Access Design & Safety Blog

Introduction

Whether work is taking place on a domestic or commercial property, one of the main considerations that clients have is whether scaffolding arrangements require a design. While the HSE has compiled a useful list of scaffold arrangements that
need a design prior to work taking place, it’s understandable that confusion
sometimes arises.

Historical practices throughout the scaffolding industry and documents which highlight when scaffolding needs a design – such as the TG20:21 guidance literature - often clash.

That’s not to say TG20:21 isn’t specific or prescriptive in regard to the requirements of scaffolding which can be erected without further design requirements – factors such as the estimated wind load, whether the scaffolding is netted/sheeted, where the scaffolding is located etc. are usually taken into consideration. Ultimately, your scaffold configuration could meet some or all of these criteria, but perhaps the ultimate guidance as to whether you need a design is to consider what your customer wants.

It’s possible to argue that certain scaffold configurations won’t require a design if it complies with the British Standard/TG20. In these circumstances a TG20:21 compliance sheet can be used instead of a full design. However, if your customer insists on a design, in most cases you’ll have no choice but to provide one. Most large-scale contractors won’t allow scaffolds to be erected on-site without a design. These designs often form a vital component of the contractors’ Health & Safety management – and furthermore, designs are useful to co-ordinate all tradespersons who may need to use the scaffold.

Did you know there is no guidance for temporary ramps in TG20?

The latest of the TG20 amendments, TG20:13, came out in 2014. It was created by the NASC (National Access & Scaffolding Confederation) and aims to impose a good, universal level of consistency in the use of tube and fittings scaffolds. Though it is not a statutory necessity, the TG20 guidelines are taken among contractors and scaffolders to be a core value of their trade. Not only this, following TG20 guidelines ensure that you comply with the Work at Heights Regulations 2005, which is a legal requirement. TG20 guidance covers an array of standard scaffolds such as tied independent access scaffolds, Loading bays, Internal birdcages and more, however TG20:13 does not cover all scaffolds. When it comes to temporary ramps there is no guidance within TG20:13 to fall back on, so a temporary ramp must be constructed from a bespoke design. Here is a quick rundown of some important aspects to consider.

In general, most scaffolds need to be tied to an existing permanent structure. There are exceptions where there is a necessity for a scaffold to be designed without any ties. Usually this involves adding buttress bays and may also include the need for counterweights. Most scaffolds, however, require some form of tying arrangement, whether that’s a wall, a column or exposed steelwork.

No matter the size or nature of your scaffolding project, the safety and durability of the scaffold is essential. Sometimes supplementary couplers are used to ensure the safety and strength of a scaffolding structure. So, what exactly are supplementary check couplers and what do Eurocodes say about them?

In 2019, BSI produced a fully revised and updated version of BS 5975, the code of practice businesses are recommended to comply with for temporary works procedures as well as stress design of falsework & formwork on-site. The first major revision since 2011, this significant update has provided further recommendation and guidance for the safety and control surrounding a vast range of construction projects. New advice has been included, as well as several smaller updates to bring the standard up to scratch for modern-day purposes.

No matter what the nature or size of the project you are working on, if the project requires scaffolding, it is essential that the design of your scaffolding follows certain requirements. This is to ensure that not only your scaffolding will be safe for workers to use, but also that your project can be completed in the most efficient way possible.

Although both interior and exterior scaffolding can provide a similar function, there may be significant differences in the considerations taken during design. Here we take a look at some of the key potential differences between interior scaffolding design and an exterior design.

Being a company that specialises in scaffolding design, there are many areas of Health & Safety that we deal with, including building regulations and scaffold regulations. Brexit has cast a cloud of uncertainty over many compliance issues in the UK, including Health & Safety regulations, so in this article we take a look at the post-Brexit landscape and pre-empt which rules could change.

Every scaffolding project is different and has its own set of unique requirements. As such, it can be difficult to determine at what stage of the scaffolding process design drawings should be completed. Unfortunately, there is no one-answer-fits-all solution to this question, but, in general, design drawings should be considered as early in the design process as possible. We explore the reasons for this and look at planning scaffolding in more detail below…

Whether for a commercial or domestic project, knowing how to construct scaffolding correctly can be difficult, as it is hard to know whether your scaffolding build needs a design. Even if your project seems relatively straight-forward and has no special requirements, a design may still be necessary. So, let's explore scaffolding design in more detail…