Scaffold Inspection Requirements UK: What Contractors Need to Know

Scaffolding failures kill and seriously injure workers every year in the UK. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 set out clear scaffold inspection requirements that apply to anyone who erects, uses, or has control over scaffolding on a worksite. Getting this right is not optional — here is a plain-English breakdown of what the law actually requires.

The Legal Basis

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR 2005) are the primary legislation. Regulation 12 deals specifically with the inspection of working platforms, and Schedule 7 sets out what an inspection must cover and how it must be recorded. These apply to all work at height — not just construction — but scaffold is one of the most significant areas of practical application.

Where scaffolding is part of a notifiable construction project, CDM 2015 also applies and the principal contractor has additional site-wide duties to manage the work safely.

When Does a Scaffold Require Formal Inspection?

Under Regulation 12, a scaffold used as a working platform must be inspected:

• Before first use — once it has been erected or significantly altered
• After any event likely to have affected its stability — this includes bad weather such as high winds or heavy snow, an impact from plant, or anything that could have disturbed the structure
• At intervals not exceeding every 7 days — for any scaffold that remains in use

The 7-day interval is a maximum, not a target. If site conditions change or the scaffold is high-risk, you should inspect more frequently.

Who Can Carry Out a Scaffold Inspection?

The inspector must be a competent person — someone with sufficient training, experience, and knowledge to identify any defects or conditions that could cause danger. In practice this means:

• For basic scaffold (standard tube-and-fitting or system scaffold), a competent scaffolder or a suitably experienced site manager who genuinely understands what they are looking at
• For complex or bespoke scaffold — particularly anything over 4 metres used as a working platform where a handover certificate is required — the inspection should be carried out by someone with an appropriate formal qualification (for example, a CISRS card holder at the appropriate level, or a structural engineer for specialist structures)

The NASC (National Access and Scaffolding Confederation) and CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) provide the recognised competency frameworks for scaffold work in the UK.

The Handover Certificate (TG20 / NASC)

Before a scaffold is handed over to the principal contractor or end-user for the first time, the erecting contractor should provide a scaffold handover certificate. This confirms the scaffold has been built to an agreed standard (often TG20:21 for tube-and-fitting, or the relevant system scaffold guidance) and is safe for its intended use. This is industry good practice and increasingly a contractual requirement, though the formal inspection record under Schedule 7 WAHR is a separate legal document.

What Must the Inspection Cover?

Schedule 7 of WAHR 2005 lists the minimum content of an inspection record. The competent person must check and record:

Inspection Records: What You Must Keep

After each inspection, a written record must be made before the end of the working period in which the inspection is completed. The record must include:

• Name and address of the person for whom the inspection was carried out
• Location of the scaffold
• Description and condition of the working platform
• Any matter identified that could be a risk to health or safety
• Any action taken following inspection
• Date and time of inspection
• Name and organisation of the inspector

Records must be kept available on site until the work is complete, and then retained for three months after the inspection date.

Common Failures Inspectors Find

Understanding what goes wrong helps you prevent it. The most frequently identified defects include:

• Missing or inadequate ties (the most dangerous category)
• Incomplete or damaged decking with gaps at the wall or between boards
• Missing toe boards or guardrails, or rails at the wrong height
• No collective edge protection at ladder access points
• Unauthorised alterations to the structure between inspections

Practical Steps for Contractors

1. Plan inspections into your programme — set calendar reminders for the 7-day maximum interval on every active scaffold
2. Use a dedicated inspection form that mirrors Schedule 7 requirements — a generic site inspection sheet is not sufficient
3. Never use a scaffold after a significant weather event until a competent person has re-inspected it
4. Tag the scaffold using a recognised colour-coded tagging system so users know the current status at a glance
5. Act on findings immediately — if the scaffold is unsafe, take it out of use and do not allow access until defects are remedied

Scaffold inspection is one of the most straightforward legal requirements in UK construction to document and to get right. A missed inspection or a blank form is difficult to defend if something goes wrong.