Access routes: stairs and ladders

All scaffolds must have a safe means of access — you must not climb up the frames themselves or on the outside. The access route is planned as part of the erection so it is in place from when the scaffold is put into use.

Climbing on the frames is not an access route — it is an accident waiting to happen.

Where there is a lot of climbing up and down or materials have to be carried, an internal scaffold staircase with landings is the safest and least tiring solution. The staircase must have guardrails on both sides and landings so that people can rest and pass each other.

Ladders for internal access must be securely fixed and, at greater heights, fitted with a safety cage. The ladder must extend sufficiently above the access level so that you have something to hold on to when getting on and off.

Hatch decks (decks with a hatch and built-in ladder) provide internal access inside the scaffold, where you are protected during the climb itself. The hatches must be able to close so that there is no open edge once you have climbed up.

Close the hatch behind you — an open hatch is a hole in the deck.

On larger scaffolds, two independent access/escape routes are the norm, so people can get away even if one route is blocked. Plan them so they are spread along the scaffold and do not end in the same place.

Where the scaffold spans a pedestrian or vehicle passage, the headroom must be at least 1.9 m so that people can walk underneath safely. Access routes must be kept clear of materials and tools so that they can be used unobstructed — including in an emergency.

Access routes are part of the ongoing inspection: the stair must be secure, the ladder must not be loose, and hatches must work. Other trades sometimes move or remove parts of the access to get at their work — check that everything has been put back correctly.