Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007

Scaffolding, additional requirements.

107

107. An employer shall ensure that—

(a) every scaffold and every part of it is of good design and construction, composed of suitable and sound material and is of adequate strength for the purpose for which it is used or intended to be used,

(b) strength and stability calculations for scaffolding are carried out unless—

(i) a record of the calculations covering the structural arrangements contemplated is available, or

(ii) it is assembled in conformity with a generally recognised standard configuration,

(c) depending on the complexity of the scaffolding selected, an assembly, use and dismantling plan is drawn up by a competent person, which plan may be in the form of a standard plan supplemented by information on the scaffolding in question,

(d) a copy of the plan referred to in paragraph (c), including any instructions it may contain, is kept available for the use of persons concerned in the assembly, use dismantling or alteration of scaffolding until it has been dismantled,

(e) the dimensions, form and layout of scaffolding decks are appropriate to the nature of the work to be performed, suitable for the loads to be carried and permit work and passage in safety,

(f) while a scaffold is not available for use, including during its assembly, dismantling or alteration, it is marked with warning signs in accordance with the requirements of Part 7, Chapter 1 and, where appropriate, is protected by barriers or other suitable means from unauthorised access or use, and

(g) any scaffolding assembled, dismantled or significantly altered is only carried out under the supervision of a competent person and by persons who have received appropriate and specific training in the operations envisaged that addresses specific risks that the operations may entail and precautions to be taken, and, in particular—

(i) in understanding the plan referred to in paragraph (c) for the assembly dismantling or alteration of the scaffolding concerned,

(ii) the need for safety during the assembly, dismantling or alteration of the scaffolding concerned,

(iii) measures to prevent the risk of persons, materials or objects falling,

(iv) safety measures in the event of changing weather conditions that could adversely affect the safety of the scaffolding concerned,

(v) permissible loadings, and

(vi) any other risks that the assembly, dismantling or alteration of the scaffolding concerned may entail.