Scaffold Not a Climbing Device

A young man was working on a building renovation project. He was inexperienced, and was working part-time for a sub-contractor. Despite repeated warnings not to do so, he had been in the habit of climbing up and down on the outside of the scaffold frames. He had been told to enter the work area by a fire escape located at the rear of the building. He slipped while climbing the scaffold and fell 25 feet to his death. He suffered multiple injuries including head wounds which killed him.

A number of measures may have prevented this young man’s death. He should have received safety training about working above the ground, the correct use of scaffolding, the right footwear for this kind of work, and use of fall protection equipment. As well, the scaffold should have been equipped with a ladder.