Posted By Dave Merchant No simple answer - correctly-designed tube and fitting scaffold *should* be strong enough at a node with a vertical below it, but the middle of a horizontal pole certainly won't be. Precisely where is and isn't safe is down to the design, hence you need to ask the people who put it up. Clip-together alloy towers are in general not strong enough anywhere to pass the 'specification', however bear in mind that a lanyard will only apply a certain force (6kN, 8kN, depending on where you are) so the 22kN spec for anchor points has a margin on it. The SWL of scaffold isn't the question, it's the breaking strength - something the installers rarely ever calculate but can if you ask them to.

Posted By Vrick Martin You were SPOT ON. Is there any standards for these fittings? Most of the time, we usually see these snap hooks hooked to the guardrail, ledgers or transom. Or simple question,is there any industry COP, std?? Thanks Vrick

Posted By FAH Daves reply is essentially very good. If you're UK based then the requirements of the Work at Height Regs & LOLER apply. Essentially, the requirement is that the scaffold must be specifically designed to take the loadings that may be foreseeably imposed by the use of the scaffold as an anchor point - whether it be for fall-prevention or fall-arest [very different loadings will be created by these]. Reliance upon a Standard [in isolation] to determine loadings is not recommended as they tend to only consider the load being imposed in one direction only. Working off scaffolds can impose a range of loads in a variety of vectors depending upon whether it's for prevention or arrest. Frank Hallett

Posted By FAH Hi vrick I'm not sure why you've asked your latest question; could it be 'cos I used the word "Standard" in my previous response without making it clear that I was referring to the likes of BSI, ISO, ANSI etc Standards rather than the upright load-bearing parts of a scaffold?. Just to clarify, any scaffold [or other mounting point] that will be expected to take the load of preventing or arresting a fall by an individual MUST be specifically designed & erected/installed to take the foreseeable imposed load of that activity in that particular set of conditions. Hope this clarifies your thoughts. Frank Hallett