Scaffold Planking

Rev.2_02/2010
Lumber Grading
Scaffold-grade lumber is meant to
withstand forces not imposed on ordinary,
construction-grade wood (which is only two-
thirds the capacity of scaffold-grade).

Using construction-grade lumber on a
scaffold platform not only violates OSHA
standards, but is also an unsafe practice and
an invitation to a deadly accident.

Scaffold-Grade Lumber
The quality of scaffold-grade lumber is
measured by:
! the number of rings per inch (6 or more),
! the slope of the grain (1 inch to the side
for every 16 inches along the length of the
board for Douglas Fir, 1/14 for Southern
Pine), and
! the number of defects, such as knots and
notches.

Lumber Grade
The minimum scaffold grade planking for
southern pine is Dense Industrial 65
Scaffold Plank (DI65). The higher grade
Dense Industrial 72 Scaffold Plank (DI72).
If a grading stamp is visible, it must read
DI65 or DI72
Lumber Grade
Dense lumber, such as
DI65, has on one end or
the other at least 6
annual rings per inch
and 1/3 summerwood
(dark portion);
The measurement is made
! from the pith for 3 long
a radial line.
Summerwood
Pith
Springwood
Lumber Grade
Knots - a portion of a branch or limb that
has been incorporated in a piece of
lumber; a sound knot contains no decay, is
firm, and is smooth, while an unsound knot
contains decay, is not firm and is not
smooth.
Lumber Grade
Face Width Knot Size
8 1 !
10 2
12 2 !
Face Width Knot Size
8 1 !
10 1 !
12 1 !
Sound Knot
Unsound Knot
Lumber Grade
The slope of the
grain (1 inch to the
side for every 16
inches along the
length of the board for
Douglas Fir, 1/14 for
Southern Pine)
Slope of grain not to exceed 1 in 16
16
Scaffold-Grade Lumber
Solid sawn wood used for scaffold planks
should follow the grading rules of a
recognized lumber grading association or
an independent lumber inspection
agency, and be identified by that agency or
association's grade stamp
Scaffold-Grade Lumber
Such organizations and their grading rules
must be certified by the Board of Review
of the American Lumber Standard
Committee, per the U.S. Department of
Commerce.

Scaffold-Grade Lumber
OSHA does not inspect lumber; therefore,
any scaffold planking stamped "OSHA
Approved" is, at best, misleading, and
should not be assumed to meet the
standard on the basis of that stamp alone.
Scaffold-Grade Lumber
An inspection agency can
claim that its product meets
OSHA requirements.

However, because a scaffold
plank may still be in service
long after the grade stamp on
it has faded, workers should
pay attention to the quality
and condition of the
planking, whether it bears a
stamp or not.
Table 4 Scaffold Plank
1

2" and 3" thick, 8" and wider
Size Grade
Extreme Fiber
Stress
in Bending F
b

Flat wise Use Only
Modulus of
Elasticity E

2" thick,
8" and wider
MC"19%
2

Dense Industrial 72
Scaffold Plank
Dense Industrial 65
Scaffold Plank
2400
2200
1,800,000
1,800,000
3" thick,
8" and wider
MC>19%
Dense Industrial 72
Scaffold Plank
Dense Industrial 65
Scaffold Plank
1800
1650
1,600,000
1,600,000
(1) Scaffold plank design values are for flat wise use only. They were calculated using
ASTM D245 and D2555 standards and modified using procedures shown in
"Calculating Apparent Reliability of Wood Scaffold Planks," as published by the Journal
on Structural Safety, 2 (1984) 47-57, and updated in 1993.
(2) For exposed conditions of use (where the moisture content in service may exceed
19%) the values shall be multiplied by: 0.85 for "F
b
" and 0.90 for "E".
Southern Pine Design Values
3.7#s/b.f. (TOP GRADE)
2.7#s/b.f.
Wood Condition
As wood ages and reacts to usage, it will
begin to show checks, splits and
notches.
These will vary in degree depending on
the
! loads a plank has carried,
! the weather it has been exposed to,
! how long it has been in use,
! storage, etc.

Wood Condition
Planks with splits
(cracks that go clear
through the wood)
more than a few
inches in length
should not remain in
service, as they may
no longer maintain
the necessary load-
bearing capacity.
Wood Condition
Planks with checks
(cracks that are on
the surface only and
do not go clear
through the wood)
should be watched,
as the checks may
develop into splits
over time.
Wood Condition
Notches (small
checks on the ends of
a plank) should also
be watched over time,
as they can lengthen
and deepen until they
become splits.
Wood Condition
Scaffold planks that
have accumulated
layers of paint, plaster,
etc. are not permitted to
remain in service
(1926.451(b)(9))
because it is impossible
to determine their
condition.
Dangerous splits may
be hidden underneath
these coatings.
Wood Condition
If a scaffold plank has been used as a
mudsill, it should not be returned to
service on a platform.
Moisture from standing water, as well as
point-loading from the scaffold legs, may
have weakened it, making it unable to
bear the weight that will be placed on it.
Allowable Spans
The span of a
scaffold plank is the
distance it runs
between supports.
Allowable Spans
The longer the span,
the more deflection
(bend) it will have,
and therefore, the
less its load-bearing
capacity will be.
Allowable Spans
For 2 x 10 (nominal) or 2 x 9 (rough) solid
sawn wood planks, allowable spans for a
given load are shown in the table that
follows:
Allowable Spans
Maxlmum lnLended
Load
Maxlmum
ermlsslble Span
uslng lull 1hlckness
Lumber
Maxlmum
ermlsslble Span
uslng nomlnal
1hlckness Lumber
23 lbs./square fooL 10 feeL 8 feeL
30 lbs./square fooL 8 feeL 6 feeL
73 lbs./square fooL 6 feeL ---
Allowable Spans
Because nominal thickness lumber is not
cut to its exact dimensions, nominal 2 x 10
is really more like 1! x 9#. As a result, it
does not have the same load-bearing
capacity of full thickness lumber.

Allowable Spans
For fabricated planks and platforms,
maximum spans are to be recommended by
the manufacturer.

Rated Load Capacity Intended Load
Light-duty
25 lbs. per square foot applied uniformly
over the entire span area
Medium-duty
50 lbs. per square foot applied uniformly
over the entire span area
Heavy-duty
75 lbs. per square foot applied uniformly
over the entire span area
One-person
250 lbs. placed at the center of the span
(total 250 lbs.)
Two-person
250 lbs. placed 18 inches to the left and
right of the center of the span (total 500
lbs.)
Three-person
250 lbs. placed at the center of the span
and 250 lbs. placed 18 inches to the left
and right of the center of the span (total
750 lbs.)
Allowable Deflection
To assure that scaffold planking remains
within its safe load-bearing capacity, it
may not be allowed to deflect more than
1/60th of its span between supports,
1926.451(f)(16). The following table shows
how little deflection that is.

Allowable Deflection
Span of Plank
Between
Supports
Calculation
Maximum
Permissible
Deflection
10 feet
120 inches/60
inches
2 inches
7 feet 84 inches/60 inches 1-3/8 inches
5 feet 60 inches/60 inches 1 inch
Allowable Deflection
Workers should be aware of deflection
because it can indicate when a platform is
overloaded, and a competent person should
not allow employees to occupy a platform
that exceeds the 1/60th ratio.

The animation that follows illustrates the
danger posed to workers by planking that
has been overloaded.

Questions
Test Your knowledge
Planking Quiz
1. Either scaffold-grade or construction-
grade lumber may be used on scaffolding
platforms, as long as it meets OSHA
standards.

True
False
Correct!
OSHA Standards differ for construction-
and scaffold-grade lumber. Only scaffold-
grade is acceptable for use on a scaffold
platform.
Planking Quiz
2. All scaffold planking must be stamped
"OSHA Approved."

True
False
Correct!
OSHA does not conduct any lumber
inspections, so there is no such thing as an
"OSHA Approved" stamp.
Planking Quiz
3. You can't rely on a lumber grade stamp to
tell if a plank is safe.

True
False
Correct!
Because the condition of a plank will vary
depending on its use and the conditions to
which it has been exposed, it might still be
safe even though the stamp has worn off, or
it might already be weakened, even though
the stamp is still visible.
Planking Quiz
4. Splits in a plank do not affect its strength
until they are at least 12-18 inches.

True
False
Correct!
Because there is no real way to tell at what
point a split has become unsafe, planking
with splits more than a few inches in length
should not be permitted to remain in service.
Planking Quiz
5. Unlike other lumber, scaffold-grade
planks do not show checks and notches
as they age.

True
False
Correct!
All wood ages and reacts to usage, and
should be watched for signs of wear such as
splits, checks and notches.
Planking Quiz
6. Checks in lumber are splits that do not go
all the way through the wood.

True
False
Correct!
Unlike splits, checks do not go all the way
through a plank. However, they should be
watched carefully, as they may develop into
splits over time.
Planking Quiz
7. A scaffold plank that has been used as a
mudsill should not be returned to service
on a platform.

True
False
Correct!
Wood used as a mudsill may have been
weakened by moisture from standing water,
or by point-loading from the scaffold legs,
making it unable to bear the loads that might
be placed on it.
Planking Quiz
8. If paint, plaster, etc. have accumulated on
one side of a scaffold plank, it should be
turned over so as to present a clean work
surface.

True
False
Correct!
Scaffold planks that have accumulated layers
of paint, plaster, etc. are not permitted to
remain in service, because it is impossible to
tell what condition they are in.
Planking Quiz
9. The longer the span of a scaffold plank,
the greater the load it is able to carry.

True
False
Correct!
The longer the span, the more it will deflect
(bend), and therefore the less the load it is
able to carry.
Planking Quiz
10. A 10-foot scaffold plank is only allowed
to deflect 2 inches, or 1/60th of its span.

True
False
Correct!
To assure that scaffold planking remains
within its safe load-bearing capacity, it may
not be allowed to deflect more than 1/60th
of its span between supports.
Questions