Hi ladies/gents Can someone confirm whether a scaffold needs to be inspected every seven days if the structure is "out of use"? A hand over has been complete with hand over certificate, but there is a gap in our programme of works. The scaffold is accessible to the public however, alarms are in place and signage proposed to state "danger incomplete scaffold" or of that ilk. Scaffold guidance states every seven days an inspection must be carried out along with the other requirements, strong winds etc, but does not guide on my question above. Many thanks

So the scaffold is not 'incomplete' just not in use? I would inspect every 7 days regardless, and then do a full in dept inspection with hand over again when the programme re-kicks off

As I understand it, no it doesn't. WAH regs are explicit - "every employer shall ensure that a working platform (a)used for construction work; and (b)from which a person could fall 2 metres or more, is not used in any position unless it has been inspected in that position or, in the case of a mobile working platform, inspected on the site, within the previous 7 days." (12 (4)) So it can't be used unless it's been inspected within 7 days previously. If you don't inspect for 7 days you'll need an inspection before it goes back into use, but there's no (statutory) requirement to inspect platforms not in use every 7 days.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/co...pics/scaffoldinginfo.htm It is the scaffold users / hirers responsibility to ensure that all scaffolding has been inspected as follows: * following installation / before first use * at an interval of no more than every 7 days thereafter * following any circumstances liable to jeopardise the safety of the installation eg high winds.

Good post, I see what your saying, as I originally stated....very interesting!

Thanks All Appreciate all the replies, now for me to come clean: I am a safety professional that was (ticket expired) a scaffold inspector. I have posed this question in a naive format to draw answers rather than steer the debate. I was asked this question yesterday and was the responded to with "well that's not what our scaffold contractors are saying". My answer being the following: "The scaffold will need to be examined regardless of the 7 day intervals recommended in guidance and stated in regs due to our responsibility and duty of care to the public, it being a structure in a public area." I ask another H&S professional today (client side) this question but was looked at with arrogance, him basically stating my thoughts. The problem I had is, apart from his arrogance, he wasn't one hundred percent sure and couldn't direct me to anything concrete in terms of guidance. Has anyone come across of this ilk? I would also add: if the scaffold was in a fully enclosed area, there would be no need to inspect the structure as by risk default, there would be no chance of anyone using or standing near the structure.....just my thoughts on this.