Scaffold Safety Stats and Facts

FACTS

1. Falls from Height: Unprotected edges, missing guardrails, or improper use of harnesses can result in serious fall injuries or fatalities.
2. Structural Collapse: Poorly assembled or overloaded scaffolds may collapse, endangering workers on and below the structure.
3. Slips and Trips: Cluttered platforms, wet surfaces, or unsecured planks increase the risk of slipping or tripping while working at elevation.
4. Falling Tools or Materials: Improper storage or unsecured items can fall from height and strike workers or pedestrians below.
5. Electrocution Hazards: Scaffolds erected too close to power lines pose a risk of shock or electrocution to scaffold users.
6. Unstable Ground Conditions: Erecting scaffolds on soft, uneven, or uninspected ground can lead to tipping or structural failure.
7. Lack of Training or Supervision: Workers unfamiliar with scaffold use or inspection requirements are more likely to make critical safety errors.

STATS

• OSHA reports that scaffold violations ranked in the top 5 most cited safety infractions, with over 2,500 citations issued in 2022 alone.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 61 scaffold-related fatalities in 2021, primarily from falls.
• According to NIOSH, scaffold incidents account for approximately 4,500 injuries annually in construction.
• The National Safety Council notes that 70% of scaffold injuries could be prevented by proper compliance with OSHA safety standards.
• WorkSafeBC reported over 650 injury claims from scaffold-related incidents between 2019 and 2023, most involving falls or falling objects.
• A 2021 report from the Ontario Ministry of Labour revealed that 1 in 3 scaffold inspections found structural or fall protection violations.
• According to CCOHS, scaffold misuse or improper assembly was a contributing factor in 12% of construction site injury investigations.