Scaffolding for construction in Allegheny County municipalities must comply with PA Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa. Code Ch. 403) and OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L. Pittsburgh requires right-of-way permits for sidewalk scaffolds via DOMI.
Scaffolds must be designed and erected per OSHA standards with guardrails above 10 feet, proper footings, and load ratings not exceeded. Pittsburgh Code Title IV Chapter 419 requires a street obstruction permit from the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) for any scaffold encroaching on the public right-of-way, with pedestrian protection canopies required for scaffolds over sidewalks. Bethel Park, Monroeville, Mt Lebanon, and other municipalities enforce UCC scaffold provisions through their code enforcement offices. Commercial project inspections are handled by third-party agencies or municipal inspectors.
Stop-work orders for unsafe scaffolds. Right-of-way violations in Pittsburgh: 150 to 500 dollars per day. OSHA penalties for contractor violations can exceed 15,000 dollars per serious violation.
See how Allegheny County's scaffold & sidewalk shed rules stack up against other locations.
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