Scaffolding Task Analysis Template (New Zealand)
A scaffolding task analysis must describe the exact scaffold, sequence and changing fall risk. This New Zealand form supports planning from design and foundations through erection, handover, use, alteration and dismantling. It does not calculate loads, design ties, certify competence or make an incomplete scaffold safe to use. A competent person must select and inspect the scaffold for this site. Some configurations require an appropriate certificate of competence and/or engineering design. WorkSafe Scaffolding in New Zealand.
Site and design record
| Field | Complete for this scaffold |
|---|---|
| Project, exact scaffold location and planned purpose | |
| PCBU, scaffold contractor, designer and site controller | |
| Scaffold type, duty/loading and design/manufacturer reference | |
| Ground/foundation condition, gradients, nearby excavations | |
| Ties, bracing, sheeting, public protection and adjacent services | |
| Access method, work platforms and edge protection | |
| Erection/alteration/dismantling lead and competency evidence | |
| Handover/inspection process and who may authorise use | |
| WorkSafe notification determination and submission evidence | |
| Weather, rescue and exclusion arrangements |
Competence and notification are different checks
WorkSafe's scaffolding guidance distinguishes competence to erect from notification of particularly hazardous work. Its certificate-of-competence discussion measures one five-metre criterion from the ground to the highest scaffold component, while the notification discussion concerns the height of a potential fall during the work and the exact WorkSafe category. Do not copy “over five metres” into every row as if the same measurement decided both issues. Check the current scaffolding guidance and particular hazardous work notification list for the actual configuration. The WorkSafe page also notes special-duty scaffolds may call for higher competence or engineering irrespective of height. Check current certificates and scopes on the day rather than relying on an old project file.
Copyable task sequence
| Stage | Main failure mode | Required control and hold point | Owner / evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Survey/design | Unsuitable ground, wrong loads/ties, overhead service | Verify foundation, design, duty, tie positions and service clearances. Hold until engineering decision where required. | |
| 2. Establish exclusion zone | Person struck by components or entering unfinished scaffold | Barrier work below and adjacent, coordinate other PCBUs, organise deliveries and lifting. | |
| 3. Erect base and lifts | Collapse or fall of scaffolder | Follow approved sequence/manufacturer/design; maintain stability, bracing, safe access and suitable fall protection during each stage. | |
| 4. Install platforms and edge protection | Falls, dropped tools/materials | Complete platforms, guardrails and toeboards as designed; prevent entry to incomplete sections. | |
| 5. Inspect and hand over | Unchecked scaffold used by others | Competent inspection, defect correction, load/use limits communicated and formal handover to user. | |
| 6. Use and monitor | Overload, unauthorised alteration, weather damage | Users stay within load and purpose; competent inspection after conditions or changes that could affect safety. | |
| 7. Alter/dismantle | Stability lost when ties/components removed | New sequence/authorisation, exclusion below, maintained fall protection, competent supervision and final area clearance. |
Important: WorkSafe says access should be prevented if the scaffold is incomplete or fails inspection; tag and barrier the access points as appropriate. A green tag is not permission to exceed design load or alter ties. The scaffold user must report damage and stop use of an affected section until competent assessment. WorkSafe scaffolding guidance.
Task-specific questions
- Can the scaffold support the proposed people, materials, sheeting and equipment? Who calculated or verified the loading?
- Does the ground include backfill, a slab, a roof, a trench edge or other condition needing a separate design decision?
- Where will ties go, and what happens if the proposed structure cannot accept one?
- How are scaffolders protected during erection and dismantling, when permanent edge protection is incomplete?
- Could falling material hit the public or another trade, and are protection/exclusion measures maintained throughout?
- Who owns inspection, handover, defect closure and approval of any alteration?
- Does the work require notification, and is the evidence attached to the project before starting?
Example: scaffold for roof repair beside a public footpath
The proposed scaffold must provide roof edge protection and safe access while a footpath remains open. The task analysis establishes ground bearing and design load, plans pedestrian protection and the work zone, identifies overhead cables, sets the tie and sheeting design and names who maintains the public barrier. The erectors follow a staged fall-protected sequence. The user does not access the scaffold until a competent person has inspected and handed it over. If high wind loosens sheeting, the affected area is closed pending review.
Change and sign-off record
Unexpected condition/change: ___ . Affected area closed: ___ . Designer/competent scaffolder review: ___ . Revised drawing and loading: ___ . Reinspection/handover: ___ . Users and PCBUs rebriefed: ___ . Work must not continue on an old plan when a tie, base, platform or loading has changed.
Crew briefing: names/roles ___; date/time ___; sequence and rescue described ___; questions ___ . Handover reference: ___ . Use limits communicated to: ___ . Inspection/defect register: ___ . Dismantling release: ___ . This record cannot replace a required certificate of competence or a professional design.
This is an NZ scaffold erection/use/dismantling form, distinct from the roofing task analysis (roofing method) and the general working-at-height task analysis (choice of height control). There is an existing Complys NZ scaffolding guide that owns the broad explanatory query; this template's standalone task form is a separate use case, but the final repository and intent review must confirm that no in-flight form already owns it. The existing live guide itself should be checked for current WorkSafe competence, inspection and notification wording. The observed NZ Complys host is a neutral link; the proposed /nz/risk-assessment-software route and any scaffold-builder claims require product evidence before CTA.
Primary sources reviewed 6 October 2026: WorkSafe scaffolding, working at height, notifiable hazardous work. Writer-side QA: separates competence measurement from notification; no generic weekly inspection or universal design assertion. Disposition: READY with publication gate.