Course Overview
This course equips participants with the knowledge and skills required to design scaffolds in compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L – Scaffolds. It covers scaffold classifications, design requirements, load calculations, safety factors, and documentation procedures mandated by OSHA.
Learners will gain the competence to prepare scaffold designs as a qualified person (per OSHA §1926.32(m)) and to ensure scaffold structures are safe, stable, and fully compliant. This course is ideal for scaffold designers, engineers, safety managers, and competent persons involved in scaffold planning or approval.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify OSHA scaffold requirements under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L.
- Calculate scaffold capacities and apply required OSHA safety factors.
- Design supported, suspended, and specialty scaffolds according to OSHA rules.
- Prepare and approve scaffold drawings as a qualified person.
- Document scaffold approvals, inspections, and corrective actions.
- Identify common OSHA violations and design strategies to prevent them.
Course Outline
Module 1 – OSHA Scaffold Standards Overview
- Purpose and scope of 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L
- Definitions: competent person vs. qualified person
- Roles and responsibilities for scaffold design and use
Module 2 – Scaffold Design Requirements under OSHA
- General scaffold design criteria
- Maximum intended load and 4x capacity rule
- Platform construction, planking, and guardrail rules
Module 3 – Load Calculations and Structural Integrity
- Determining scaffold loads (dead, live, environmental)
- Safety factors for suspension ropes
- Examples of load calculation per OSHA requirements
Module 4 – Scaffold Types and Specific OSHA Rules
- Supported scaffolds: tubes & couplers, frames, modular systems
- Suspended scaffolds: two-point and multipoint
- Specialty scaffolds: cantilever, outrigger, rolling
Module 5 – Scaffold Drawing, Documentation, and Approval Process
- Scaffold design drawings for OSHA compliance
- Design approval when a qualified person is required
- Documentation: design records, inspection logs, handover forms
Module 6 – Hazard Identification and Risk Mitigation
- Common OSHA citations for scaffold design violations
- Fall hazards, overload, and collapse risks
- Design strategies to eliminate hazards at source
Tutor Requirements (per OSHA)
- Must meet OSHA definition of a qualified person under §1926.32(m):
- Practical scaffold design experience (minimum 3 years recommended).
- In-depth knowledge of OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L and application on active job sites.
