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Scaffolding sits at the sharp end of construction health and safety, so a scaffolding company’s compliance is built around one dominant duty, working at height, with several supporting requirements around it. In practice that means: erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolds safely under the Work at Height Regulations 2005; using competent operatives (CISRS); inspecting scaffolds before first use, at least every 7 days in use and after anything that could affect stability; producing site-specific risk assessments and method statements (RAMS); maintaining work equipment under PUWER and any lifting equipment (hoists, gin wheels) under LOLER; controlling substances such as cement and fuels under COSHH; managing asbestos risk where work could disturb it; meeting CDM 2015 contractor duties; and carrying the right insurances. Winning commercial work then adds SSIP/accreditation (NASC, CHAS, SMAS) on top of the legal baseline.
| Body / framework | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| HSE (Health and Safety Executive) | Enforces the Work at Height Regulations 2005, PUWER, LOLER, COSHH and the wider HSWA 1974 on scaffolding work. |
| Principal contractor / client (CDM 2015) | Sets site rules and coordinates work; you owe contractor duties to plan, manage and monitor your own scaffolding safely. |
| CISRS | The recognised competence card scheme for scaffolders, supervisors and inspectors, evidence of who is competent to do what. |
| NASC | Trade body publishing TG20/TG30/SG4 technical and safety guidance (best practice, not law); membership is often asked for commercially. |
| SSIP schemes (CHAS, SMAS, Constructionline) | Prequalification/accreditation principal contractors require before you get on approved lists, commercial, not statutory. |
A generic template is not enough, each job’s risk assessment and method statement should reflect the actual scaffold, site and sequence. The hazards that recur on scaffolding work include:
On a typical commercial job a scaffolding company should be able to produce: a company health & safety policy; public and employers’ liability insurance; the scaffold design or TG20 compliance sheet; a site-specific RAMS; the handover certificate and scaffold tag; inspection records (pre-use, 7-day and post-event); operative CISRS cards and training records; COSHH assessments for any substances used; PUWER/LOLER records for equipment and lifting gear; and current SSIP/accreditation certificates. Keeping these current and tracked for expiry is what lets you share a complete compliance pack the moment a principal contractor asks.
Stop managing compliance across spreadsheets, email and folders. Complys keeps every document, card and certificate organised and always ready to share.
Complys keeps each of these current and ready to share. We've labelled what's a legal duty, what's HSE or industry guidance, and what principal contractors ask for commercially, because they are not the same thing.
A working platform used in construction from which a person could fall 2 metres or more must be inspected after it is installed and before first use, at intervals not exceeding 7 days while it remains in use, and again after any event likely to affect its stability, such as high winds or substantial alteration. Each inspection must be carried out by a competent person and recorded. Complys stores every inspection record against the scaffold and the site, timestamped and ready for an HSE visit or a principal contractor.
CISRS provides recognised training and card schemes for scaffolding operatives, supervisors and scaffold inspectors. The competence required depends on the work and scaffold involved; system scaffolds can also require appropriate product knowledge. Complys can track operative cards, qualifications and expiry dates so current competence evidence is easier to demonstrate. NASC vs CISRS →
NASC technical guidance is industry best practice, not legislation. TG20:21 provides standard configurations and compliance sheets for tube-and-fitting scaffolds; TG30:24 does the same for system scaffolds; and SG4:22 is the current guidance on preventing falls during scaffolding operations. Where you rely on a TG20:21 compliance sheet or a bespoke design, Complys keeps the design pack filed with the job. Scaffolding RAMS →
These are not legal requirements, but principal and main contractors commonly ask for them before you get on an approved list or win commercial work. Complys keeps these certificates current and shareable. CHAS readiness checker →
As a contractor you have duties to plan, manage and monitor your own work and to coordinate with others on site. Complys holds the RAMS, inductions and records that help you evidence it. CDM duty checker →
This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Always check the current primary sources for your specific work: HSE work at height, NASC TG20:21 / TG30, NASC technical & safety guidance (SG4).
NASC membership is not a legal requirement. It is a trade-body membership that supports good practice, and it is commonly required by main contractors when tendering for major commercial projects.
Scaffolders typically hold a CISRS card rather than a general CSCS card. CISRS covers operatives, supervisors and inspectors, and the grade required depends on the scaffold and the activity, system scaffolds can also require appropriate product knowledge. Complys tracks each CISRS card and its expiry.
They are NASC industry guidance, not legislation. TG20:21 covers tube-and-fitting scaffold design with compliance sheets and standard configurations; TG30:24 covers system scaffolds; and SG4:22 is guidance on preventing falls during scaffolding operations.
Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, a construction working platform from which someone could fall 2 metres or more must be inspected after installation and before first use, at intervals not exceeding 7 days while in use, and after any event likely to affect its stability. Inspections must be carried out by a competent person and recorded. Complys stores every inspection record ready for audit.
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