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LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAPTER 158.

AN ACT for the protection of workmen, by an inspection of
scaffolding, ropes, blocks, pulleys and tackle used in the
construction, repairing or painting of buildings.

Unsafe scaf-
folding.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
the State of Maryland, Whenever complaint is made to the
commissioner of police or to the marshal, or other persons in
charge of the police force of any city or town in this State,
that the scaffolding used in the construction, altering, repairing
or painting of any building within the limits of such city or
town, is unsafe and dangerous to the life and limb of any per-
son, it shall be the duty of such police commissioners, marshal
of police, or other persons in charge of the police force, to
immediately detail a competent police officer to inspect such
scaffolding forthwith, with instructions to prohibit the further
use of such scaffolding, if after proper examination he may
find the complaint well founded, to require that it be altered
or reconstructed in such manner as to render it no longer
dangerous of life or limb. It shall be the duty of the officer
making the examination to attach a notice to such scaffolding,
stating that he has made such examination, and that he has
found it safe or unsafe, as the case may be. If he declares it
to be unsafe, he shall at once, in writing, notify the person or
persons responsible for its erection, of the fact, and warn them
against using it, or permitting or suffering any person or
persons to use it, and such notice may be served upon the
responsible person or persons, or by conspicuously affixing it
to the scaffold declared to be unsafe; after such notice is served
or affixed, it shall be the duty of the persons responsible there-
for, to immediately remove such scaffolding, or to alter or
strengthen it in such a manner as to render it safe, in the
discretion of the officer who has condemned it, or of his
superiors.

Duties of
police force

SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the police commissioners,
marshal of police, or other persons in charge of the police
force of any city or town of this State, when complaint is
made to them, or any of them, that the slings, hangers, blocks,
pulleys, stays, braces, irons, or ropes, of any swinging or
stationary scaffolding used in the painting, cleaning or pointing
of any building within the limits of such city or town, are
unsafe or liable to prove dangerous to the life or limb of any
person, to detail a competent police officer to examine, and, if