RAMS and method statement for scaffolding

Scaffolding sits at the top of the risk pile on most sites, because the people erecting it are working at height while the structure they are standing on is still being built. A risk assessment and method statement for scaffold erection is read carefully by the principal contractor, and often needs to reference the design or a recognised standard configuration. This guide sets out what a scaffolding RAMS should cover on a UK site, whether it is a straightforward TG20 compliant frame or a designed scaffold.

What a RAMS for scaffolding needs to cover

Be specific about the scaffold in question: its type, whether it is a TG20 compliant standard configuration or a bespoke design, the ground it stands on, the ties available, the loading it is rated for and the location relative to edges, the public and any overhead lines. A scaffold erected against a two storey house is a different job from a tower crane base scaffold or a birdcage inside a building, and the document should read like the actual job.

The main hazards of scaffold erection

• Falls of scaffolders while the structure is incomplete and edge protection is not yet in place.
• Collapse or instability from poor foundations, missing ties, overloading or an unsuitable configuration.
• Falling components and materials striking people below during the build.
• Manual handling of tubes, boards and fittings, often repetitively and at height.
• Overhead power lines and other services near the scaffold line.
• Weather, particularly wind acting on sheeted or netted scaffolds and during the build.
• Public and traffic where the scaffold overhangs or adjoins a footway or road.
• Later misuse by other trades: overloading a working platform or removing components.

The control measures a reviewer expects

Each control should map to a hazard above.

• Competent scaffolders to the correct grade, working to a design or a recognised standard configuration such as TG20.
• Safe system of work for the erectors, for example advance guardrail systems or a harness clipped to a suitable anchor while working ahead of the guardrail, in line with NASC SG4.
• Sound foundations: base plates and sole boards on firm, level ground, with checks for voids, drains and soft spots.
• Ties and bracing installed as the build progresses, to the design or standard, never left until later.
• Loading controls: the working platform rated and marked for its duty class, with loading bays where heavy materials are stored.
• Exclusion zones and dropped object control below the erection area, with materials raised and lowered in a controlled way.
• Services check: maintain safe distances from overhead lines, isolate or shroud where needed.
• Handover, tagging and inspection: tag on completion, record the inspection before first use, then at least every seven days and after alterations or high winds.

The method statement sequence for scaffold erection

1. Confirm the design or standard configuration, the loading class and the location survey including services and ground.
2. Set up the exclusion zone, deliver and stack materials safely, and brief the team with a toolbox talk.
3. Lay out sole boards and base plates on prepared ground and check levels.
4. Build up in lifts, installing standards, ledgers, transoms, bracing and ties to the design as you rise, using the SG4 safe system for the erectors.
5. Board out platforms and fit guardrails and toe boards before the lift is used.
6. Fit any sheeting, netting, fans or loading bays as specified, allowing for the extra wind load.
7. Carry out the completion inspection, tag the scaffold and complete the handover record.
8. For alterations or dismantling, reverse the process in a controlled sequence, keeping ties and bracing in place until the last safe moment.

Where scaffolding RAMS usually get rejected

• No reference to a design or a recognised standard configuration for anything beyond a basic frame.
• No safe system of work for the scaffolders themselves while the guardrails are not yet up.
• Foundations and ground conditions ignored.
• Inspection and tagging regime not stated.
• Loading class not identified, so other trades cannot know what the platform will take.
• A generic sequence with no lifts, ties or handover.

Frequently asked questions

Who can erect scaffolding on a UK site?

Scaffolding must be erected, altered and dismantled by competent people. For tube and fitting or system scaffold that usually means CISRS trained scaffolders working to an approved design or a standard configuration such as TG20. A site manager should check cards and the handover before use.

How often must a scaffold be inspected?

A scaffold used for construction work should be inspected by a competent person before first use, then at intervals not exceeding seven days, and again after any event likely to have affected its stability such as high winds or an alteration. The inspection is recorded and kept.

What is a scaffold tag for?

A scaffold tag is a quick visual sign of whether a scaffold is complete and safe to use, incomplete, or not to be used. It does not replace the recorded inspection, but it tells operatives at a glance whether they can go on.

Is this legal advice?

No. This is a plain-English working summary to support site teams. For the detail see the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and NASC guidance such as SG4 and TG20.

Related guides: RAMS for working at height, RAMS for roofing, and the CDM 2015 regulations explained pillar.