Scaffold platforms must be fully planked between the front uprights and the guardrail supports when the distance exceeds:
Correct Answer
B) 14 inches
OSHA requires scaffold platforms to be fully planked when the gap between the platform and uprights exceeds 14 inches to prevent falls through openings.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
14 inches is the correct OSHA threshold (29 CFR 1926.452). When the gap between the scaffold platform edge and the uprights or guardrail supports exceeds 14 inches, full planking is required to prevent workers from falling through or stepping into the gap. This specific measurement is a frequently tested OSHA scaffold standard.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 19 inches
19 inches is incorrect. No OSHA scaffold planking standard uses 19 inches as a threshold. This number may be confused with other dimensional requirements in construction.
Option C: 24 inches
24 inches is incorrect. This measurement appears in other OSHA standards (such as the maximum opening size in some fall protection contexts) but is not the scaffold platform planking threshold. Choosing 24 inches would allow dangerous gaps that could cause a fall.
Option D: 9.5 inches
9.5 inches is incorrect. While smaller gaps are generally safer, OSHA does not set 9.5 inches as the trigger for full planking requirements. This number may be confused with the 9.5-inch width of a standard scaffold plank.
Memory Technique
Think '14 inches = FILL IT IN.' If the gap is bigger than 14 inches (roughly the length of your forearm from wrist to elbow), you must fill it in with planking. Alternatively, remember: '14 is the gate — exceed it, you must plank the slate.'
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