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Minimum platform width for pump jack scaffolds

Summary A scaffold company asked what platform width OSHA required for pump jack scaffolds. OSHA said the construction scaffold rule requires a platform at least 12 inches wide and that the 1996 requirement had not been changed as of the letter.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1997-03-21-1
Date issued
March 21, 1997
Status
Archived by the agency
OSHA labels this an archive document and warns that it may no longer represent OSHA policy.
Status last verified October 9, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1926 Scaffolds
Source
View the official document

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OSHA labels this an archive document and warns that it may no longer represent OSHA policy. It may no longer reflect the agency's current position. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance, and verify current law before relying on anything here.
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NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

March 21, 1997

Mr. William H. Lewis
National Sales Advisor
Alum-A-Pole Corporation
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Lewis:

This is in response to your letter of March 5, requesting a clarification of the Occupational Safety and Heath Administration (OSHA) requirement for the width of planks used on pump jack scaffolds.

Please be advised that section 1926.451(b)(2)(i) requires that pump jack scaffolds have platforms that are at least 12 inches wide. This requirement was published in the Federal Register (61 FR 46107) on August 30, 1996, and has not been changed subsequently.

If you have any further questions, please contact:

The Office of Construction Standards and Compliance Assistance
U.S. Department of Labor - OSHA
200 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Room N3621
Washington, D.C. 20210

Sincerely,

Roy F. Gurham, Manager
Office of Construction Standards
and Compliance Assistance

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