There are many guidelines to follow when pump jack scaffolding is built at construction sites. These following requirements apply when an aluminum pump jack is being used above 24 feet high in a scaffolding setup.
First, it is a technical requirement and highly recommended that three wall ties be used to secure the scaffolding to the structure when the pump jack is higher than 24 feet up. Rigid triangular bracing is required to ensure maximum safety. With only two wall ties, the scaffolding will not be secured well enough to be safe if one has to be detached temporarily. Ties must be detached from the pole when the pump jack can no longer rise because it is being blocked. Before removing a tie so the pump jack may pass, an additional tie must be installed about four feet above the one that is to be removed. Then the jack may be raised by using your foot to ‘pump’ down the black hoop. After the pump jack clears the height of the previously attached tie by about 3 feet, you may secure the tie again below the jack.
If the pump jack scaffolding is 48 feet tall, the best practice would be to have ties at 16 feet high, 32 feet high, and 48 feet high. It would be risky to only have two ties because at one point or another, one may need to be temporarily detached because it is blocking the pump jack. This would create a very dangerous situation that could result in one or more costly fatalities. $60 is not much to spend to greatly increase the safety of the scaffolding and help prevent fatal accidents.
All scaffolding accessories including braces and brackets must be made from metal angles and plates. Workbenches are not safe enough to be used as scaffold platforms. Pump jack scaffolding can safely hold up to 500 pounds of centered weight and no more than two employees at a time. Avoid using wood that is not straight-grained, has been damaged, or has too many knots. When joining together two poles, the bracket must be positioned parallel to the seam for proper strength. Two-by-fours are often joined together to make scaffolding poles. It is necessary to install mending plates, staggered uniformly, close to the center of each splice using 10-penny common nails. 30 feet is the maximum acceptable length for wood poles.