PAGE 1 OF 6 1.0 PURPOSE/ SCOPE To communicate the safety requirements for the erection, inspection and safe use of scaffolds. Compliance with these requirements will assure employee safety while working on scaffolds. 2.0 RESPONSIBILITY It is the responsibility of the supervisor of the group requesting scaffold (Operations or Maintenance) to coordinate with the scaffold erection contractor on the size, type, location and intended use of the scaffold. The Maintenance Superintendent will insure that any scaffold erected by his/her personnel be properly constructed, inspected, and approved per this procedure. Scaffolds and scaffold components shall be inspected for visible defects by a competent person on or before each work shift that it is used and after any occurrence which could affect a scaffold s structural integrity. 3.0 RECIPIENTS Westlake Vinyls Intranet http://gvcdocs/controlfiles/documentmainframe.asp 4.0 DEFINITIONS "Scaffold" - Any temporary elevated platform (supported or suspended) and its supporting structure (including points of anchorage) used for supporting employees or materials or both. "Qualified" - One who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated his/her ability to solve or resolve problems related to the subject matter, the work, or the project. "Competent person" - One who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
PAGE 2 OF 6 5.0 GENERAL All scaffolding constructed for usage by plant employees and/or contract personnel will be constructed and used per the guidelines within this procedure and those in the Federal Register, OSHA 1910.28 and OSHA 1926 subpart L. 6.0 PROCEDURE A. Scaffold Construction - General requirements for all scaffolds 1. Scaffolds shall be designed by a qualified person and shall be constructed and loaded in accordance with that design. 2. All scaffolds, regardless of height, will be equipped with handrails and mid rails, on all open sides and toe boards. 3. The scaffold erector shall place a tag on the scaffold noting any deficiencies with the completed scaffold; missing handrail, planks, etc and the date built. 4. Where persons are required to work under or pass under the scaffold a screen shall be provided between the toeboard and the guardrail or the area beneath must be barricaded to restrict entry. 5. Scaffolds shall be fully planked whenever possible. 6. All planking shall be Scaffold Grade as defined in the OSHA standard. 7. The footing or anchorage for scaffolds shall be sound, rigid, and capable of carrying the maximum intended load without settling or displacement. Unstable objects such as barrels, boxes, loose brick, or concrete blocks shall not be used to support scaffolds or planks. 8. The poles, legs, or uprights of scaffolds shall be plumb, and securely and rigidly braced to prevent swaying and displacement. 9. Scaffolds and their components shall be capable of supporting without failure at least four times the maximum intended load.
PAGE 3 OF 6 10. Scaffolds shall not be loaded in excess of the working load for which they are intended. 11. Scaffolds equipment shall be maintained in safe condition. Any scaffold damaged or weakened from any cause shall be immediately repaired and shall not be used until repairs have been completed. 12. All planking or platforms shall be overlapped (minimum 12 inches) or secured from movement. Scaffold planks shall extend over their end supports not less than 6 inches or more than 18 inches. 13. An access ladder or equivalent safe access shall be provided. Cross braces shall not be used as a means of access or egress. 14. The entire scaffold shall be tied to and securely braced against the building or structure at intervals not to exceed 30 feet horizontally and 26 feet vertically. 15. Overhead protection shall be provided for men on a scaffold exposed to overhead hazards. B. Scaffold Inspection and Use 1. Prior to use or the beginning each work shift a competent person shall inspect the scaffold for visible defects. Inspection items shall include: Scaffold is as built and has not been altered Scaffold footing is secure Scaffold has not been damaged Handrails and toe boards are in place Planking/decking is in place Ladders in place 2. This inspection shall be documented on the scaffold tag or on the work permit. 3. Fall protection is not required on scaffolds with complete handrails, midrails and toe boards. 4. Fall protection is required for scaffolds missing any handrails, midrails or planking when the scaffold deck is 6 or higher. These scaffolds will be identified with a yellow tag.
PAGE 4 OF 6 5. The use of portable ladders to extend worker height on scaffolds prohibited. 6. Workers should not stand on items such as boxes, barrels, stacks of materials, handrails, midrails, etc., in order to increase their working height. 7. Tools, materials, and debris shall not be allowed to accumulate in quantities to cause a hazard. 8. Scaffolds shall not be altered, modified or moved while they are in use or occupied. 9. Only scaffold qualified persons shall modify or make changes to completed scaffolds. C. Training Scaffold User Each employee who performs work while on a scaffold shall be trained by a person qualified in the subject matter to recognize the hazards associated with the type of scaffold being used and to understand the procedures to control or minimize those hazards. The training shall include the following areas, as applicable: 1. The nature of any electrical hazards, fall hazards and falling object hazards in the work area. 2. The correct procedures for dealing with electrical hazards. 3. The proper use of the scaffold, and the proper handling of materials on the scaffold. 4. The maximum intended load and the load-carrying capacities of the scaffolds used. D. Training Scaffold Competent Person Each employee who is involved in erecting, disassembling, moving, operating, repairing, maintaining, or inspecting a scaffold shall be trained by a competent person to recognize any hazards associated with the work in question. The training shall include the following topics, as applicable: 1. The nature of scaffold hazards. 2. The correct procedures for erecting, disassembling, moving, operating, repairing, inspecting, and maintaining the type of scaffold in question.
PAGE 5 OF 6 3. The design criteria, maximum intended load-carrying capacity and intended use of the scaffold. E. Tagging of Scaffolding 1. All tags are to be placed on a scaffold by a Scaffold Competent Person 2. RED tagged scaffold a. Scaffolding is to be red tagged during the erection, modification and dismantling phase. b. Westlake personnel shall NOT climb or work off of a red tagged scaffold. 3. YELLOW tagged scaffold a. A yellow tag shall be attached to scaffolding when any alteration was made to the structure that would prevent the scaffold from being green tagged. b. The Scaffold Competent Person shall list the hazard on the tag to identify the scaffold hazard. i.e. mid-rail missing due to piping obstruction. c. Personnel using the scaffold are to review the yellow tag before climbing the structure. d. Personnel working off of a yellow tagged scaffold are required to wear fall protection at all times. Lanyards shall be tied off when working off of these structures. 4. GREEN tagged scaffold a. A green tag indicates the scaffold is a completed structure and has all required handrails, mid-rails, toe boards and proper decking. b. Westlake personnel may work off a green tagged scaffold without fall protection as the scaffold is considered to be a completed structure. 5. All personnel are to inspect every scaffold before climbing the structure to ensure the scaffold has been inspected and has a current date. Westlake does NOT allow personnel to work off of a scaffold without a current inspection tag.
PAGE 6 OF 6 7.0 RECORDS The HSE department will maintain training records for WVC employees. 8.0 ATTACHMENTS N/A 9.0 REFERENCES OSHA 29 CFR 1910.28 - Safety Requirements For Scaffolding OSHA 1926 subpart L - Scaffolds Original Signature on File Approved by: John Casey Westlake Vinyls Plant Manager