According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, scaffolding accidents result in approximately 60 fatalities and 4,500 injuries each year. In an attempt to help lower these statistics, West Virginia University Extension Safety and Health Extension’s National Resource Center Occupational Safety and Health Training Institute Education Center will offer OSHA 3085: Principles of Scaffolding training August 17-19 in Morgantown, West Virginia, to provide construction workers with the awareness and education needed about scaffold safety.
“The most common causes of scaffold incidents are the planking or support giving way, the worker slipping, electrocution, the absence of fall protection or being struck by tools or debris,” Richard Jolliff, WVU Extension Safety and Health Extension specialist and course instructor, said. “Through worker training and compliance with OSHA standards, these scaffold-related incidents can potentially be avoided.”
The OSHA 3085 course covers the requirements for construction, along with the safe construction and use of scaffolding using the OSHA construction scaffold standard as a guide. Topics covered during the training include hazards associated with scaffold design, assembly, disassembly and use; types of scaffolds; determining scaffold capacity; employee qualifications and training; and maintenance, repair and inspection requirements. Students’ participation in hands-on workshops will reinforce the concepts of safe scaffolding.
“Millions of workers in the construction industry work on scaffolds. Protecting these workers from scaffold-related incidents can prevent injuries and deaths attributed to working on scaffolding each year,” Brandon C. Takacs, former WVU Extension specialist and past National Resource Center OSHA Training Institute Education Center director, said.
Upon course completion, students will be able to identify the types of scaffolds and their components, determine safe assembly, use and disassembly, as well as recognize common violations of OSHA standards. The cost of the course is $625.
To register for the course, visit WVU Extension Safety and Health Extension’s website under OSHA OTIEC. Prospective students may email OSHAOutreach@mail.wvu.edu with any questions about eligibility, payment and registration.
If you want to learn about WVU Extension, visit extension.wvu.edu or follow @WVUExtension on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.
-WVU-
lw/7/12/22
CONTACT: Lindsay Wiles
Communications Specialist, Sr.
WVU Extension
304-293-9490;
lindsay.wiles@mail.wvu.edu