> Disclaimer: SiteKiln gives you plain-English information, not legal or health and safety advice. Always follow your site-specific risk assessments and talk to a qualified professional.
The short version
Scaffolds must be designed, erected, altered, inspected and handed over by competent people, and kept in a safe condition under the Work at Height Regs.
If a scaffold looks incomplete, damaged, obviously overloaded or lacks guardrails, toe boards, ties or safe access, you're within your rights to refuse to use it until it's put right.
Why it matters
Falls from scaffolds and tower scaffolds are still a major cause of serious and fatal injuries in construction, especially on small sites.
Most bad falls come back to the same basic faults: missing guardrails, poor bracing/ties, overloading, or people using towers in ways they were never meant to be used.
The law expects you and the people in control of the job to spot an obviously unsafe scaffold and stop using it -- "it was already there" is not a defence.
The rules in plain English
Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and HSE guidance:
- Scaffolds must be designed to carry the loads they'll see, with enough strength, rigidity and stability.
- They must be erected, altered and dismantled only by competent people, under a competent supervisor, following a safe system of work (normally NASC SG4/TG20 or equivalent).
- They must be inspected by a competent person:
- After installation and before first use.
- After any substantial alteration, damage or extreme weather.
- At least every 7 days while in use.
- Each inspection must be recorded and kept available on site.
- NASC TG20 (now TG20:21) is the main industry guidance for "standard" tube-and-fitting scaffolds -- if a scaffold is claimed to be "to TG20", it should match the compliance sheet or have its own design.
Quick checks before you get on
You're not expected to be a scaffolder, but you are expected to spot the obvious. Before you climb, check:
Guardrails and toe boards
- Platforms with a risk of falling more than about 2 metres should have top rails, mid-rails and toe boards in place on all open edges, including ends and returns.
- No big gaps you could fall through.
Platform and access
- Proper access provided (stair tower or internal ladder with a hatch) -- not climbing the outside or using loose ladders leaning onto the scaffold.
- Boards are level, fully decked where needed, secured, with no big steps or trip hazards.
Ties, bracing and base
- Scaffold is tied to the structure or otherwise adequately stabilised -- not freestanding and wobbly when you shake a standard.
- Bracing in place (diagonals etc.), base plates and sole boards on firm ground -- no random bricks or blocks under legs.
Condition and loading
- No obviously damaged components (bent standards, broken ledgers, rotten boards).
- Platforms not overloaded with bricks, blocks or waste; loading bays are used for heavy materials and properly gated.
Weather and environment
- In high winds or extreme weather, check whether the scaffold is still safe to use at all -- sheeting and fans increase wind load.
- Access to the public is controlled -- ladders removed or locked off out of hours, fencing in place.
If any of those are clearly wrong, that's a solid reason to refuse to use it until it's sorted.
Ten-second scaffold check before you climb
Before you put a foot on, ask yourself:
- Guardrails? Top and mid-rails and toe boards on all open edges and ends.
- Boards? Fully decked where needed, level, no big gaps, no obviously damaged or rotten boards.
- Access? Proper internal ladder or stair access in place and secure -- no climbing the outside.
- Ties and base? Scaffold looks straight, braced and tied, on base plates and sole boards, not bricks or blocks.
- Tag/inspection? A current inspection tag or record shows it's been checked within the last 7 days or after bad weather.
If any of those are a clear "no", treat it as unsafe and get it put right before you work on it.
When you should refuse to use a scaffold
You should not get on, or you should get off and stop work, if:
-
There is no evidence of inspection: No recent inspection tag on the scaffold or record available on site, especially if it's newly erected or after bad weather.
-
It's visibly incomplete or altered: Lifts or bays missing guardrails or toe boards. Bays taken out or altered by trades ("just moved a board") without the scaffolder.
-
It's obviously unstable or poorly supported: Scaffold rocks when you move, ties missing, standards on loose bricks or soft ground.
-
Access is clearly unsafe: Climbing the outside, using makeshift ladders, jumping between roofs and scaffold, or leaning ladders on the outside of towers.
-
It's being used outside its design: Long loading bays stacked beyond their marked limits, heavy plant or pallets on standard lifts that weren't designed for that load. Sheeting or debris netting added without checking the design for extra wind load.
-
Weather or damage has made it suspect: After high winds, vehicle strikes, impacts from plant or partial collapses nearby, and it hasn't been re-inspected.
Any of these can be "serious and imminent danger" territory -- you don't wait for someone to fall before you say no.
Your rights and how to say it
You don't need to give a lecture on TG20; you just need to be clear.
You have a legal duty to take reasonable care of your own safety and that of others, and a right not to work in serious and imminent danger.
If a scaffold is obviously unsafe, you can refuse to use it until it's inspected and put right, and you should not be disciplined or punished for that if your belief is reasonable (see 4.1 on unsafe work).
Simple wording you can use on site:
- "I'm not happy to use that scaffold. There are missing guardrails / loose boards / no ties -- there's a serious risk of falling."
- "It needs checking and putting right by the scaffold firm before we get back on."
- "Under the Work at Height Regs we have to use safe platforms -- this isn't one."
If they push you to crack on, repeat the point calmly and remove yourself from the risk area. If it's serious and they won't act, you're into HSE-report territory (see 4.2).
What to do as a small contractor using scaffolds
You might not erect scaffolds yourself, but you still have responsibilities when you specify and use them.
Before you hire or accept a scaffold:
- Make sure you're using a competent scaffolding company, ideally NASC or equivalent, with TG20-compliant designs or bespoke designs where needed.
- Be clear what the scaffold is for -- trades, loads, sheeting, duration -- so it's designed for the actual job.
When it's handed over:
- Get a formal handover certificate/inspection from the scaffolder; keep it with your site paperwork.
- Check the scaffold tag or other system is in place and understood by everyone.
During the job:
- Arrange the statutory inspections (every 7 days, and after alterations or bad weather) by a competent person -- this can be a trained manager or external inspector, not just the scaffolder.
- Stop other trades from altering the scaffold themselves -- no moving guardrails, adding bays, or taking boards without the scaffolder.
- Secure access out of hours to stop kids/the public climbing it.
If HSE turn up and find unsafe scaffolds, they will look at both the scaffolder and the contractor/principal contractor who allowed people to work on them.
What happens if you ignore scaffold problems
If you or the main contractor let people use obviously unsafe scaffolds:
- You risk serious or fatal falls, plus injuries from falling materials if brick guards, toe boards or fans are missing.
- HSE can issue improvement or prohibition notices on the scaffold and the job, and in serious cases prosecute the company, the scaffolder and individuals in control.
- Courts take unsafe scaffolding seriously; fines can be heavy and, in the worst cases, prison is on the table.
- "Everyone else was using it" won't carry any weight if the faults were obvious.
What to do next
- Do the ten-second scaffold check (guardrails, boards, access, ties, tag) every time before you climb -- make it a habit.
- Check the scaffold inspection tag or ask for the latest 7-day inspection record before you start work.
- If guardrails or boards have been moved by another trade, report it to the site manager straight away -- don't use it until the scaffolder puts it right.
- Make sure scaffold access is locked off out of hours so the public and kids can't climb it.
- If you hire scaffolds, always use an NASC-registered firm and get a handover certificate before anyone gets on.
Sources
- Work at Height Regulations 2005 -- duties on scaffold inspection and competence.
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 -- planning, managing and monitoring construction work.
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 -- general duties.
- NASC TG20 technical guidance and industry summaries on compliant scaffold design.
- HSE -- Scaffolds and scaffolding safety topics (including tower scaffolds).
Frequently asked questions
How often must scaffolding be inspected?
Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (Schedule 7), scaffolding must be inspected before first use, after any event likely to have affected its stability (like high winds or a vehicle strike), and at regular intervals not exceeding 7 days. Each inspection must be recorded in writing.
"7 days" means 7 calendar days, not working days -- so if a scaffold goes up on Monday, it needs inspecting again by the following Monday at the latest. After adverse weather or any alteration, it must be re-inspected before anyone goes back on it, regardless of when the last routine inspection was.
Who can inspect scaffolding?
A competent person must carry out the inspection. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 define this as someone with adequate training, experience and knowledge to identify defects and assess whether the scaffold is safe. In practice, this usually means a CISRS scaffold inspector or an experienced scaffolder with specific inspection training.
There's no strict legal requirement for a particular card or qualification, but "competent" will be tested if something goes wrong. The CITB/CISRS Scaffold Inspection Training Scheme (SITS) course is widely recognised and gives inspectors credibility. If your inspector can't explain what they're checking and why, they're probably not competent.
What is Schedule 7?
Schedule 7 is part of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and sets out the specific requirements for inspecting scaffolding and other working platforms. It covers when inspections must happen (before use, every 7 days, after adverse events), what must be checked, and what records must be kept.
The inspection report under Schedule 7 must be completed before the end of the working period in which the inspection was done. It must include the scaffold location, date, details of any defects, the inspector's name, and whether it's safe to use. These reports must be kept on site and available for HSE inspection.
Do I need a CISRS card to inspect scaffolding?
There's no specific legal requirement for a CISRS card to inspect scaffolding -- the law says "competent person." However, CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) is the industry standard, and the Scaffold Inspection Training Scheme (SITS) is the most widely accepted qualification for scaffold inspectors.
In practice, most principal contractors and major sites require a CISRS card. If HSE investigates after an incident and your inspector has no formal training or recognised qualification, proving competence becomes very difficult. The SITS course is two days and covers everything an inspector needs to know -- it's worth the investment.
Frequently asked questions
How often must scaffolding be inspected?
Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (Schedule 7), scaffolding must be inspected before first use, after any event likely to have affected its stability (like high winds or a vehicle strike), and at regular intervals not exceeding 7 days. Each inspection must be recorded in writing.
"7 days" means 7 calendar days, not working days -- so if a scaffold goes up on Monday, it needs inspecting again by the following Monday at the latest. After adverse weather or any alteration, it must be re-inspected before anyone goes back on it, regardless of when the last routine inspection was.
Who can inspect scaffolding?
A competent person must carry out the inspection. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 define this as someone with adequate training, experience and knowledge to identify defects and assess whether the scaffold is safe. In practice, this usually means a CISRS scaffold inspector or an experienced scaffolder with specific inspection training.
There's no strict legal requirement for a particular card or qualification, but "competent" will be tested if something goes wrong. The CITB/CISRS Scaffold Inspection Training Scheme (SITS) course is widely recognised and gives inspectors credibility. If your inspector can't explain what they're checking and why, they're probably not competent.
What is Schedule 7?
Schedule 7 is part of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and sets out the specific requirements for inspecting scaffolding and other working platforms. It covers when inspections must happen (before use, every 7 days, after adverse events), what must be checked, and what records must be kept.
The inspection report under Schedule 7 must be completed before the end of the working period in which the inspection was done. It must include the scaffold location, date, details of any defects, the inspector's name, and whether it's safe to use. These reports must be kept on site and available for HSE inspection.
Do I need a CISRS card to inspect scaffolding?
There's no specific legal requirement for a CISRS card to inspect scaffolding -- the law says "competent person." However, CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) is the industry standard, and the Scaffold Inspection Training Scheme (SITS) is the most widely accepted qualification for scaffold inspectors.
In practice, most principal contractors and major sites require a CISRS card. If HSE investigates after an incident and your inspector has no formal training or recognised qualification, proving competence becomes very difficult. The SITS course is two days and covers everything an inspector needs to know -- it's worth the investment.
Common questions
How often must scaffolding be inspected?
Before first use, after any alteration, after adverse weather, and at least every 7 days while in use. Each inspection must be recorded in writing and kept on site. The duty comes from regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Scaffold Inspection Register tool.
Who can inspect scaffolding?
A competent person, which in practice means someone holding a CISRS Scaffold Inspection card or equivalent. For basic and birdcage scaffolds, an Advanced Scaffolder card or CISRS Inspector card is the standard. For complex or designed scaffolds, only a qualified Inspector should sign off.
Scaffolding Cards and CISRS guide.
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