A minute of looking before you climb is how we catch these problems.

SAFETY MOMENT

May 2

The hazard

A scaffold changes every day as it is built, moved, loaded and taken down. One missing plank, a soft base or a rail left off can turn a normal shift into a fall. People working below are at risk too, from tools and material that drop off the platform. A minute of looking before you climb is how we catch these problems.

The action

A competent person must inspect the scaffold for visible defects before each work shift and after anything that could affect its structure. That check does not replace your own eyes. Before you climb, look for missing planks, loose pins, missing rails and soft ground under the base. If something looks wrong, stay off and tell your foreman. (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(3))

ASK THE CREW

Are there power lines, high winds or icy planks we need to plan for on this job?

From the talk: Scaffold safety. Read it in full, free, with the questions and the sign-in sheet.

HOW TO USE IT

How to give a safety moment

  1. Gather the crew where they work, before the shift or the meeting starts. Read the hazard out loud.
  2. Ask the question and let two or three people answer. What they say about their own work counts for more than what you read.
  3. Name the action and point to one place on today's job where it applies, so everyone knows what to do differently.
  4. Write the date and the names on a sign-in sheet.

A safety moment is short and does not replace the full talk. When you want to go through a topic with the crew, pick a free toolbox talk.

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