Revised Code of Practice for Access and Working Scaffolds

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) issued a revised Code of Practice for Access and Working Scaffolds. The Code of Practice came into effect on January 1^st, 2019 and replaces the Code of Practice for Access and Working Scaffolds issued by the HSA in 2009 in accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

The revised edition of the Code of Practice takes into account technical progress and recent changes to health and safety legislation. The purpose of the Code of Practice is to provide practical guidance to scaffold erectors, contractors and users of scaffolding on the requirements and prohibitions set out in the relevant statutory provisions, namely the following:

• Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regs 2007
• Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005
• Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013

The Code of Practice applies to all places of work where scaffolds are used to provide working platforms, protection from falls or means of access during construction work. The Code gives recommendations and guidance on the erection, use, inspection and dismantling of simple access and working scaffolds. It also gives recommendations and practical guidance on the training and instruction of those erecting, dismantling and using scaffolds.

The Code of Practice is comprised of the following sections:

• Section 1: Introduction
• Section 2: Management and Control of Scaffolding
• Section 3: Erection of Scaffolds
• Section 4: Inspection and Handover
• Section 5: Use, Modification and Maintenance
• Section 6: Dismantling
• Section 7: Competence

The Code is not a technical guidance document and does not give detailed recommendations or guidance on special scaffolds such as cantilever, truss-out or slung scaffolds. Information in this Code needs to be read in conjunction with the manufacturer’s manual and instructions and any scaffold design provided. The Code makes reference to the following technical standards:

• UK NASC TG: 20 Good Practice Guidance for Tube and Fitting Scaffolding and NASC SG guidelines
• S. EN 12810 Facade scaffolds made of prefabricated components. Product specifications
• S. EN 12811 Temporary works equipment. Scaffolds. Performance requirements and general design

The Code of Practice also puts forward a template or planning process for the management and control of scaffolding. The planning process involves the contractors who will use the scaffolding, the scaffolding designer and the scaffolding erector. The planning process should address the following:

1. The relevant legal and other requirements should be identified
2. The job should be defined
3. Responsibilities should be assigned
4. Hazards should be identified
5. Risks should be assessed
6. Risks should be eliminated or reduced
7. The identified hazards and the necessary precautions should be written down
8. Clear performance standards should be set
9. Site survey
10. Recommendations

The Code of Practice is a detailed document, but it is easily understood and provides several illustrations and process flow charts to provide practical guidance on best practice and meeting your legal obligations. There are also some very useful checklists provided in Annex B of the Code, such as:

• Inspection of Scaffolding Materials Before Use
• Inspection of Scaffolding in Use
• Handover of Scaffolding to User

Want to know more about changes to legislation and Codes of Practice? The Pegasus Legal Register is an online platform that helps users to keep track of such changes.

Source

HSA