48-428.

Scaffolding; platforms; inspection; notice; duty to render safe.

Whenever it shall come to the notice of the Department of Labor or the local authority in any city or village of this state, charged with the duty of enforcing the building laws, that the scaffolding or the slings, hangers, blocks, pulleys, stays, braces, ladders, irons or ropes of any swinging or stationary scaffolding, platform or other similar device, used in the construction, alteration, removing, repairing, cleaning or painting of buildings, bridges or viaducts within this state are unsafe, or liable to prove dangerous to the life or limb of any person, the department, or such local authority or authorities, shall immediately cause an inspection to be made of such scaffolding, platform or device, or the slings, hammocks, blocks, pulleys, stays, braces, ladders, iron or other parts connected therewith. If, after examination, such scaffolding, platform or device, or any of such parts, is found to be dangerous to the life or limb of any person, the department or such local authority shall at once notify the person responsible for its erection or maintenance of such fact and warn him against the use, maintenance or operation thereof and prohibit the use thereof, and require the same to be altered and reconstructed so as to avoid such danger. Such notice may be served personally upon the person responsible for its erection or maintenance or by conspicuously affixing it to the scaffold, platform or other such device, or the part thereof declared to be unsafe. After such notice has been so served or affixed the person responsible therefor shall cease using and immediately remove such scaffolding, platform or other device or part thereof, and alter or strengthen it in such manner as to render it safe. The department, or such local authority, whose duty it is to examine or test any scaffolding, platform or other similar device, or part thereof, required to be erected and maintained by this section, shall have free access at all reasonable hours to any building or structure or premises containing such scaffolding, platform or other similar device, or parts thereof, or where they may be in use. All swinging and stationary scaffolding, platforms or other devices shall be so constructed as to bear four times the maximum weight required to be dependent thereon, or placed thereon when in use, and such swing, scaffolding, platform or other device shall not be so overloaded or crowded as to render the same unsafe or dangerous.