California Code of Regulations › Title 8 - Industrial Relations › Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations › Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety › Subchapter 4 - Construction Safety Orders › Article 22 - Scaffolds-Various Types › Section 1640 - Light-Duty Wooden Pole Scaffolds

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) Pole scaffolds to be used by carpenters,
					 lathers, shinglers, painters, plasterers, sheet metal workers, or other trades
					 not using heavy tools or storing heavy materials on the scaffolds, shall be
					 constructed as follows:
(See Plate B-18, Appendix)
(b) Light-Duty Exterior Scaffolds.
(1) Uprights. For heights not to exceed 20
					 feet, the uprights shall be 2-inch by 4-inch lumber or heavier, spaced not more
					 than 3 feet between uprights at right angles to the wall and not more than 10
					 feet center to center, parallel to the wall. The inside uprights may be omitted
					 and ledgers attached to the permanent structure, provided that the method of
					 attaching the ledgers to the permanent structure will make the connection as
					 secure as though the ledger were nailed to the upright with 5 8-penny nails.
					 The splices of uprights shall be made with square butt joints, and scabs of
					 1-inch by 4-inch or heavier material at least 48 inches long shall be nailed on
					 2 sides of each upright with 6 nails in each ½ of each scab. If the
					 uprights of the scaffold rest on a surface that might cause slipping, a
					 continuous sill or other means shall be provided to hold the uprights in place.
					 When the scaffold is resting on earth or other such material, the uprights
					 shall rest on and be secured to the equivalent of a 2-inch by 10-inch by
					 10-inch wooden base.
NOTE: 1 1/8 -inch by 10-inch by 10-inch piece of exterior
						grade plywood may be used in lieu of the wooden base mentioned
						above.
(2) Ledgers and
					 Ribbons. The platforms of the scaffold shall be supported by ledgers. For
					 ledgers spanning not more than 3 feet between uprights, use 2 pieces of 1-inch
					 by 6-inch board, 1 being on each side of the uprights and fastened securely at
					 each point of support. Single 2-inch by 4-inch ledgers are not permitted.
					 Vertical spacing of ribbons and ledgers shall not exceed 7 feet. The ribbons
					 shall be 1-inch by 6-inch or heavier material, placed on the outer uprights,
					 directly under, and in contact with, the ledgers. The ribbons shall be long
					 enough to extend from upright to upright without splices.
EXCEPTIONS:
1.
					 When metal ledgers are used or when ledgers are bolted or when a 45-degree
					 angle brace is nailed to the uprights between double ledgers, and ledgers also
					 nailed to this brace, the ribbon may be placed at other elevations such as
					 guardrail height, but they cannot be eliminated from the scaffold.
2. Metal ledgers and ribbons that are part of
					 a patented scaffold system may be used when installed in accordance with the
					 manufacturer's instructions.
(3) Ties and Braces. The scaffold shall be
					 securely tied to the building or structure by means of a double looped No. 12
					 iron wire, or single looped No. 10 iron wire or 1-inch by 4-inch boards with at
					 least 2 nails at each connection or equivalent means. Ties shall connect to the
					 inside uprights and shall not be more than 20 feet apart horizontally and
					 vertically. The outside line of uprights shall contain sufficient diagonal
					 bracing of 1-inch by 6-inch material in a vertical plane across the entire face
					 of the scaffold in both directions to prevent swaying, tipping, or collapsing.
					 (See Appendix Plate B-18).
EXCEPTION: Bracing of 2-inch by 4-inch material may be
						used provided that the bracing extends from ledger to next higher or lower
						ledger or from ledger to sill in the form of an "X" in the end bays and in
						every third bay in between so that the "X" bracing also extends from the
						upper-most ledger to the sill, vertically, in each of these
						bays.
(4) Railing. Open
					 sides and ends of intermediate working levels 7 ½ feet or more above
					 grade shall be guarded by a 2-inch by 4-inch top rail nailed to the uprights so
					 that the top edge is between 42 inches and 45 inches above the platform.
					 Midrails of at least 2-inch by 4-inch material are required at all work levels.
					 The uppermost platform shall be protected by a top rail consisting of double
					 2-inch by 4-inch members. One member shall be fastened in a flat position on
					 top of the uprights and the other member shall be fastened in an edge-up
					 position to the inside of the uprights and at the side of the top member. A
					 single 2-inch by 4-inch member having an allowable bending stress of at least
					 1,900 psi may be used as a top rail.
(5) Platforms.
(A) Platform planks shall be of 2-inch by
					 10-inch or larger material and of such length that they overlap the ledgers at
					 each end by at least 6 inches. A plank shall not overlap an unsupported end of
					 another plank. The working platform shall cover the entire space between
					 scaffold uprights, except for the open area under the backrailing, which shall
					 not be more than 8 inches wide. Platforms shall be at least 20 inches wide and
					 within 14 inches of the structure wall. When moving platforms to the next
					 level, the old platform shall be left undisturbed until the new ledgers have
					 been set in place ready to receive the platform planks.
EXCEPTION: A single 2-inch by 10-inch plank may be used
						for light trades work up to a height of 4 feet.
(B) Working platforms for light-trades work
					 may be made of ¾ -inch Douglas fir plywood instead of 2-inch plank if
					 the platform is at least 2 feet wide, nailed in place and supported on cross
					 members at 4-foot or closer intervals along its
					 length.