1. Tank Builders Scaffold Guidelines
Presented by:
STI/SPFA
Safety & Health Committee

2. NOTES
The following materials have been developed by STI/SPFA to generally illustrate industry practice. In developing these guidelines, STI/SPFA makes no judgment as to whether such industry practice reflects reasonable care. These materials merely set forth a general method by which scaffolding for tanks and vessels may be erected, used, maintained, and inspected, and by which personnel may gain a preliminary background in the hazards of Tank Builders Scaffold. These Guidelines are not in any manner to be construed as superseding or supplementing the OSHA Guidelines promulgated under 29 CFR through and as listed in Appendix A, or any other OSHA Guidelines or applicable federal, state or municipal laws, regulations and ordinances. Each employer has the responsibility to follow, and ensure that its employees comply with the OSHA Guidelines and all other applicable laws, regulations and ordinances concerning Tank Builders Scaffold and the erection, use, maintenance, inspection and employee training and safety in regard thereto. There Guidelines shall in no manner be construed as imposing any liability upon STI/SPFA for any bodily injuries or damage to personal property resulting from the implementation of any of the information contained within there Guidelines. Further, STI/SPFA accepts no liability for the use, misuse, interpretation, or misinterpretation of any of the information contained herein by any person or entity. STISPFA DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
By taking possession of these Guidelines, the holder hereof understands that IN NO EVENT, WHETHER AS A RESULT OF A BREACH OF WARRANTY, BREACH OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE, SHALL STI/SPFA BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE REFERENCE TO OR RELIANCE ON THESE MATERIALS, INCLUDIN ANY ACTUAL OR ECONOMIC DAMAGES, LOSS OF PROFITS OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF STI/SPFA IS ADVISED FO THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. These materials may be revised or withdrawn at any time without prior notice by STI/SPFA.

3. Lesson Overview Purpose:
To provide workers with introductory information about Tank Builders Scaffold.
Topics:
Scaffold use hazards
Installation procedures
Inspection requirements
Dismantling procedures
General rules for Scaffold use
Note: This training is designed to compliment the Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabricators Association’s written Tank Builders Scaffold Guidelines.

4. What is a Tank Builders Scaffold?
A supported scaffold consisting of a platform resting on brackets. The brackets are either directly attached to a tank, or attached to devices, e.g., clips, which are in turn attached to such a tank.

5. Scaffold Use Hazards Survey the jobsite for hazards Electrical hazards
Loose materials on scaffold
Falling objects
Slips, trips, and falls
Misuse of scaffold and scaffold failure
Improper access or egress

6. Scaffold Use Hazards Falls to a different level
Incorrect erection and dismantling.
Accessing the work area by climbing the structure.
Absence of or incomplete guardrails.
Scaffold platform not fully decked.
Breakage of work
platform.
Precautionary Measure:
Personal Fall Arrest System and/or Guardrail required

7. Scaffold Use Hazards Falls to the same level
Because of lack of housekeeping on the working platform surfaces (tools, mud).
Inclement weather (snow, ice, rain)
Falling objects on workers
Unguarded work platform (tools not secured in a tool tray/container, no barricade below scaffold or toe board).
Platform breakage.
Striking objects
Especially to the head, but also the arms, hips and legs.
Precautionary Measures:
Hard hats, good housekeeping,
secure loose tools, remove snow and ice

8. Scaffold Use Hazards Collapse of the structure Precautionary Measures:
High wind
Some solid scaffold barriers and unsecured scaffold boards increase the potential.
Secure bracket bolt(s) in a way that prevent their dislodgement (if used).
Precautionary Measures:
Scaffold components must be inspected prior to use.

9. Scaffold Use Hazards Electrical contact
Direct or indirect by proximity to high or low tension electric lines which are either aerial or building mounted.
Power cords of portable tools and extension cords.

10. Competent Person
Tank Builders Scaffold must be supervised by a Competent Person.
Who is a Competent Person?
Capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards
Has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate the hazards ( (b)).

11. Competent Person Inspection Frequency
How often should the competent person inspect the scaffold system?
Pre-Assembly Inspection
Assembly Inspection
Safe Use/Access
Pre-shift Inspection
Start of Job
Set-up (jump/move)
Daily

12. Scaffold Component Inspection
Check bolt size, grade and that
the nut can’t back out (if used).
Inspect Scaffold components for:
Bent, cracked, deformed angles that can weaken the structure of the bracket.
Cracked or deficient welds
Improper bolts and nuts (if used).
Damaged scaffold components shall be tagged out of service and/or removed from the worksite.

13. Scaffold General Requirements
Scaffold must be capable of supporting its own weight and ___ maximum intended load
Must have Guardrail System 4X

14. Scaffold Handrails Guardrail System Top rail
Smooth surface and 42 inch height
Taut wire rope or equivalent member
No more than 3 inches of deflection
Note: State specific handrail height may apply

15. Scaffold Handrails (Cont.)
Guardrail System (Continued)
Intermediate rail
Installed midway between the top rail and the scaffold platform
Posts

16. Handrail Rating What is the rating for a standard top rail?
Answer:_____ lbs
What is the rating for a standard mid rail?
What is the rating for a standard toe-board (if used)?
200
150 50

17. Handrail Safety
Never leave openings in scaffold platforms or guardrails.
Do not lean against top rails or mid rails.
Do not hang weld cables, hoses, electrical cables, etc. from top rails or mid rails, they should be hung from the scaffold guardrail posts.

18. Installation Procedure
Scaffolds shall be installed, moved, dismantled, or altered only under the supervision and direction of a competent person.

19. Installation of Scaffold Clip
The scaffold clip location shall not exceed 10 feet 6 inches.
Inspect scaffold clip for proper level.

20. Installation of Scaffold Clip
Only Certified Welders shall weld scaffold clips to tanks.
DO NOT leave a scaffold bracket clip partly welded, knock it off before leaving the work area.

21. Installation of Scaffold Clip
Must be welded across the entire top
Is this
acceptable?

22. Scaffold Clip Inspection
Who must inspect the scaffold clip?
The Competent Person on the worksite
When must the clip be
inspected?
Before attaching the
scaffold bracket to the
scaffold clip

23. Scaffold Clip Inspection
The Competent Person shall:
Ensure weld slag is removed prior to inspection
Inspect the welds for proper size and quality
Initial the weld after acceptance

24. Scaffold Boards and Decking
Use only approved scaffold boards
DO NOT rip or notch scaffold boards
Ensure boards and decking are not cracked
Remove damaged boards from service
Platforms shall be a minimum of 18” in width. For spans greater than 6 feet, the platform shall be equivalent to two (2) by 12 inch or three (3) 2 by 10 inch rough full dimensional lumber made of Douglas Fir or Southern Yellow Pine of select structural grade. Where other materials are used for the platform, they shall have equivalent strength.

25. Inspect Boards Prior to Use

27. Scaffold Platform Installation
Scaffold boards shall be supported at each scaffold bracket location with a minimum of ________ and a maximum of _________ of overhang.
6 inches
18 inches
Scaffold planks shall extend a minimum of 6” over the scaffold bracket with a maximum extension of 18” unless the planks are secured on both ends to the bracket.
Is this acceptable?

28. Scaffold Platform Installation
Overlap boards in one direction to prevent movement.
Boards shall be installed against the scaffold post per regulation and to prevent shifting.

29. Scaffold Platform Installation (Cont.)
Max space between boards = 1 inch.
Secure boards in windy environments to prevent shifting and to serve as a support to the tank shell (i.e., tie-wire, chain binder).

30. Scaffold Platform Installation
Opening between the scaffold platform and tank greater than 12 inches shall be closed by a safety line supported on the brackets.
If spacing between the first line and the board or tank shell is greater than 12 inches, then a second line is required.
A taut wire, synthetic rope or equivalent, supported on the scaffold brackets, shall be installed a the scaffold platform level between the innermost edge of the scaffold platform and the curved plate structure of the tank shell to serve as a safetyline in lieu of an inner guardrail system, where the space between the scaffold platform and the tank exceeds 12 inches. In the event the space on either side of the safetyline exceeds 12 inches, a second safetyline shall be appropriately placed to reduce the open space to less than 12 inches.

31. Scaffold Platform Safety
Do not store heavy tools and equipment on the scaffold.
Place loose hand tools, debris and other small objects in tool containers secured to the scaffold.

32. Overhead Hazard Barriers or Toeboards?
Barriers (if used): Shall be established below the scaffold area designating potential overhead hazard
Yellow and black caution tape, flagging, or equivalent markings
Toeboards (if used): Shall be capable of supporting 50 lbs. and be 3.5 inches high.

33. Scaffold Bracket Review
What do all acceptable scaffold brackets have in common?
Scaffold brackets must support 4 times the intended load
When is tank builders scaffold considered complete?
Includes a guardrail system
Includes a platform with a minimum width of 18 inches
When wood planks are used, two 12-inch wide boards are required. In California, three 10-inch wide boards.

34. Safe Access
If the distance between the scaffold platform and the point of access or egress is greater than 24 inches,
Then stairs, ladder(s) or a ramp shall be used for access.
Temporary or permanent ladders used for scaffold access,
Must have a rest platform at 35 foot maximum vertical intervals
Or include climbing fall protection on the ladder.
Scaffold platforms more than 24” above or below the point of access shall be provided with a safe means of access/egress, such as stairs, ladders or ramps.
Temporary or permanent ladders used for scaffold access must have a rest platform at 35-foot maximum vertical intervals or ladder climbing fall protection shall be used.

35. Scaffold Tag System RED YELLOW GREEN
Scaffold under construction, not completed (erectors only), when feasible use personal fall arrest system. Scaffold requires personal fall arrest system for use. Scaffold is complete and safe to use.

36. Altering/Dismantling Procedure
Altering/Dismantling operations shall be under the supervision of a Competent Person.
When feasible, personal fall protection should be used when altering/dismantling scaffolds.
Scaffold components shall not be dropped or thrown from elevated work locations.

37. Scaffold Inspection Inspection shall include but is not limited to:
The correct scaffold assembly
Guard rails in place and adequate
Scaffold platform is correctly planked and secured.
Scaffold barricade erected under scaffold or toe boards installed.

38. Scaffold Inspection Inspection shall include but is not limited to:
Adequate scaffold access has been provided
Scaffold tags (Green, yellow,
or red) are in place.
Tools and equipment are
stored safely on scaffold and
scaffold is not overloaded.

39. Questions?

40. References
Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabricators Association, Tank Builders Scaffold Guidelines, April 2009 Revision.
29 CFR 1926 Subpart L - Scaffolds