Calculating Scaffold Loads

Loads

• OSHA requires that a scaffold be designed with a 4:1 safety factor.
• Light duty: 25 pounds per square foot
• Medium duty: 50 pounds per square foot
• Heavy Duty: 75 pounds per square foot.
• Material loads should be evenly distributed on platform and not concentrated in one small area.

LOADS

Tube and Clamps Scaffolds

Loads

The Posts (Standards) Carry the Scaffold Loads

Scaffold Loads

Example

• A tube and clamp scaffold
• Three (3) levels – each (6.5 ft) 2 meters high
• One bay
• Bay length = 7 ft (2.25 meter)
• Bay Width = 5 ft (1.5 meter)
• One light duty working level (120 kg per square meter). (25 pounds per square feet).
• Calculate the load

Total Weight

Example

• A tube and clamp scaffold
• Three (3) levels – each (6.5 ft) 2 meters high
• Three bays
• Bay length = 7 ft (2.25 meter)
• Bay Width = 5 ft (1.5 meter)
• One light duty working level (120 kg per square meter). (25 pounds per square feet).
• Calculate the load

• TO calculate the dead Weight Of scaffold we must be aware of all scaffold components as follows :-
• 1- posts - (vertical Pipe )
• 2- Bearers - (horizontal pipe perpendicular to the building structure
• 3- Transverse braces - pipe which take a diagonal shape when used
• 4- Right angle clamps
• 5- Swivel joint clamps
• 6- Toe boards
• 7- Runners
• 8 - Face bracing
• And now you can search about the data which you can use it in scaffold building and then you can calculate the live load and add it to the dead load to know the maximum intended load in this scaffold per single leg.

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