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Working at height for work such as building a house, renovations, painting, decorating, or roof work? Scaffolding could be the safest piece of height equipment to use for the job as it provides workers with a flat-level working platform and of course fall protection. 

Different types of Scaffolding

There are different types of scaffolds and the type you will use will depend on the environment you are working in and what is best suited to your task. The common types of scaffolding are proprietary and prefabricated, tube and coupler, and suspended scaffold. If you want to know more about these systems, click here.

Anyone involved in the installation of scaffolding is required to have the knowledge and skills to do so. Scaffolding up to 5 metres should be installed by a competent person. Competent means someone who has the knowledge and skills to carry out a particular task like installing scaffolding. The easiest way to gain this knowledge and skills is through training, qualification, experience or a combination of all three.

It is important that you know that scaffolding greater than 5 metres must be installed by a person who holds the appropriate class of certificate of competence (COC) for the type of scaffolding. Scaffolding over 5m is also notifiable to WorkSafe. This can be done online here.

We have a Scaffolding Task Analysis (TA) that you can use. This TA outlines the hazards, risks and controls that need to be put in place when it comes to installing and using a scaffold. Also available is a pre-start checklist for you to conduct your daily checks before use. These can both be found in the templates section of the HazardCo HUB. We will touch on in week 3 about the when, what, how and why when it comes to checking scaffolds.