Masonry Magazine April 2005 Page. 32
Scaffold Plank
CAUTION
USE
MEETS O.SH.A.BAN.SI
STANDARDS
20
SCAFFOLD PLANK
Pin-Lok
Scaffold Plank
USTOMER PIN-LOK 2.0E OSHA 02-05
Gilleran agrees and says, "It boils down to education and people caring more for their equipment, themselves and their co-workers. Mason contractors would love it if they could buy a board and make it last five, six or seven years. By and large, it just doesn't happen. It doesn't get cared for.
"A lot of these groups aren't aware of the information and literature that's available to them, or they're not sharing it with the people in the field that need the information the most," he continues. "I don't think mason contractors realize that some of the labor they're hiring to do this physical work really don't know or understand what's acceptable and what's not, or what's a potential problem and what's not."
Storage and Care Review
Provided by Kennison Forest Products, the following care tips are a good review of important safety information to make sure your planking practices aren't rusty (see also the sidebar article on pg. 24).
Keep Scaffold Planks Dry
The strength and performance of a scaffold plank is reduced by moisture.
Storage
Store in a dry, well-ventilated area. Storing in wet or unventilated areas will accelerate wood decay and plank deterioration. Always allow wet planks to dry quickly by providing proper air circulation.
Protection
Protect planks from extreme weather conditions, including excessive exposure to water and temperatures exceeding 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Store planks under a roof or under a porous cover that will shed water while allowing moisture to escape.
Stacking Stored Planks
Keep planks stacked in bundles off the ground and supported by stickers spaced no more than eight feet apart. Be sure to line up the stickers between the bundles with the ground stickers. This will allow easy forklift access and provide air circulation. Misalignment of the stickers can damage the planks by creating a bow. Do not store heavy objects on the planks.
"Mason contractors would love it if they could buy a board and make it last five, six or seven years. By and large, it just doesn't happen. It doesn't get cared for."
- Mike Gilleran
McCausey Lumber Co.
www.masoncontractors.org
30 Masonry
April 2005