Hazard report form for scaffolders and scaffold users

What goes wrong in scaffolding

Scaffolds fail in small ways. A coupler loosened, a ledger removed to get a pallet through, a base plate sinking into soft ground. Most of those are noticed by someone who isn’t the scaffolder, so the form is built for the trade standing on it.

• Ledgers or transoms removed by another trade to get materials past
• Base plates sitting on soft or newly backfilled ground
• Gaps in decking or missing toe boards
• Bays loaded with pavers, bricks or plasterboard
• Ties taken off for cladding and not replaced
• Handover tag that is missing, old or doesn’t match the scaffold

Fields that earn their place on a scaffolding form

The scaffolder needs to find the exact bay and know what changed since handover. These fields give them that without a walk-around.

• Scaffold tag number, and the inspection date on it
• Elevation, bay and lift, counted from a stated corner
• What was altered, and which trade did it if known
• Materials or loads on the platform at the time
• Ground under the base plates: firm, soft, wet or recently backfilled
• Ties or bracing affected, with a photo

On paper and by voice

The cladders have lifted a ledger out on the third lift, east face, and propped a pallet in the gap. They’ve gone for lunch. You need the scaffolder, not the builder. You photograph the gap, say “east face, lift three, bay four, ledger out, tag shows last Tuesday”, and the report names the scaffold.

Where Haznote fits

Haznote sends the report to the site manager with the photo, the place and your voice note. The manager confirms the priority and decides who is told. It doesn’t inspect scaffolds or certify them. That stays with the people qualified to do it.