Do You Need Permission to Erect Scaffolding?

A license or permission is not required if your scaffolder or builder needs to erect scaffolding within your property’s boundary. But, if one or more parts of the scaffolding will go on road or pavement outside your property, the scaffolder or builder should get license or permission from the local council. It is part of their job to obtain this necessary permission. However, you are the one responsible for checking that they got all the essential paperwork.

If the public will be put at risk, you should schedule your scaffolding work for quieter times or acquire a highway closure from the local council. Who will be in charge of safety and health, then? For projects done on your residential property that is not connected with any business, it is the responsibility of the contractor, scaffolder, or builder who uses the scaffolding to maintain safety on the site.

But, there are different rules for companies, partnerships, or individuals with construction jobs done as a part of their business operations. It includes companies and developers that manage domestic properties such as estate agents, rental agents, or landlords. Their primary responsibility is to ensure the proper management of their project, guaranteeing the safety and health of people who might get affected by the job that includes the general public.

Identify the Scaffold That Will Be Fitted

Before the installation, contractors should provide all the relevant details regarding the scaffold like the specific type of scaffolding, platform boarding arrangements, maximum lift heights and bay lengths, and others. It is a must to erect and dismantle all scaffolding in the safest way possible. This is done through following the guidance from the NASC in the document explaining the prevention of falls from scaffolding.

In the case of scaffolds that don’t fall within the scope of the generally recognised standard configuration, designs should be in such a way that it would be possible to use safe techniques for dismantling and erection throughout the project’s entire duration. To ensure the stability of scaffolds that are more complex, it is important to produce drawings and these should come with specific instructions if needed.

Scaffolding Supervision

All the employees must be competent for the specific kind of scaffolding job that they undertake. They are also expected to receive appropriate training that is relevant to the complexity and type of scaffolding that they work on.

Employers should offer the suitable levels of supervision while considering how complicated the work is as well as the competence and training levels of the involved scaffolders.

The minimum requirement is that all scaffold gangs must have a competent scaffolder who received the necessary training for the complexity and type of the scaffold that will be erected, dismantled, or altered. A trainee scaffolder must always work under direct supervision of a competent and trained scaffolder. The operatives are categorised as trainees up until they finish the approved assessment and training necessary for them to be considered as competent.