Scaffolding
A scaffold is a temporary structure used to support workers and materials during the construction, maintenance or repair of buildings and other structures.
Scaffolds allow access to heights and other hard to reach areas. For instance, when workers need to access a ceiling inside a building, to get on roofs, or to get down into excavations. Scaffolding is also a crucial safety measure as it is used for edge protection or containment.
As part of Scaff Safe 2021, SafeWork NSW inspectors visited 428 construction sites and found that the main risks when working on scaffolding to be falls from heights, falling objects and entanglements with other plant.
In 2022, SafeWork NSW will work with industry to ensure construction workers are safe when working on scaffolding. Inspectors will also be working with suppliers and installers to ensure scaffolds are built to standard and safe.
Download these safety resources, developed by SafeWork NSW to encourage best practice in scaffolding.
Scaffold inspection checklist (PDF, 567.71 KB)
Scaffolding industry safety standard (PDF, 11195.23 KB)
The risks
After conducting 428 Scaff Safe 2021 site visits, SafeWork NSW has compiled a report that highlights many unsafe practices in scaffolding. Some of the key findings include:
- 49% of sites had PCs who allowed workers to access incomplete scaffolds
- 43% of sites had working decks with missing planks, ledgers or hop-ups
- 43% of sites had missing mid rails
- 32% of sites did not have a handover certificate (or written confirmation) by a competent person
- 30% of sites had scaffolds that appeared to have been altered by unlicenced tradies – mostly bricklayers.
Scaffold incidents most commonly involve:
- people falling from, or through, scaffolds that are poorly erected, incomplete or have been altered without authorisation
- people falling from scaffolding due to misuse, such as standing on guardrails
- scaffold collapse or failure of components due to incorrect assembly, incompatible componentry, overloading or unauthorised alteration such as tie removal
- objects falling off scaffolds and hitting people below
- scaffolds being struck by mobile plant or vehicles or being snagged by a crane.
Your obligations
As an employer, principal contractor, and/or a PCBU, you are responsible for the health and safety of everyone in your workplace, including visitors. This is your primary duty of care.
There are specific laws about working with plant, including scaffolds, to make sure they are safe for users and people nearby.
SafeWork NSW takes a zero-tolerance approach to lives being placed at risk and may issue on-the-spot fines for non-compliance with WHS laws. Individuals may be fined up to $720 and businesses up to $3,600.
If you are a scaffolder and doing the wrong thing, you could also have your licence suspended or cancelled, and any compliance action taken will be publicly displayed on your licence records.
View the on-the-spot fines
SafeWork NSW introduced new on-the-spot fines in August 2020 under clause 225 in the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017, for those not adequately managing scaffold safety. These are in addition to existing fines.
Scaffold safety
Reason for fine | Fine for individual | Fine for corporation |
---|---|---|
No written confirmation from a competent person (e.g. handover certificate) before first use | $720 | $3600 |
No inspection by competent person done at least every 30 days | $720 | $3600 |
No inspection by competent person after an incident that could affect stability (weather) | $720 | $3600 |
No inspection by competent person after repairs to scaffold | $720 | $3600 |
Failing to prevent unauthorised access to incomplete or unattended scaffold | $720 | $3600 |
Falls from heights risks
Reason for fine | Fine for individual | Fine for corporation |
---|---|---|
Not managing falls from heights risks | $720 | $3600 |
High risk work (HRW) licensing
Reason for fine | Fine for individual | Fine for corporation |
---|---|---|
Undertaking scaffolding work without a scaffolding HRW licence | $720 | $3600 |
Directing or allowing others to undertake scaffolding work without a HRW licence | $720 | $3600 |
How to comply with work health and safety laws
General safety preparation before the job starts
Make sure:
- scaffolders provide an adequate Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) before starting any high risk construction work, which should be kept on-site until the scaffold is dismantled
- any high risk construction work undertaken at the worksite is to be done in accordance with the SWMS provided
- principal contractors have systems in place to ensure proper planning and sequencing of trades so that the scaffold remains safe and compliant throughout the build.
Prevent falls
Make sure:
- the scaffold is only erected, altered and dismantled by a worker with the appropriate scaffolding high risk work (HRW) licence. You can check a high risk work licence is valid by visiting Verify.licence.
- your site inductions and ongoing toolbox talks clearly state that unlicensed workers are prohibited from altering or tampering with scaffolds, and who to contact if scaffolds need altering or repair.
- workers are prevented from accessing incomplete sections of the scaffold.
- the scaffold has been inspected at the following intervals:
- before first use
- prior to use after alterations or repairs
- after an event (e.g. high winds or storms, hit by plant, unauthorised modifications) that could affect scaffold integrity or stability
- at regular intervals not exceeding 30 days.
Related information and resources
More information for the construction industry is available on the SafeWork NSW building and construction page.
Guides, checklists and fact sheets
- Erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolds
- General guide for scaffolds and scaffolding work – Safe Work Australia
- Guide for scaffold inspection and maintenance – Safe Work Australia
- Pocket guide to construction safety (PDF, 1759.1 KB)
- Scaffold certificate handover template
(PDF, 64.48 KB) - Scaffold inspection checklist (PDF, 567.71 KB)
- Trestle scaffolds fact sheet
- Trestle ladder scaffolds fact sheet
- Working at heights
Codes of practice
- Construction work (PDF, 1014.41 KB)
- Managing the risk of falls at workplaces (PDF, 2326.56 KB)
- Managing the risk of falls in housing construction (PDF, 2296.79 KB)
- Work near overhead powerlines (PDF, 3569.89 KB)
Podcasts
Incident information releases
Standards
Australian Standards
- AS/NZS1576 Part 1: Scaffolding – general requirements
- AS/NZS 1576 Part 6: Metal tube and coupler scaffolding – Deemed to comply
- AS/NZS4576: Guidelines for scaffolding
Posters
Health and safety legal obligations
There are specific laws you must follow:
- working safely at heights: Clauses 78 – 80 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017
- working with scaffolding: Clause 225 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017