With Christmas just around the corner, it is the time of year for construction site managers to ensure the safe closure of construction sites during the holidays.
We spoke to Jamie Lyons, our Advisory Manager and Senior Health & Safety Advisor, for his top tips for dealing with scaffolding inspection requirements over the festive period.
Plan the Christmas holidays in advance
Christmas often represents the longest downtime for construction sites in the UK, providing a well-deserved break for hard-working teams struggling with cold and wet conditions. However, inadequate site security planning can lead to unexpected problems that disrupt operations when work resumes.
Jamie's top recommendations:
- Secure scaffolding against unauthorized access
- Introduction of an inspection system for inactive scaffolding
To ensure the scaffolding remains safe and secure, it is important to leave it in good condition. Hold:
- Securing all decking and clearing platforms of stored material that could be damaged by storms, such as: B. strong wind, could be solved.
- Temporarily remove items stored on loading docks or work platforms to avoid potential hazards.
Prevent unauthorized access
The responsibility for preventing access to the scaffold lies with the main contractor, main contractor or client. Conduct a thorough risk assessment to determine the best method to secure the site. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (TRUE) indicate:
“While scaffolding is not available for use, including during its assembly, dismantling or modification, it must be marked with general warning signs in accordance with the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 and adequately demarcated by physical means to access it Danger area.”
Practical steps include:
- Physical restriction of access by removing ladders or locking stair towers.
- Posting warning signs to indicate that the scaffold is unsafe to use.
For ladders that must remain in place, install interlocked ladder guards that cover at least six rungs and fit the ladder width. This ensures that even small feet, such as those of small children, do not have access.
Scaffolding inspection requirements during the holidays
The TRUE stipulates that scaffolding in active use must be inspected every seven days. However, scaffolding that is not accessed during the Christmas holidays does not require such frequent inspections.
Nevertheless, the Building (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) emphasize:
“Where necessary, all practicable measures must be taken to avert danger to persons and to ensure that a new or existing structure does not collapse if it occurs as a result of the carrying out of construction work –
a) can become unstable; or
b) is in a temporary state of weakness or instability.”
This means that scaffolding must remain stable even when the construction site is closed.
If adverse weather conditions such as storms or strong winds occur during the closure period, it may be necessary to reopen the site for an inspection to ensure the integrity of the scaffolding.
I wish you a safe and merry Christmas
By taking these precautions, you can ensure that your website is safe and secure over the holidays and that you can enjoy a stress-free break. We all wish you a Merry Christmas and look forward to working with you in 2025!