Why does nobody talk about how sketchy scaffolding gets in the wind

I was up on a site near the river in Pittsburgh last week and a gust nearly took me for a ride. The scaffolding was tied off but you could still feel it sway like a porch swing. I've been doing this for 7 years and it's the first time I actually grabbed a rail and held my breath. Has anyone else dealt with a setup that felt way too loose for the height you were working at?

2 comments

2 Comments

joseph52910d ago

Used to think guys who complained about wind were just being dramatic. Not anymore. Last month I was on a job in Chicago and the wind caught the tarp on the side of the scaffold. Felt like the whole rig lifted about an inch before settling back down. My heart was pounding for a solid five minutes after. You don't really get how bad it can get until you're up there feeling that sway in your bones. Makes me way more careful about checking tie offs now.

miles_perez10d ago

Hits different when it's your own skin in the game, huh. That feeling of not being in control, even for a split second, sticks with you. It's the same thing I notice with people who drive in heavy rain for the first time after only dealing with a little drizzle. Or folks who think a "mild" allergy is no big deal until their throat starts closing up. You just can't fully grasp a real world consequence until the thing is RIGHT THERE in your face. That kind of experience flips a switch in your head, makes you pay attention to stuff you used to blow off.