Find a contractor Buyer's guide Partner with us
MCAA Logo
Log in Sign up Join Hi, there Account
2026 Midyear Registration is OPEN
Find a contractor Buyer's guide Partner
Log in Sign up Join Account

The OSHA Scaffolding Issue

Words: Alan JohnsonIn our meeting with OSHA a couple of months ago, we touched on 5 issues that were important to our industry. One of those issues was the use of integral ladders as access to scaffolding (CFR 1926.451 (e)(6) and (7)).

Last year, OSHA issued an official interpretation of this regulation and said that Non-Stop Scaffolding did not meet the current OSHA regulations. In essence, every contractor who owns ANY Non-Stop Scaffolding manufactured before this year, could possibly be cited by OSHA for unsafe access to scaffolding. Replacing all of this scaffolding would present an unfair financial burden to mason contractors throughout the country, while there is no sufficient data that the use of this scaffolding is unsafe. Therefore, the MCAA has written a letter to OSHA's Directorate of Construction recommending that any old scaffolding be grandfathered such that no citations would be given.

If you have received an OSHA citation for this violation or any other violation that is related to scaffolding or fall protection, please contact MCAA's Director of Engineering at rjohnson@masoncontractors.org to discuss it.

 0
Bonding with Masonry 2026: Q2
June 2026

This issue’s questions come from a Mason Contractor and an Engineer. What questions do you have? Send them to info@masonrymagazine.com, attention Technical Talk.

David Biggs
Bonding with Masonry
Read More
The Thirty-Year Mason: Ergonomics as a Retention Strategy
June 2026

In most industry circles, the conversation around the labor shortage follows a predictable script: How do we find the next generation of masons? While recruitment is vital, we often overlook the most valuable asset already on the job site: the experienced

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Read More
Acme Brick Company Releases 2026 Pocket Guide to Brick Construction
June 2026

For more than four decades, all the basics of building with brick have come in a guide small enough to fit into a pocket. Acme Brick has just released a 2026 version of its Pocket Guide to Brick Construction. And yes, it’s still printed on paper just like

MAP Partner
Read More
Masonry in the Media: Casa Azul, Chapultepec Castle, & More
June 2026

A film’s settings can take viewers to new locations, all from the comfort of their own home. It immerses them in the scenes, whether they take place in an opera house in Brazil or a grand mansion in Mexico City. Explore how these Latin American masonry ma

Lily Burger
Masonry in the Media
Read More