Skip to content

HSEWatch - Health and Safety (HSE) Blog

  • Home
  • Fire Safety
  • Home Safety
  • Electrical Safety
  • Accident At Work
  • Road Safety
  • Safety Regulations
  • Confined Space Safety
  • Safety Training
  • General Safety Tips

How To Calculate The SWL Of A Scaffold

How to Calculate the SWL of a Scaffold

September 12, 2025May 18, 2024 by Ubong Edet
How to Calculate the SWL of a Scaffold

To calculate the Safe Working Load (SWL) of a scaffold, you must sum up the dead load (weight of the scaffold structure itself plus components), plus a multiple of the live load (workers, tools, materials), then apply a safety factor of at least 4× according to OSHA standards. In formula form: SWL = Dead Load … Read more

Categories General Safety Tips Tags How To Calculate The SWL Of A Scaffold
  • On Workers Compensation and My Employer Reduced My Work Hours: What Should I Do?
  • I Have an Accident at Work; But Not Work-Related: What You Need to Know
  • I Had an Accident on My Way Back From Work: What Are My Rights?
  • What Rights Do Workers Have Under OSHA?
  • How to Become a Fire Protection Engineer in the U.S.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • FREE Safety Officers Toolkit: Ready-to-Use Templates, Forms & Checklists
  • PAGE NOT FOUND (404)
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Ubong Edet | HSEWatch Author Profile
© 2025 HSEWatch - Health and Safety (HSE) Blog • Built with GeneratePress