A scaffold plank 9 feet long can extend over it's end support a maximum distance of:

A scaffold plank 9 feet long can extend over it's end support a maximum distance of:

• A. 4 inches
• B. 8 inches
• C. 12 inches
• D. 16 inches

Answer: (C)

Plank overhang is limited for safety: a scaffold plank should not extend more than a short, safe distance beyond the end support to keep enough bearing on the support and avoid tipping or bending under load. For standard scaffold practices, that maximum overhang is twelve inches, regardless of the plank length. So a nine-foot plank can extend past the end support by up to twelve inches. Extending more than that would create an unsafe cantilever; shorter overhang is safer but not the maximum.

Plank overhang is limited for safety: a scaffold plank should not extend more than a short, safe distance beyond the end support to keep enough bearing on the support and avoid tipping or bending under load. For standard scaffold practices, that maximum overhang is twelve inches, regardless of the plank length. So a nine-foot plank can extend past the end support by up to twelve inches. Extending more than that would create an unsafe cantilever; shorter overhang is safer but not the maximum.