Bexar County has no scaffold ordinance. Construction scaffolding is governed by federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L enforced by OSHA Region 6, plus city right-of-way permits when scaffolds extend over sidewalks.
Because Texas counties lack general police power for building construction regulation, Bexar County relies on federal OSHA standards to govern scaffold safety on commercial and residential construction sites in unincorporated areas. OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L sets comprehensive requirements for supported scaffolds, suspended scaffolds, and aerial lifts, including capacity to support four times the maximum intended load, fully planked platforms, guardrails or personal fall arrest for workers more than 10 feet above a lower level, and a qualified person to design and supervise scaffold erection. A competent person must inspect the scaffold before each shift. For construction within incorporated cities of Bexar County, including San Antonio, scaffolds extending into the public right-of-way require a city encroachment or obstruction permit and pedestrian protection through covered walkways or detours. Suspended scaffolds used for facade repair on high-rise buildings in downtown San Antonio are a particular OSHA inspection priority given the falling-worker hazard. Residential reroofing scaffolds commonly used by contractors must still comply with fall protection rules even though the job may be short.
OSHA scaffold violations range from serious (typically around 16,131 dollars in 2024) to willful or repeat (up to 161,323 dollars per violation). Fatal scaffold accidents routinely lead to OSHA investigation of San Antonio contractors. City permit violations for right-of-way encroachment can trigger stop-work orders.
See how Bexar County's scaffold & sidewalk shed rules stack up against other locations.
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