What is the maximum height a scaffold can be erected before it must be designed by a qualified person?
Correct Answer
A) 125 feet
OSHA allows scaffolds up to 125 feet in height to be erected according to standard configurations. Above 125 feet requires design by a qualified person.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Under OSHA 29 CFR 1926.451(d)(3), scaffolds may be erected up to 125 feet in height using standard configurations and manufacturer instructions. Once the scaffold exceeds 125 feet above the base plates, a qualified person (typically a licensed professional engineer) must design the scaffold system. This threshold is a specific, testable number.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option B: 60 feet
60 feet has no significance in OSHA scaffold regulations. It may be confused with fall protection trigger heights or ladder requirements, but it is not the scaffold design threshold.
Option C: 100 feet
100 feet is a plausible-sounding round number but is not the OSHA threshold. The actual limit is 125 feet, which is notably higher than 100 feet.
Option D: 20 feet
20 feet is a common trigger height in fall protection (e.g., some OSHA standards reference 20-foot thresholds for certain tasks) but is not the scaffold design height requirement.
Memory Technique
125 = '1-2-5 scaffold alive' — a scaffold stays standard up to 125 feet before it needs special engineering. Think of a quarterback throwing 125 yards — that requires a specially designed play (engineered solution).
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