How should a painter access a mobile scaffold platform when working above 2.2 m (7 ft)?

How should a painter access a mobile scaffold platform when working above 2.2 m (7 ft)?

• A. From the outside, using a steel ladder.
• B. From the inside, using vertical or inclined ladders.
• C. By stepping onto the platform from below.
• D. By using a rope and harness.

Answer: (B)

Access should be from inside using the scaffold’s built-in vertical or inclined ladders. This keeps you within the guarded work space, allowing you to reach the platform safely with three points of contact on the climb and descent. External ladders can destabilize the scaffold or bypass the guardrails, and stepping onto the platform from below skips those safety barriers. A rope and harness is for fall protection, not for routine access, and would require extra procedures and equipment.

Access should be from inside using the scaffold’s built-in vertical or inclined ladders. This keeps you within the guarded work space, allowing you to reach the platform safely with three points of contact on the climb and descent. External ladders can destabilize the scaffold or bypass the guardrails, and stepping onto the platform from below skips those safety barriers. A rope and harness is for fall protection, not for routine access, and would require extra procedures and equipment.