How much weight must scaffolding be designed to support at a minimum?

The correct answer is based on safety regulations and standards set for scaffolding design. Scaffolding must be designed to support a minimum of four times the intended weight it is expected to carry. This requirement ensures that scaffolding can accommodate not only the weight of the materials and workers but also additional factors such as unexpected loads, dynamic forces, and potential slips or shifts during work.

By designing scaffolding to support this higher load, it reduces the risk of failure, helps ensure the safety of workers, and complies with industry standards and regulations that focus on workplace safety. This margin of safety is critical in construction environments where the loads can vary, and unexpected situations can arise. Therefore, a design factor of four times the intended weight provides an essential safety buffer that is standard in construction practices.