What is a major concern in ensuring the stability of scaffolding?

Maintaining the weight capacity of scaffolding is essential for ensuring its stability. Scaffolds are designed to support a specific maximum load, which includes the weight of workers, tools, and materials. If the load exceeds this capacity, it can lead to structural failure, causing collapses that not only harm the workers on the scaffold but can also pose risks to those below. Proper assessment and adherence to weight limits help maintain the integrity and safety of the scaffold, making it a critical concern in construction health and safety practices.

The other concerns listed do relate to scaffolding safety, but they are not directly tied to the core issue of stability as immediately as weight capacity. For example, positioning scaffolds on unstable ground can certainly lead to issues, but if the weight capacity is upheld, it is less likely to result in immediate danger. Similarly, while it is generally advisable to keep scaffolds free of unnecessary materials or avoid supervision issues, these factors do not fundamentally compromise the stability of the scaffold like exceeding the weight limit does. Therefore, the focus on maintaining the weight capacity stands out as the most crucial concern for scaffold stability.