Masonry Magazine March 2009 Page. 41
Mark it Down
The Scaffold Industry Association Plank and Platform Council has produced pocket guides for the inspection and identification of scaffold planks. These are great tools for the field and provide an indispensible value. Visit www.scaffold.org.
Kennison Forest Products has guidelines and safety information on plank inspection, quality and care posted at www.kennisonforest.com/industry.php. Mike Gilleran of McCausey Lumber will provide safety data sheets if you email him, MikeG@mccauseylumber.com. IMAS
Advantage Lumber in Lake Charles, La., "Basically, a laminated plank is a composite of six to eight laminated veneers, wood-glued under pressure and heat. They have been one of the important things in the scaffold business in the last 10 to 15 years, because the kind of wood needed to make a candidate for a solid scaffold plank is diminishing."
Laminated plank has come into fashion because it can be made out of any tree. In addition, aluminum and even fiber-glass "planks" have been tried. In the end, most contractors come back to wood, and most lumber companies stick with the best grades available in making their planks, whether solid sawn or LVL. Stamped with the necessary proof marks indicating they meet the OSHA and/or SIA standard, wood planks will serve for a long time if properly cared for in the field and when returned to storage.
Colby Hubler, managing director, Mill Direct Lumber in Tualatin, Ore., is chairman of the SIA Plank and Platform Council. He notes, "The SIA handbooks provide valuable information for storage and handling of scaffold planks. All wood planks, solid sawn or LVL, should be stored above ground on dunnage to keep moisture from entering the bottom of the units. Additionally, all units should have some sort of lath or stickers between layers to allow for air circulation through the unit.
He continues, "Most important, a tarp or something as simple as a sheet of plywood should be placed over the top of the unit to prevent moisture from dropping down through the unit. Ideally, indoor storage is best. Planks perform best when on frames, where air can work around them and keep them performing to their designed ability; not when flat packed and sitting in mud or water in the yard."
Obviously, planks should be used only for their intended purpose. Any other use compromises safety and inhibits performance. Consider your safety the next time you are walking on scaffold planks. You are supported by them, and they deserve care to keep you alive and working. IMAS
Tom Inglesby is a San Diego-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous online and print publications.
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March 2009
MASONRY 37
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