SCF/General/TBT-SCF-001

Scaffold Safety Awareness

Scaffolding › General › Scaffold Safety Awareness

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Scaffolds are temporary structures used to provide safe working platforms for access at height.
Falls from scaffolds are a major cause of death and serious injury in UK construction each year.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require scaffolds to be erected, inspected, and used safely.
Only trained and competent scaffolders holding CISRS cards may erect, alter, or dismantle scaffolds.
Every scaffold must be inspected before first use, at least every seven days, and after adverse weather.
A scaffold inspection tag system shows whether the scaffold is safe to use — green means safe, red means do not use.
Scaffold platforms must be fully boarded with guardrails, mid-rails, and toe boards in place at all edges.
Overloading scaffolds with excessive materials is a common cause of scaffold collapse on construction sites.
Scaffold ties anchor the structure to the building — removing ties compromises the entire scaffold stability.
Base plates and sole boards must be on firm, level ground to provide a stable foundation for the scaffold.

Prevent fatal falls	Falls from incomplete, overloaded, or poorly maintained scaffolds kill construction workers every year in the UK.
Prevent collapse	Scaffold collapse from missing ties, poor foundations, or overloading endangers everyone on site and the public nearby.
Legal compliance	The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require inspections every seven days with written records — non-compliance leads to prosecution.

Don't

Check the scaffold tag before accessing any scaffold — green tag means safe to use.
Ensure platforms are fully boarded with guardrails, mid-rails, and toe boards fitted.
Use the designated ladder access points provided — climb inside the scaffold structure.
Report any missing boards, guardrails, ties, or damaged components to your supervisor.
Keep scaffold platforms clear of unnecessary materials, tools, and debris at all times.
Ensure the scaffold has been inspected within the last seven days before using it.
Check base plates and sole boards are secure and on firm, level ground.
Follow the maximum load limits stated on the scaffold design and loading notice.
Use brick guards or debris netting where materials could fall onto people below.
Report any concerns about scaffold safety to the scaffold supervisor or site manager.

DON'T use any scaffold with a red tag, no tag, or an out-of-date inspection record.
DON'T work on scaffolds with missing boards, guardrails, or edge protection.
DON'T climb the outside of a scaffold — always use the internal ladder access.
DON'T remove, move, or alter any scaffold component — only trained scaffolders may do this.
DON'T overload scaffold platforms beyond the designed safe working load capacity.
DON'T use scaffolds that have not been inspected in the last seven days.
DON'T remove scaffold ties for any reason — they prevent the scaffold from collapsing.
DON'T store excessive materials on scaffold platforms or block access routes.
DON'T throw materials or tools from scaffold platforms — use controlled lowering methods.
DON'T ignore scaffold defects — report them immediately and stop using the scaffold.

See also: Scaffold Inspection & Tagging | Scaffold Ties & Stability

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