10 Questions Every SHEQ Manager Should Ask Before Signing Off a Scaffold
A scaffold audit should never become a box-ticking exercise. For a SHEQ Manager, every inspection is an opportunity to identify risk before it becomes an incident, a project delay, or a compliance failure.
On busy construction sites, industrial shutdowns, and maintenance projects across Cape Town, scaffolding is often one of the highest-risk temporary structures on site.
Its condition changes as work progresses, weather shifts, and multiple trades interact with it throughout the day. That is why South Africa’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSACT) and SANS 10085 place such strong emphasis on competent design, erection, inspection and ongoing monitoring.
The strongest scaffold audits are driven by questions rather than assumptions.
Here are the questions we believe every SHEQ Manager should be asking.
1. Was the Scaffold Designed for This Specific Application?
No two projects are identical, so the scaffold shouldn’t be either.
The first question during any audit should be whether the scaffold has been designed for the work it is expected to perform. Consider the intended loading, working height, access requirements, ground conditions and surrounding environment.
On more complex projects, particularly high-rise developments or exposed coastal sites around Cape Town, wind loading becomes an important design consideration. If the scaffold has been engineered, the supporting calculations and drawings should be available where required.
If the scaffold has evolved significantly since installation, verify that those changes have been assessed rather than simply accepted as part of site progress.
2. Are Competent People Responsible for the Scaffold?
A compliant scaffold starts with competent people.
SANS 10085 places responsibility on competent persons for scaffold erection, inspection and supervision. During your audit, don’t assume competence because the scaffold appears well built.
Ask for evidence that the relevant personnel have been appointed for their responsibilities and that inspections have been carried out by authorised individuals.
Competency isn’t an administrative exercise. It is one of the strongest safeguards against shortcuts that compromise safety.
3. Has the Scaffold Been Inspected at the Required Intervals?
A scaffold that passed inspection last week may not be safe today.
Temporary works change constantly. Components are adjusted, weather conditions change and multiple contractors interact with the structure throughout the project.
Your audit should confirm that inspections have been completed:
- Before first use
- After any alteration
- After events that could affect stability, such as severe weather
- At the intervals required while the scaffold remains in service
Just as importantly, verify that inspection records are current, complete and readily available. A missing inspection register is as much a compliance concern as a missing component.
4. Has Anything Been Changed Since the Last Inspection?
Unauthorised alterations are one of the quickest ways to compromise scaffold safety.
Ask whether guardrails, braces, ties, platforms or access points have been removed to accommodate another trade. Small changes often appear harmless but can significantly affect structural integrity.
Walk the scaffold with fresh eyes.
If something doesn’t match the original configuration, ask who authorised the change and whether it has been re-inspected.
If nobody can answer those questions, the scaffold deserves closer attention before anyone uses it.
5. Is the Scaffold Still Structurally Stable?
Stability should never be assumed because the scaffold has been standing for several weeks.
Check foundations, base plates, sole boards, ties and bracing. Look for signs of movement, settlement or damage. On exposed sites, consider whether recent weather conditions may have affected stability.
Cape Town’s coastal winds are a reality that experienced SHEQ Managers cannot ignore. A scaffold that was stable during erection should still be able to demonstrate that stability after weeks of changing site conditions.
The question isn’t whether it was stable.
It’s whether it remains stable today.
6. Is Safe Access Available at Every Working Level?
Workers should never have to improvise their way onto a scaffold.
During your inspection, verify that designated access routes remain clear and that stair towers, ladders or trapdoor systems are functioning as intended.
Look beyond the scaffold itself.
Are materials obstructing access?
Has housekeeping deteriorated?
Are workers climbing the outside of the structure because it’s quicker than using the intended access route?
Unsafe behaviour often points to shortcomings in the scaffold’s usability rather than the workforce alone.
7. Is the Scaffold Being Used Within Its Intended Load Capacity?
Scaffolds are designed for specific loads, not unlimited storage.
As projects progress, platforms often become temporary storage areas for materials, equipment and waste. Multiple trades may also begin working from the same scaffold without considering the cumulative loading.
Ask whether the current use still reflects the original design assumptions.
If the nature of the work has changed, the scaffold may require reassessment before work continues.
8. Can the Contractor Produce the Required Documentation Immediately?
Good documentation reflects good control.
During an audit, ask to see the paperwork rather than accepting assurances that it exists.
Depending on the project, this may include design documentation, inspection records, scaffold handover certificates, competency records and any engineering approvals required for the installation.
If these documents cannot be produced without delay, it becomes difficult to demonstrate compliance, even if the scaffold itself appears satisfactory.
Documentation should support the scaffold – not chase it.
9. Have Site Conditions Changed Since the Scaffold Was Erected?
Construction sites rarely look the same from one week to the next.
Excavations deepen.
Concrete pours change access routes.
Heavy equipment moves through work areas.
Additional contractors arrive.
Each of these changes has the potential to introduce new risks to an existing scaffold.
A thorough audit considers today’s site conditions, not the conditions that existed on the day the scaffold was erected.
10. If an External Auditor Arrived Today, Would This Scaffold Pass?
This is often the most valuable question of all.
Imagine an inspector, principal contractor or client representative arriving on site without notice.
Would the scaffold demonstrate compliance through both its physical condition and its supporting documentation?
Could every inspection be explained?
Could every alteration be justified?
Could every record be produced?
If the answer to any of those questions is uncertain, further investigation is warranted before work proceeds.
Good Scaffold Audits Prevent Problems Before They Exist
The best SHEQ Managers don’t treat scaffold audits as routine inspections. They treat them as opportunities to verify that the systems protecting workers remain effective throughout the life of the project.
A scaffold can look well erected while hiding documentation gaps, unauthorised alterations or changes in site conditions that increase risk. Asking the right questions helps uncover those issues before they lead to incidents, delays or regulatory action.
The same principle applies when selecting a scaffolding contractor. A contractor that prioritises sound design, competent erection, structured inspections and compliance with SANS 10085 and OHSACT makes every audit more straightforward because the evidence is already there.
That’s the standard every SHEQ Manager should expect from a scaffolding partner – and it’s the standard Alpine Scaffolding is committed to delivering through Service. Agility. Safety.
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