California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety
Subchapter 7 - General Industry Safety Orders
Group 1 - General Physical Conditions and Structures
Article 3 - Special Design Requirements
Section 3247 - Lamp Scaffolds and Parallels

(1) Lamp Scaffold means parallel as hereinafter defined.

(2) Nonoperating Side. The side of a parallel or lamp scaffold on which lamps are not installed.

(3) Operating Minimum. The side clearance necessary for the proper manipulation of a lamp.

(4) Operating Side. The side of a parallel or lamp scaffold on which lamps are installed.

(5) Parallel. An elevated staging used to support lamps and auxiliary equipment for the purpose of furnishing illumination.

(6) Nonoperating Side Guardrailing. A 2-rail railing having a toprail the upper surface of which is from 42 inches to 45 inches above the upper surface of the staging, platform, or runway being protected, and a second or midrail located halfway between the toprail and the top surface of the staging, platform, or runway.

(7) Operating Side Guardrailing. A single-rail railing the upper surface of which is from 42 inches to 45 inches above the upper surface of the staging, platform, runway, or scaffold being protected.

(1) All lamp scaffolds and parallels while being used either to support lamps or serve as walkways shall be provided with nonoperating side guardrailings on the nonoperating side.

(2) All lamp scaffolds and parallels while being used to support lamps shall be provided with an operating side guardrailing on the operating side.

(3) Where the operating side guardrailing is more than 45 inches high and the clearance between adjacent lamps or between a lamp and a vertical support or structural member exceeds 18 inches, barriers such as additional vertical supports shall be installed to effectively reduce the clearance to an operating minimum. When large lamps are used which require more than 18 inches side clearance for manipulation and handling, horizontal distances up to 24 inches may be left on each side of such lamps, but in all cases such openings shall be held to an operating minimum.

When used to reduce side clearance, vertical supports shall have their lower ends securely attached to the lamp scaffold or parallel beds and shall extend upward and be securely attached to the overhead building structure, or to cross members extending from lamp scaffold upright to lamp scaffold upright, or some other equally effective method to give equal strength and rigidity.

(4) Toprails, midrails, and uprights shall be structurally sound of at least 2-inch by 4-inch lumber of the following grades or of material of equivalent strength and rigidity:

(5) Guardrails shall be attached to the uprights in a manner to afford maximum protection.

(6) Where the upper surface of a lamp scaffold or parallel bed presents no barriers along its outer edges which will tend to prevent objects from rolling or sliding from the bed, obstructions not less than 1 inch in height or greater than 2 inches in width shall be installed along such outer edges.

(1) Any fixture, chair, or operating facility on the lamp scaffolds or parallels shall be effectively secured in place.

(2) Lamp scaffolds and parallels shall be maintained free and clear of debris.

(1) Lamp scaffold and parallel beds shall be kept clear of all bracing, electrical wires, cables, and equipment, except for the wire and cable necessary to reach from each lamp to its respective plug-in box or bus connection and allow for lamp manipulation. All such necessary wire or cable shall be kept close to the operating side or sides of the bed leaving an unobstructed walkway.

(2) The space immediately above hanging or temporary lamp scaffold and parallel beds shall be kept similarly free of obstructions to a height of not less than 6 feet 6 inches, when stage set and hanger construction permit.

(3) The construction of hanging or temporary prefabricated lamp scaffold and parallel bed hangers shall have the month and year of manufacture stamped into the hanger clearly and legibly and shall be such that when installed and stage and set construction permit the center head clearance above the beds at the hangers will be not less than 6 feet 6 inches. Where diagonal or knee braces are used as a reinforcing means between prefabricated hanger uprights and an overhead spreader or strut, the horizontal distance between the diagonal braces, measured parallel to the strut or spreader at a height of 6 feet 6 inches above the lamp scaffold or parallel bed, shall be not less than 12 inches. The lower ends of diagonal or knee braces shall not be attached to hanger uprights at points less than 4 feet 6 inches vertically above the upper surface of lamp scaffold or parallel beds.

(4) Hanging or temporary lamp scaffold and parallel bed prefabricated hangers built before the effective date of these orders shall, when physical conditions permit, be installed to give a bed head clearance at the hanger of not less than 6 feet 6 inches.

(5) Hanging or temporary lamp scaffold and parallel bed prefabricated hangers when materially repaired or which undergo a major alteration shall give the same head clearance when installed as is required for prefabricated hangers built after the effective date of these orders.

(6) Permanent catwalks and parallels installed on or before the effective date of these orders and having a head clearance less than 6 feet 6 inches need not be altered to obtain such head clearance.

(1) Lamp scaffolds and parallels shall be regularly inspected and maintained in a safe condition.

(2) No nail smaller than 8-penny common (or 8-penny box used in sufficient number to give the strength afforded by 8-penny common) shall be used in the construction of lamp scaffolds and parallels, and they shall be full driven or to the first head when double-headed nails are used. Double-headed nails shall not be used in the walking surface.