Canopies and Toeboards

Canopies, when used for falling object protection, must comply with the following criteria:

• Canopies must be installed between the falling object hazard and the employees.
• When canopies are used on suspension scaffolds, the scaffold must be equipped with additional independent support lines equal in number to the number of points supported, and equivalent in strength to the strength of the suspension ropes.
• Independent support lines and suspension ropes must not be attached to the same points of anchorage.

Toeboards, when used for falling object protection, must comply with the following criteria:

• Toeboards must be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least 50 pounds applied in any downward or horizontal direction at any point along the toeboard.
• The top edge of the toeboard to the level of the walking or working surface must be at least 3½ inches high. Toeboards must be securely fastened in place at the outermost edge of the platform and have not more than ¼ inch clearance above the walking or working surface.
• Toeboards must be solid or with openings not over one inch in the greatest dimension.

To learn more about Scaffolding Safety visit our Construction Scaffolding Safety Online Training web page.