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HSA Scaffolding Code of Practice

Understand the standards for building and using scaffold towers with the HSA Scaffolding Code of Practice to create a safer working environment for site workers. Read more to know the best practices and about the free tools to help ensure a thorough scaffolding inspection and HSA compliance.

Article Summary

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) Scaffolding Code of Practice is a collection of scaffolding standards in Ireland that enable scaffold builders, contractors, and users to have safe scaffold practices – building, operating, inspection, and dismantling basic access and working scaffolds.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Scaffolding Regulations in the UK enforce the Work at Height Regulations 2005 to ensure public safety measure through licensing and controlled access of scaffolds that affect roadways or pedestrians.
A proper Scaffolding Inspection Report (GA2), one that matches HSA's content requirements, is needed to ensure overall scaffolding safety.

What is the importance of the HSA Scaffolding Code of Practice?

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) Scaffolding Code of Practice is a set of rules that helps scaffold builders, contractors, and users understand what they need to do and what they can't do according to the Irish law. This also offers them guidance on the practices and safe procedures when constructing and operating scaffold towers.

The Code of Practice took effect on January 1st, 2019. The publishing notice appeared in the Iris Oifigiúil on December 25th, 2018. This was to further improve the Code of Practice for Access and Working Scaffolds, released in 2009 under the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

Constructing and working on scaffold towers has its inherent dangers. Workers operating and constructing them can be prone to these hazards if there are not enough precautionary and safety measures provided. To ensure its provision, the HSA provided the code of practice to provide companies a standard on the measures needed to maintain safety when employing scaffolds.

How to format your HSA GA2 Scaffolding Inspection Report?

One way of countering hazards while constructing or working on a scaffold tower is to conduct inspections. Inspection documents, such as the GA2 Scaffolding Inspection Report required by the HSA, should be able to thoroughly evaluate the materials, procedures, resources, and personnel to determine if they are suitable for their intended function and compliant with regulatory requirements; otherwise, they may fail to identify potential sources of hazards. To better understand how this should look, visit the example of the HSA GA2 Scaffolding Inspection Report below.

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Introduction to the HSA Code of Practice for access and working scaffolds - Ireland

The HSA Code of Practice Scaffolding provides suggestions and instructions for erecting, using, inspecting, and disassembling basic access and working scaffolds. It provides practical instructions for teaching and instructing individuals who construct, dismantle, and use scaffolding.

The Code of Practice for access and working scaffolds applies to all workplaces that employ scaffolds for work platforms, fall protection, or access during construction.

The code focuses on system scaffolds in Ireland. It also includes guidelines for erecting basic tubes and fitting scaffolding. The Code is not a technical advisory document and does not include specific suggestions for unusual scaffolds, like cantilever, truss-out, or slung scaffolds. To ensure safety when using such items, establishments and companies should refer to the manufacturer's documentation, instructions, and scaffold design while reading this code.

Basic scaffolding safety

Scaffoldings, as discussed in the previous section, have inherent dangers that could place personnel at risk. To counter these hazards, precautionary and safety measures must be in place. Here are some basic scaffolding safety practices that companies should always follow to protect their personnel from hazards.

Conduct Inspections

Inspections provide a thorough evaluation of scaffold materials and equipment. This can help identify defects, which could be a root cause of potential hazards and risks during construction or operation on scaffold towers.

Make Risk Assessments

Risk assessment is a methodical approach to identifying hazards. It evaluates all scaffold construction and operation procedures, identifying potential hazards. These hazards are then provided with the accurate safety measures based on the risk rating acquired. A risk assessment is a sure way of eliminating all possible hazards in any specific work activity or environment.

Never stray from the design

During the planning phase, a scaffold design must be fabricated based on the actual environment and activity. This design must then be accurately followed during actual installation to prevent any scaffold failures. Following the design is key to maintaining a scaffold tower with optimum integrity.

Provide Fall Protection Systems

Fall protection systems are a type of safety control system that prevents or mitigates the effects of a fall. These safety devices must be present and worn at all times, especially when the scaffold tower reaches a height where a fall could be damaging to the body. Establishments must always ensure that these are present during scaffold construction or operation.

Employ certified personnel

Constructing a scaffold or working on one requires certain knowledge and skills to navigate and execute jobs safely on the scaffold tower. Field managers or supervisors must ensure that their workforce has the certification to construct or work on a scaffold tower.

HSE Scaffolding Regulations - UK

Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) comprises various practices, rules, and laws designed to reduce dangers, avoid accidents and injuries, and encourage sustainable practices. In the field of scaffold construction and use, provisions are mandated to eliminate hazards during these activities. Here are the HSE scaffolding regulations:

Work at Heights Regulation 2005

The Work at Heights Regulations of 2005 are provisions in the UK that generally require employers to avoid work from heights. However, if it is a necessity, adequate equipment, safety procedures, and fall protection must be provided. The provisions also contain regulations about planning, safe scaffold construction, and safe work operations on scaffolds.

Scaffolding Design

The HSE mandates that all scaffolding designs must conform to all standards cited in the NASC TG20 Operational Guide. The guide provides comprehensive guidance for construction, use, and maintenance for tube and fitting scaffolding. For special scaffolding systems, the HSE recommends establishments follow the manufacturer’s guide.

Public Safety

Scaffolds that encroach on the roadway (including pavements) need a permit under Section 169 of the Highways Act 1980, which is given by the local roadway authority. Scaffolds should never be built or disassembled above pedestrians or busy pavements. If the work is likely to endanger the public, businesses should consider requesting a footpath or road closure to reduce the risk of injury.

HSA working at height: hazards and risks

Having knowledge about hazards and how they manifest is one way to prevent them. Knowing how certain hazards appear can inform employees about the safety measures needed to eliminate them. Here are a few of the common hazards when working at heights.

Unprotected Edges

Unprotected edges, especially on high places and fragile surfaces, present the risk of employees falling from those heights. The HSA strongly demands that establishments inspect areas that require barriers to prevent these falls.

Incorrect access equipment

There are times when some personnel get creative when providing access to higher levels of the scaffold. Ingenious as it sounds, most of these innovative ideas could easily increase the risk of ladder collapse, slipping, and stepping on unstable platforms. It is essential to stick with the standard access to ensure safety when conducting activities.

Untrained Workers

Workers who lack knowledge and skills are more prone to hazards. They could be oblivious to certain critical hazards and overlook the implementation of the required safety control. Without these safety controls to eliminate the hazard, an accident would surely follow.

Incomplete Risk Assessment

Risk assessments are sometimes taken for granted. When this happens, not all hazards are identified, and they are not provided with the necessary safety measures. Leaving a hazard out in the open with no controls to suppress it places the employees at risk of the worst impact it could incur. Establishments must always carry out comprehensive risk assessments to identify all hazards and protect employees from harm.

It's not just when using scaffolds – even by simply just using a ladder, workers can be harmed. The HSA has also provided guidelines on how to stay safe when using ladders – read more in this article HSA Ladder Safety.

Conduct scaffolding and other equipment inspections the smart way

Inspections are critical for spotting risks, particularly when scaffolds are present. However, when using paper-based forms, things might get a bit complicated. Creating paper-based forms is time-consuming and needs a lot of room to compile. This may cause delays in implementing safety measures, as well as the loss of critical information during site evaluations.

Fortunately, technology has got us covered. The Inspection Report App streamlines the review process for identifying faults, difficulties, and a lack of safety precautions. This tool produces standard-compliant forms that you can quickly complete and save to the cloud. This eliminates the need to design forms from scratch, print them, and assemble them until they take up the whole available office area. More importantly, completing inspections will now take just a few clicks and taps, which will speed up the inspection process. A similar tool like this Equipment Inspection App also can do the work.

Summary of HSA scaffolding code of practice

Scaffolding provides a temporary platform for employees to stand on when constructing buildings, skyscrapers, and other structures. However, despite their significant benefits, the construction and operation of these items can expose employees to various hazards. To reduce the risk, the HSA has given a code of practice for access and working scaffolds to help businesses safely carry out tasks that involve scaffolds. The code of practice provides employees with the necessary knowledge, skills, and control measures when constructing and working on scaffolds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GA2 Scaffolding Inspection Report required when employing scaffolds in Ireland?

Yes – this process is required under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 in Ireland. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) mandates that scaffolds must be inspected and recorded using the GA2 Scaffolding Inspection Report. You can easily comply with these regulations by ensuring inspections are carried out by a competent person, completing the GA2 form after each inspection, and keeping the reports available on-site for review.

How is technology changing how people conduct inspections on scaffolds?

Technology is transforming scaffold inspections by replacing slow, paper-based reports with digital solutions like Dashpivot. Instead of chasing forms or manually filing GA2 reports, teams can now capture photos, automate compliance records, and instantly share inspection results from the site. This means faster inspections, less admin, and safer, more compliant worksites.

Does Sitemate offer templates for Ladder inspections?

Yes – Sitemate has ready-to-use ladder inspection checklist that you can edit to fit your workflow. Teams across construction and other industries are already using them to make ladder checks quicker, more consistent, and fully documented for compliance.