What are Pinned Planks?

In making a Pinned Plank smaller wooden components are solidly screw locked together to form a scaffold plank. The result of locking components together creates a finished product that has superior strength and improved shock resistance.

Both PIN-LOK and PIN-LAM planks are superior to any other wooden scaffold plank in safety and durability.

What grade of material is PIN-LOK 2.0E manufactured from?

PIN-LOK is developed using scaffold grade woods of Select Structural (SS), Dense Select Structural (DSS), Machine Stress Rated (MSR 2400 to 2800) or Dense Industrial (DI65) materials.

All these scaffolding woods are re-inspected using only materials that pass Indian Mill certification process to develop PIN-LOK scaffold Plank.

What materials are used in making PIN-LAM 2.2E?

PIN-LAM uses Laminate wood orientated vertically for a center component, surrounded on both sides with solid scaffold woods, and all components solidly pin locked together. The vertical LVL sandwiched between solid woods forms a traction strip down the full length of the plank.

What is the pin spacing for plank cut backs?

The pin spacing down the full length of the plank is approximately every 2 feet but always 3 inches away from an even foot mark. Planks can safely be cut back without sawing into a pin.

Why will PIN-LAM & PIN-LOK planks carry more weight than other types of scaffold plank?

The physics of pinning woods together is that the whole piece is being supported by every other piece in its place (load sharing). The locking pin is a spiral steel screw that forces its flanges deep into the undersize hole. This causes a positive locking of all pieces every 2 feet to continually lock the boards together the full length of the plank. Essentially each scaffold plank is comprised of multiple 2 foot plank sections. Coupled with the continual locking down the length of plank, the mixing of the wood grains in each component, and using scaffold grade lumber we have developed the toughest and strongest wooden planks in the industry.

Why does PIN-LAM & PIN-LOK hold up to a greater shock load?

The weight to strength ratio of both PIN-LOK and PIN-LAM is multiplied greatly when components are locked together to build the pinned plank (COV, MOE, FB FV). The shock follows the directions of the wood grains as in a butcher block; the multiple pieces of wood have the grains going in many directions. The strength of the block is greatly increased because the shock created by the falling weight is dispersed in multiple directions. This process explains why the results of Purdue University’s shock test on Pinned Plank were so remarkable. We saw an increase in absorbing shock loads of up to 100% over other types of scaffold plank. The Pinned Plank repetitively held a 21 inch drop of 300 pounds without damage to the plank. Finally dropping the load 24 inches the Pinned Plank developed a minor crack but continued to hold 2000 pounds of pressure. No solid sawn plank or laminated plank could come close to the shock strength of PIN-LAM & PIN-LOK. The importance of a greater shock load is for abnormal conditions when material slips, a heavy load is set on scaffolding, or when a load or worker falls onto a plank. There have been accidents where the Pinned Plank has saved lives because of the reserve shock strength when a worker fell from above.

See the Shock Test Video for Pinned Products

What is the BUILT IN WARNING of the center piece breaking first and why is that so important?

When loads are extreme or planks are damaged the center board will normally be the sacrificial piece to give a warning shot to exit the plank to safety. The center wooden component is physically smaller so it is the sacrificial unit that will break first giving an audible warning, but normally without the panic of a plank failure. Petro-Chemical plants have called explaining the center boards are breaking but no one has had an accident. No workers have fallen because the damaged planks still hold more weight than OSHA requires, with no injuries. PIN-LOK and PIN-LAM are the only planks to have a built in warning safety device to let you know about a future problem. We know that anything can be destroyed but Pinned plank is a large step toward Scaffolding Safety.

Why will PIN-LAM & PIN-LOK plank continue to hold a load after the center piece is broken?

The Pinned planks are screw locked together every 2 foot.

Because of being locked every 2 ft a 16 ft plank functions as 8 sets of 2 foot planks all locked together. A crack cannot travel past a locking pin. Each pin lock acts as a start of a new plank. The area of possible failure is only 2 foot long.

In each 2 foot section any possibility of a weak spot in one component of wood the load is picked up by the strength of the other pieces (in the process called LOAD SHARING) This explains Purdue University’s results of when the center board (8ft) broke but the plank still held one ton (2,000 lbs) of weight without a total plank failure. A plank can be damaged with extreme overloading by breaking one member of the plank but the worker can still safely exit the scaffold without injury.

The destructive plank test video shows this exact scenario.

Weather Testing of PIN-LOK and PIN-LAM

The design of Pinned plank allows water to not be held and escape out of the plank quickly.

The extra physics of the laminated material standing vertically dries PIN-LAM much more quickly. Laminate in wide pieces lying horizontally will soak water and hold water indefinitely, but retained moisture in laminate standing vertically is dramatically reduced.

The fact of less water retention and drying much quicker helps to extend the work life of pinned products with far less rot, equating to money saved.

Covering plank with Rhino coating extends plank life tremendously.

Why is PIN-LAM & PIN-LOK considered to be a Green Plank?

Pinned Plank can be developed from smaller trees that can be farmed or from plantations with fast growing trees thus leaving the older growth trees to be enjoyed by future generations.

The PIN-LAM version of the product uses even less large woods and can use laminated wood as the center piece.

The MSDS sheets show Pinned Scaffold Plank as having minimal effect on the environment.

Coefficient of Variation (COV) is less than 10%

Time and motion studies conclude that work on a scaffold takes up to 50% longer than when work is done on the ground. Productivity decreases even further when scaffold planks are unsure or bouncy causing the worker to feel uncertain about his next step. Pinned planks all feel the same when walking across the work platform. Being stronger and with less deflection Pinned plank provides a stable and consistent work platform giving the worker the confidence of safety.

The design properties of scaffold plank
Test performed by Ralph Bennett at Purdue University

Can PIN-LAM & PIN-LOK be sealed against rain and chemicals?

All wood scaffold products are affected by water, dirt, mud, chemicals, and improper storage, but the Rhino Skin Non-Skid Sealant can absolutely seal all surfaces of Pinned Plank to provide a gripping surface for years of use. During the manufacturing of Pinned Plank raw material surfaces can be coated with Rhino Skin before the pieces are assembled. After assembly the complete plank can be run through for a complete external coating.

All scaffold plank is Heat Treated and Fire Treating is available worldwide shipping

What about Indian Mill’s claim of solving most of wood plank problems?

Locking components together with Locking Pins and Rhino Skin Sealant has virtually eliminated plank problems of:

• eliminates End Splitting
• eliminates Cupping
• eliminates Warping
• eliminates Delaminating
• eliminates Soaking up Water
• eliminates Excessive Drying Out
• eliminates Chemical Damage
• eliminates Inconsistent Walkway Deflection

which all lead to short plank life and larger plank investments.

PIN-LAM & PIN-LOK are DOD and DOE compliant

Why do solid sawn planks vary so much in strength?

Most Solid Sawn Grading is based on visual inspection. Lumber strength varies from regions and species of Southern Yellow Pine within the United States. The only way to be sure of the strength of planking is to proof load at the time of manufacturing.

If you cut back a DI65 plank does it still qualify to be a scaffold plank?

If the original plank was marked with a credible stamp and the customer can provide a certificate of grade, yes the plank is still considered scaffold grade. But the new loading values must be reviewed by a competent person.

Can DI-65 be coated with Rhino Skin Sealant?

The regulation states that the surface of the plank cannot be covered with anything so as not to be able to see knots, grain, and imperfections in the wood. They have no problems with our translucent non-skid coating, giving much longer plank life translating into money saved.

Which is better for end pinning, Rebar or using twist locking pins?

Rodding a plank is a process where a hole is drilled and a metal rod is inserted to prevent cupping and splitting. Rebar does nothing to prevent splitting. Twist lock pins actually screw lock into an under size hole locking the wood together preventing cracks from starting and spreading.

Are stamped scaffold planks mandatory?

ANSI A10.8-2001 states “all solid sawn wood planks shall be rated as ‘scaffold plank’ and shall be certified by, or bear the grade stamp of, a grading agency approved by the American Lumber Standards Committee.”

Does an OSHA stamp mean the planking is approved by OSHA?

OSHA does not inspect lumber therefore any stamp that says “OSHA APPROVED” is at best misleading, and should not be assumed to meet the criteria on that basis alone. Ask your supplier for a certificate of grade to ensure compliance.

What value is a scaffold plank testing program ?

A scaffold company with a plank testing program can virtually eliminate plank accidents.

The center piece of the program is the Indian Mill SPT6 Scaffold Plank Tester. Scaffold planks get beat, banged, ran over, sawn, drilled, welded on; water soaked, dried out, and in Industrial plants gets exposed to chemicals and acids. There are many things on a scaffold job that can damage scaffold plank. Visual inspection and machine testing is the only way to know if the planks can safely support the worker and equipment.

Used planks need to be visually checked for rot, acids, alkali, burns, cuts and any other physical damage that obviously require throwing it out but after the visual inspection has been done the plank can be verified as meeting all OSHA and ANSI standards of strength and deflection using the Scaffold Plank Tester from Indian Mill. (SPT6)

Will the test damage the plank ?

The testing of the plank will in no way damage the wood fibers in a qualified scaffold plank. In house testing has run 1,000 iterations on the same test piece without any damage. The measured deflection stayed with in 1/100 of an inch for the complete test. Non-Destructive testing is no more damaging than a worker walking across a plank.

What are the Accuracy and calibration procedures of SPT6 ?

The calibration of applied weight is to the one tenth of a pound. Calibration of length of deflection is to the one tenth of an inch. Recalibration of tester electronics is to be done annually.

How long can a scaffold plank be safely used ?

The answer is: No one knows with out periodic inspection and testing. When manufacturing a new scaffold plank the process of qualifying a piece of wood to be a scaffold plank is extensive but with time and use that same plank can be physically damaged to where it no longer can safely support a worker. Also at some point in time every plank will have to be removed from service and only by testing can you know when that time is.

Can all scaffold planks be tested on this machine ?

All planks up to 12 inches wide and 20 feet in length can be tested.

Can the plank test info be sent to a central control center ?

The test data is stored in the onboard computer and can be down loaded to a central system as the test are being run or in daily reports. Testing information is very important for inventory control and plank tracking.

How is a plank marked to show date of test ?

A customer can mark his own planks with testing stamps or paint the end of the plank with the color of the month to signify testing. As a feature Indian Mill also provides a hot branding device to automatically burn in the date that the plank passed the test. Most customers prefer the automatic hot branding.

How is the tester programmed for different lengths plank and different loads ?The tester’s computer system is very user friendly to where programs for 20 different types of scaffold planks can be accessed immediately. The programs are kept in memory indefinitely and if the customer has a need to change load weights or deflections for a new testing procedure the new program can be done readily.What about training ?When ever possible a representative of Indian Mill will go to the site to set up the machine and train customers on operations. We also have training classes at the factory.INDIAN MILL suggested testing guidelines for CENTER POINT PLANK Loading of Nominal 2x10

What is Center Point loading vs Distributed load testing

Center point load testing is placing the load exactly in the middle if the span. Distributed load is weight spread the length of the plank. The center point load is 5/8 (.625) of the distributed load. For testing purposes it is much simpler to use center point which yields the same results. The distributed load numbers are the criteria for the span charts showing 1 man, 2 men, or 3men working on a plank.

What is the OSHA/ ANSI criteria for Scaffold plank testing ?

The testing process has been simplified by the following procedure: Set the barriers to the desired span, place a calibrated load on the center of the plank and measure the distance of plank bending. This procedure will develop the properties of a scaffold plank.

• Horizontal Shear Stress (FV)
• Flexural Stress (FB)
• Modulus of Elasticity (E)
• 4 to1 safety factor

Example of calculating applied weight and allowed deflection for an 8 foot plank test:

How much more life will I get from my scaffold planks ?

With Rhino Skin Sealant protection we are realizing two to three times the useable life for scaffold plank. Sealed plank is resistant to water, chemicals, acids, decay, twisting, and splitting.

I understood that OSHA and ANSI would not allow planks to be painted.

The regulation states that the surface of the plank can not be covered so as not to be able to see knots, grain, and imperfections in the wood. They have no problems with our translucent non-skid coating.

The Rhino Skin is a gripping surface but what if I need more traction?

For environments requiring more traction Indian Mill has an aggregate compound to add to the sealant.

How is Rhino Skin Applied?

Rhino Skin is sprayed it the factory but can be rolled or brushed. One barrel covers one truck of scaffold plank.

What protection does Rhino Skin sealant give planks in desert dryness?

The coating totally covers the plank as a liquid wrap. The coating keeps the moisture inside stabilize not allowing a fast dry out of the plank. The quick drying of the plank causes twisting, cracking, warping, and cupping.

How can Rhino Skin save me money?

Plank usable life span can be extended twice and up to three times with this treatment. This equates to buying boards at and below ½ of cost. Not having to re-buy scaffold plank is a real money saver especially for rental yards, contractors, E & D companies, and high volume users.

Can Rhino Skin be applied to old scaffold plank?

Recommended procedure to preserve older planks:

1. Visually inspect the scaffold plank to OSHA specifications checking for cracks, rot, saw cuts, acids or physical damage.
2. Finish testing with Indian Mill Scaffold Plank Tester (SPT6) to verify OSHA compliance.
3. Recommend pressure wash to clean surface of the wood.
4. Dry the wood to desired level.(recommend air drying stacking sticks)
5. Rhino Skin can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed.
6. If applying aggregate for non-slip – do it immediately after coating. In warm climate sealant will dry in 2 minutes.

Add years to your plank life with RHINO SKIN SEALANT.

The very best in scaffold planking is now available sealed with Rhino Skin nonskid coating which offers protection against water and chemical damage. Also in low humidity the out drying of planks is greatly reduced slowing twisting, splitting, and cupping. When ordering PIN-LOK, PIN-LAM or SOLID SAWN scaffold plank ask for them to be coated with Rhino Skin Grip Seal.

Superior products using advanced technology INDIAN MILL

According to Federal labor statistics, more scaffold incidents are attributed to planking giving way than any other cause. Additionally, almost 25% of workers receive no safety training for erecting scaffolds and installing work platforms.

The planking portion of OSHA's Scaffolding eTool is intended to address the need for specific and accurate information about arguably the single most critical scaffolding component: The lumber from which platforms are made.

https://www.osha.gov/etools/scaffolding/planking