In brief
A construction scaffold needs four layers of inspection: before first use, at least once a week, after events such as alterations, long periods out of use and bad weather, and a periodic inspection every 6 months unless a standard sets a shorter interval. The periodic inspection is carried out by an authorised person registered in EKIPNET under an ISG-KATIP contract. A green and red tag system is the practical way to meet, on site, the duty to mark scaffolding that is not ready for use and to prevent access to it.
Why does scaffold inspection have four layers?
A facade scaffold stays on site for months. During that time it is exposed to wind, materials are stacked on it, parts of it are dismantled by other crews, and its ties are released for facade work. A one-off inspection cannot catch these changes. This is why the legislation splits scaffold inspection into layers with different frequencies and triggers.
| Inspection | When | Who carries it out | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial inspection | After erection, before it is put into use | Competent person; the post-erection inspection by a person authorised to carry out periodic inspections | Construction Works Regulation Annex 4; Work Equipment Regulation Art. 7 |
| Routine inspection | At least once a week | Competent person appointed by the employer | Construction Works Regulation Annex 4 |
| Post-event inspection | After alterations, a period out of use, bad weather or any other condition affecting stability | Competent person; for raising, alterations and events that impair safety, a person authorised to carry out periodic inspections | Construction Works Regulation Annex 4; Work Equipment Regulation Art. 7 |
| Periodic inspection | Every 6 months unless a standard sets a shorter interval | Authorised person registered in EKIPNET | Work Equipment Regulation Annex III |
| Pre-use visual check | Before each work session | The crew using the scaffold | Good practice; pre-use check principle in Annex III |
The rules are set out in two regulations. Annex 4 of the Regulation on Occupational Health and Safety in Construction Works requires scaffolds to be inspected by a competent person appointed by the employer before being put into use, at least once a week, whenever they are altered, after a period out of use, and after exposure to bad weather or other conditions that could affect their stability and soundness. Art. 7 of the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment requires scaffolds to be inspected by persons authorised to carry out periodic inspections after initial erection, after raising or alteration, and after events such as natural phenomena that could impair safety; its Annex III also sets the 6-monthly periodic inspection.
Before erection: calculation, plan and a trained crew
An inspection passes easily only if erection has been planned properly. The scaffolding section of Annex II of the Work Equipment Regulation requires the following:
- Calculation: A scaffold may not be used until its strength and stability have been calculated. A separate calculation is needed if the standard configuration is departed from.
- Plan: In construction works, the erection, use and dismantling plan is prepared by a civil engineer.
- Supervision: Erection, dismantling and significant alterations are carried out under the supervision of the appointed civil engineer.
- Trained crew: Scaffolds are erected by workers who have received adequate training for the job. The training covers understanding the plan, safety during erection and dismantling, preventing workers and materials from falling, measures for changing weather conditions, the loads the scaffold can bear and other risks.
- Preventing slipping: Load-bearing members are fixed to ground of sufficient strength; mobile scaffolds are prevented from moving on their own.
You can find the content of working at height training in our article on working at height training.
What is checked at the initial and weekly inspections?
The weekly inspection may look like a formality, but it is where most defects are caught. The person carrying it out should not look at the scaffold only from below, but walk along the platform at every level. The items to check are:
- Ground and base: are base plates and adjustable jacks on firm ground, and is there any subsidence, washout or excavation beneath them?
- Standards and braces: are the standards vertical, are any braces missing or removed, and are the couplers tight?
- Ties: are the ties to the facade in the number and position shown in the plan, and has any tie released for facade work been refitted?
- Platforms: are they fully boarded, are there dangerous gaps between boards or between the platform and the guardrail, and are they secured against slipping?
- Edge protection: are guardrails and toe boards complete?
- Access: are internal ladders or access towers safe?
- Load: is anything stacked on the scaffold above its maximum load, and is load information displayed on the scaffold?
- Surroundings: has the wind load of nets and sheeting been included in the calculation, is the clearance to power lines sufficient, and are pedestrian and vehicle routes passing underneath protected?
Parts of a scaffold that are not ready for use may not simply be announced verbally. Annex II of the Work Equipment Regulation requires these parts to be marked with safety signs and access to the danger zone to be physically prevented. The tag system is the on-site equivalent of this rule.
Post-event inspection: storms, snow, impacts and alterations
The Construction Works Regulation requires a scaffold exposed to bad weather or other conditions that could affect its stability and soundness to be inspected again. Art. 7 of the Work Equipment Regulation also requires an inspection by persons authorised to carry out periodic inspections after accidents, natural phenomena or long periods out of use that could impair safety. If the extent of the damage is unclear, do not settle for the on-site competent person's inspection; call an authorised person registered in EKIPNET. On site, these situations include:
- Strong wind, storms or heavy snowfall. For winter preparation, see our article on workplace safety in the winter months.
- A crane load or a vehicle striking the scaffold.
- Another subcontractor removing braces, guardrails or ties.
- Reopening the site after long breaks such as public holidays or the winter shutdown.
The scaffold is not opened for use until it has passed these inspections. At a post-event inspection the tag is switched to red and returns to green once the inspection is complete.
The 6-monthly periodic inspection
Annex III of the Work Equipment Regulation sets the periodic inspection interval for construction scaffolds as "6 months unless a period is specified in the standards". The inspection is carried out in line with the criteria in TS EN 12810-1, TS EN 12810-2, TS EN 12811-1 and TS 13662, taking into account the scaffolding provisions of Annex II.
The periodic inspection is carried out by an authorised person registered in EKIPNET (the Ministry's register of authorised inspection personnel); the professions authorised for construction scaffolds include civil engineers and civil engineering technicians. The contract between the employer and the authorised person is set up via ISG-KATIP (the Ministry's online OHS registration system) at least 1 day before the inspection; a report issued without a contract is invalid. If the report says "not fit for use", a visible warning is placed on the scaffold and a new report is issued at a second inspection once the defect has been remedied. We explained the general rules of Annex III in our article on periodic inspection intervals for work equipment.
How do you set up a green and red tag system?
The tag system is not named in the legislation, but it is the clearest way to apply the duty to "mark the part that is not ready for use and prevent access". A tag, completed by the person carrying out the inspection, is hung at the access point of every scaffold.
| Tag | Meaning | What to do on site |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Inspected, fit for use | Work within the load and restrictions written on the tag |
| Red | Not fit for use: erection, dismantling, damage or awaiting inspection | Access is physically closed off; nobody goes up |
| Yellow (optional) | Restricted use | Work with the additional measure written on the tag, e.g. only a specific crew, additional tie-off required |
The tag should show the following information:
- Scaffold number and location (block, facade, grid line)
- Date and time of inspection and the date of the next weekly inspection
- Name and signature of the person who carried out the inspection
- Permitted load or load class
- Any restrictions
Set three rules for the system to work: only the competent person changes the tag; an out-of-date or untagged scaffold counts as red; and wherever there is a red tag, access must be physically closed off. On sites where several subcontractors work, announce these rules at the main contractor's coordination meeting; we covered the division of duties in our article on the Construction Works OHS Regulation.
Scaffold inspection form and record keeping
The tag is the sign on site; the form is the record. A simple scaffold inspection form includes:
- Scaffold number, location, type and erection date
- Type of inspection: initial, weekly, post-event
- Compliant, non-compliant and comment columns for the eight items above
- Defect found, measure taken and close-out date
- Result: green, yellow or red
- Name and signature of the inspector and, where needed, photo numbers
File the forms per scaffold and add the 6-monthly periodic inspection date to the OHS renewal calendar. For planning periodic inspections see our periodic inspection service, and for weekly site inspections and setting up the tag system see our OHS specialist service. For the other topics on site, use our construction sector page and the construction site checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is a scaffold inspected?
It is inspected by a competent person before being put into use, at least once a week, and after alterations, long periods out of use, bad weather and similar events; in addition, it is inspected periodically every 6 months by an authorised person registered in EKIPNET, unless a standard sets a shorter interval.
Who can carry out the weekly scaffold inspection?
A competent person appointed by the employer for this task, with sufficient knowledge and experience of scaffolding. The 6-monthly periodic inspection must additionally be carried out by an authorised person registered in EKIPNET under an ISG-KATIP contract.
Is a green-red tag mandatory?
The colour and format of the tag are not defined in the legislation. However, marking the parts of a scaffold that are not ready for use and physically preventing access to them is mandatory. The tag system is the practical way to apply this duty on site.
Can a facade scaffold tie be removed temporarily?
Ties are part of the scaffold's stability. If one has to be removed for facade work, that is an alteration: it is planned in advance, an alternative tie is provided, it is refitted once the work is finished, and the scaffold is not used until it has been inspected again.
Equipment inventory and an inspection calendar under the new Annex III, with inspections carried out through our solution partners, plus report and defect follow-up.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.