Another crew built the scaffold, and your team is about to work on it. This scaffold inspection checklist is for the foreman, supervisor or worker who must decide, before the first climb, whether it is safe to go up. It takes one pass from the ground to the top and ends with a stop list.
Who inspects a scaffold, and what is your own check for?
A scaffold should be formally inspected by a competent person, and that inspection should be recorded. Who counts as competent, and how often inspections happen, is set by the project, the site owner, the insurer and the applicable rules, so confirm it for your site.
Your check is different. It is a visual look that every user does before climbing. You are asking one question: can I see a reason not to go up?
A clear result does not make the scaffold certified safe. Some faults, such as a damaged tube or a bad coupler, are hard to see from outside.
Does the scaffold have a current inspection tag, and is it for this scaffold?
Start at the access point, before you touch anything. Many sites use a tag or sign-off, but the format depends on the project. A tag only covers the scaffold as it was when it was inspected.
Check four things on the tag or record:
- It is there and you can read it.
- It says the scaffold is fit to use, not "do not use".
- It shows a date and a name, so you know who cleared it and when.
- It is for this scaffold, not the one next to it or an older version of it. If the scaffold was altered after the date on the tag, treat the tag as out of date.
Ask your supervisor what your site accepts as proof of inspection, and how recent it must be. If there is no record at all, do not climb. Ask for the competent person to inspect it first.
Bottom check: are base plates, sole boards and the ground sound?
Everything above rests on the base. Before you step onto the scaffold, stand back and look at the whole structure, then walk around it. The common mistake is to check only the side you will use. A fault on the far side affects the whole scaffold.
- Ground: it should be firm. Soft fill, loose sand or a freshly dug area is a warning sign.
- Base plates: each standard should sit on a base plate, and the plate should sit on firm ground or a suitable sole board. Plates should not be sinking, tilting or resting on loose blocks or bricks.
- Undermining: look for a trench, a hole or digging near the base. Water standing or running at the base also softens the ground.
Watch out. A scaffold that has settled on one side may look only slightly leaning. Do not trust it. Report it and stay off.
Frame check: are standards upright, braces and ties in place, and nothing altered?
Now look up along the frame, standing back far enough to see a full face of the scaffold.
- Standards: the vertical tubes should look upright and straight. A lean, a bend or a dent is a reason to stop.
- Bracing: diagonal braces should be present across the faces. A missing brace is a reason to stop.
- Ties: the scaffold should be tied to the structure as the design requires. Missing ties are a reason to stop, especially on tall or sheeted scaffolds.
- Ledgers and transoms: the horizontal tubes should all be in place. A removed ledger leaves the frame weaker than it looks.
- Connections: look for loose or missing couplers, pins and wedges.
Users must never remove, move or modify scaffold components. A brace or tie in the way of the work is not yours to remove. If you need a change, ask the scaffolder to make it and to re-inspect afterwards. For how the common systems differ, see scaffolding types: cuplock, frame and tube.
Platform check: are boards complete, secured and free of gaps and clutter?
- The working level should be fully boarded. Gaps should be no wider than the scaffold system allows.
- Boards should be in good condition: no cracks, heavy splits, rot, or sagging in the middle.
- Boards should be fixed so wind, vibration or an accidental knock cannot lift them.
- Stored material should be limited, tidy and spread out, with a clear path to walk.
- Oil, mud, wet cement and loose debris make a platform slippery, so clear them or report them.
Overloading is easy to miss, because blocks, bags and tools add up. Ask the scaffolder or supervisor what load the scaffold is designed for, and check it against any load notice on the scaffold. Do not guess.
Edge and access check: guardrails, toe boards and a safe way up
Every open edge needs protection. On the working level, look along the whole edge, including ends and corners.
| What to look for | What good looks like | Stop if |
|---|---|---|
| Top guardrail | Present along every open edge | Missing or loose |
| Mid rail | Present between top rail and platform | Missing or loose |
| Toe board | Present at platform level | Missing, or tools can slide off |
| Ends and corners | Closed with rails | Open or gapped |
| Access | A proper ladder or stair, fixed and clear | Climbing on the frame, or a loose ladder |
A missing top rail or mid rail on the working level is a reason to stop.
Use the intended way up. Do not climb the frame or the braces. Check that the ladder or stair is secure at top and bottom, and that the gate or opening at the platform closes behind you.
When must you stop and not climb?
Use this stop list. One item is enough.
- There is no inspection record.
- The tag is missing, unreadable, or shows the scaffold is not to be used.
- The base is sinking, undermined, flooded or resting on loose blocks.
- Standards lean, are bent, or braces, ties or ledgers are missing.
- Boards are missing, broken, loose or too gappy.
- A top rail, mid rail or toe board is missing on the working level.
- Someone has altered the scaffold, or it was struck by a vehicle or load.
- Something looks wrong and you are not sure.
Also look again after anything that could affect the scaffold. That includes strong wind or a dust storm, a vehicle or load hitting it, heavy rain or flooding at the base, and any alteration. If you are unsure, do not climb until a competent person has cleared it. Warn others to stay off too, and use a warning sign or barrier only as your site procedure allows.
What should you report, and how do you hand it back to the supplier?
Report the problem before work starts. Tell your supervisor and the scaffolder, and be specific.
- Say where: which scaffold, which bay, which level.
- Say what you saw: for example "base plate sinking on the north corner" or "no mid rail on the second lift".
- Say what you did: you did not climb, and you warned others to stay off.
- Do not fix it yourself. Changes to a scaffold are made by the scaffolder or a trained, authorised crew.
- Wait for the competent person to inspect and re-clear the scaffold.
If the scaffold is rented, tell the supplier too, and ask for a fresh inspection record and tag after the repair. See daily walk-around inspection and defect reporting for a routine you can use across all your equipment.
How to do this on Maedah
If your site needs scaffolding supplied and set up, post a request with the type of scaffold, the quantity or area, the city and site, and the dates. Add any requirement your project or insurer sets. In the quotes, compare what is included, such as erection, inspection and tags, and ask suppliers how they handle re-inspection. You can also browse scaffolding listings. To choose the right equipment first, read work at height equipment: lifts, scaffolds and platforms.
