• Enlarge

Scaffolding TG20 Guidance: Update from NASC

The NASC (National Access and Scaffolding Confederation) is committed to ensuring that scaffolds in the UK remain as safe as possible and has therefore actively championed the shaping of what it believes will be the scaffolding standard for the coming decades.

The UK Scaffolding industry has been impacted by two major changes in its regulatory framework since 2004.  The first was the introduction of the European Standard BS-EN12811-1, which was closely followed by the Work at Height Regulations.  The new European Standard was introduced to harmonise working practices in the whole of Europe and when published in the UK superseded our traditional British Standard, BS5973.  The NASC, recognising the importance of ensuring that tube and fitting scaffolds interpret the requirements correctly, is in the process of updating their existing Technical Guidance Note; TG20:05.

TG20:05 was written to conform wholly to BS EN 12811.  The European Standard is better suited to cater for prefabricated system scaffolding; complying with it therefore posed significant technical, safety and managerial challenges for the erection and modification of scaffolds using traditional tube and fitting.  From the outset, the HSE and the NASC were concerned by the practical limitations of both BS EN12811 and TG20:05, and as a result neither document has been fully embraced by the UK scaffolding industry.

The HSE has worked with the NASC in the preparation of revised guidance to resolve the difficulties encountered in BS EN 12811-1.  This new document (TG20:08), which is due to be published later this year, is divided into two volumes.  Volume One provides practical advice, information and conditions for basic scaffolds that can be built, without calculation, throughout the whole of the British Isles.  Volume Two provides technical information and advice required for the design of scaffold arrangements generally outside the range of Volume One.

The benefits of TG20:08 are:

• A wider scope; including a larger number of standard scaffold arrangements, including up to two inside boards

• Supported by full-scale tests and calculations while being informed by custom and practice

• Benefit from direct input and support from the HSE

• Wider NASC input to achieve ‘buy-in’

• Be more practical and workable including:

• Retention of ledger bracing every two bays

• A wider and more varied arrangement of tie patterns to achieve  maximum height of scaffold

• Return to light duty loading on inside boards

Fundamentally, the principles of BS5973 will remain unchanged and there are very few changes for the scaffolder, day to day.  The main changes are: 

• The process of ‘justifying’ the design will change, rather than the scaffold structure

• Façade / sway bracing every six bays

• Larger variety of platform and inside board arrangements

• The max height for some sheeted scaffolds are well above those in BS5973

• Inclusion of debris netted scaffolds

• Covers the whole of the UK (BS5973 valid only for England and Wales)

• Provision of guidance on Putlog Scaffolds

Significant investment both in cost (£127,243 to date) and time has gone into the new document and all but the last edits are now in place for TG20:08.  With an expected launch before the end of 2008, the NASC envisages that all their members will be working fully to the new guidance by early 2010.

All subscribers to TG20:05 will receive a copy of TG20:08 free of charge.

To support the launch of the new guidance, training modules are being developed for scaffolders and ASITO (Access and Scaffolding Industry Training Organisation) have agreed to produce toolbox talks and update all CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) courses.

The NASC is also reviewing training requirements for Supervisors, Managers, Estimators, Engineers and Safety Professionals.

For any further information regarding TG20:08 contact (via the NASC):

Rob Lynch - (Chairman NASC Technical committee)
Ian Nicoll   - (Chairman TG20 Working Group)

For more information on developments in best practice for the scaffolding industry and a list of all regulated NASC members visit www.nasc.org.uk