Scaffolding and hoarding – terms and conditions

SCAFFOLDS AND HOARDINGS GENERAL

​​1.1    The following conditions must be observed by Contractors when erecting scaffolding and hoardings.

1.2    Before any structure is erected on a Public Highway a site meeting must be held with the Head of Highways and Transport representative to agree the position of the proposed structure (Mobile scaffolds are not exempt from the need to obtain a licence). If approved a permit will be issued which in turn can be exchanged for a scaffold/hoarding licence.

1.3    The licence fee must be paid in full before any documentation is issued. A copy of the licence must be displayed in a weatherproof container on the scaffold/hoarding to which it applies, in such a position as to permit easily accessible viewing. The licence must be available on site when the scaffold/hoarding is being erected.

1.4    No unauthorised advertising is permitted on any part of the temporary structure (see Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992).

1.5    Any scaffold or hoarding erected without a licence is illegal and may result in the removal of the scaffolding/hoarding or the undertaking of legal action by Reading Borough Council.

1.6    The design and construction of any scaffolding or hoarding is the full responsibility of the licensee and must take into account the need to resist abnormal wind or weather conditions.

1.7    Any scaffold that does not comply with the requirements of the Head of Highways and Transport representative must be altered or dismantled at the contractor’s expense.

1.8    All scaffolding erected above or on the public highway must be covered by suitability public indemnity insurance, with minimum cover of £10 million and evidence shall be provided of an adequate policy being in place.

1.9    All queries for scaffolds permits and licences shall be made to Reading Borough Councils, Highways Section at 2-4 Darwin Close, Reading, RG2 0RB, Telephone 0118 937 3787.

2. SCAFFOLD STANDARDS

2.1     The design of any scaffold shall allow for the maximum pedestrian access and protection. To this end, footway scaffolds must span the full width of the footway and all clips within the footway area must be protected from the public using guards

2.2     The outer line of standards, or any other projections, must be at a minimum of 450mm from the kerb edge. If this requirement cannot be met permission must be sought from The Head of Highways and Transport representative to adopt the requirements outlined in items 2.15-2.19.

2.3     The inner line of standards must be tight to the face of the building at pavement level. Where cornices project from the building horizontal ladder beams should be introduced so that further lifts are offset. No standard shall be placed between the inner and outer lines.

2.4     A clear headroom of 2600mm must be provided above all sections of the footway available for the general public to walk.

2.5     Standards should be lit at all times with bulkhead lights at 3000mm centres, red when facing the carriageway, white when facing the footway (minimum wattage 60 watt GLS or equivalent), white lights are to be located at rear of the footway. Where scaffold is located near traffic signals, white lights will be required facing the carriageway.

2.6     Scaffolding lighting must be in place and operational within 7 days of the scaffold commencing.

2.7    Outer standards must be painted white to a minimum height of 2600mm.

2.8    Any scaffold or auxiliary structure which projects closer than 450mm to the face of the kerb edge or baulk timber must have a minimum clear headroom of 5030mm over the carriageway.

2.9     Where scaffolding is provided adjacent to the kerb edge there should be gaps of at least 1500mm in width at regular longitudinal intervals in any horizontal scaffold or hoarding.

2.10    All scaffold boards or any loose or lightweight material must be securely enclosed within, or fixed to, the scaffold structure.

2.11    All site hutting must be kept within the site perimeter and will not be permitted to oversail the public footway or carriageway.

2.12     Where scaffolding is permitted to span across the carriageway a clear headroom of 5030mm must be achieved and the occupiers of any affected property must be consulted and their permission obtained.

2.13    Where scaffolds span the highway, the appropriate permissions must be in place to allow the road or footway to be closed.

2.14    All scaffolds must have a fan above 5030mm unless agreed with the Head of Highways and Transport representative. Fans must be double boarded and sheeted, and set at 30˚ from the horizontal. Fans must be in place while all works take place above this level.

2.15     300mm x 300mm baulk timbers will be required, for protection, to be set in the carriageway adjacent to the scaffold standards.

The following requirements are applicable where a minimum clearance from the kerb face cannot be provided.

2.16    Baulks to be painted red and white and rigidly fixed together and braced 100mm from the kerb face.

2.17    Baulks to have red warning lights lit at all times and spaced at 3000mm intervals  (Minimum wattage 60 watt GLS or equivalent).

2.18     Whenever baulk timbers are to be laid in the channel access to gullies and associated covers must be maintained.

2.19     Where gaps are required in the outer scaffold corresponding gaps are to be made in the baulk timbers.

3. ERECTION OF SCAFFOLD

3.1     The erection of the first lift of any scaffolding is to be undertaken outside of peak hours between 9.30hrs and 15.30hrs Monday to Friday or at the discretion of the Head of Highways and Transport representative if the scaffold is to be erected on a classified road. N.B. These rules equally apply to the dismantling of scaffolding. During these times traffic flow should be maintained and no obstruction of the carriageway will be allowed, unless by that covered in 3.4.

3.2     To prevent danger to contractors and the public, HSE Regulation 8 on falling objects states that suitable and sufficient steps must be taken to prevent the fall of any material or object from a scaffold. It also states that equipment must be stored safely to prevent danger arising from its collapse, overturning or unintentional movement.

3.3     The first lift must be double boarded and contain a sheet between each layer of boards. Similarly all fans above the highway should be double boarded and sheeted.

3.4     Above the first lift all scaffold must be handled directly from and to the lorry. If the lorry is parked on the highway, adequate traffic management should be erected, to the satisfaction of the Head of Highways and Transport representative. The traffic management shall ensure that delays to all road users, especially buses are kept to the minimum. If an articulated vehicle is used then the trailer must not be uncoupled from the tractor unit. Failure to provide adequate pedestrian and traffic management will result in suspension of the operations by the Head of Highways and Transport representative.

3.5     No scaffold tubes, boards or associated fittings may be stored on the public footway or carriageway during erection or dismantling.

3.6     Scaffold clips or any other scaffolding materials must not be thrown to or from the scaffold during erection or dismantling.

3.7    Provision must be made for a safe pedestrian thoroughfare while the erection/dismantling of scaffolding takes place.

3.8    All couplings below 2600mm shall be fixed so as to keep projecting threaded or clamp fixings on the opposite side to the main pedestrian route.

3.9     All horizontal scaffold tubes below a height of 2600mm must be fitted with plastic end caps or otherwise made safe to the satisfaction of the Head of Highways and Transport representative.

3.10     No scaffolding shall be attached to guard rails or any other street furniture.

3.11    All protective sheeting and netting must be securely attached to the scaffolding, be able to withstand abnormal wind loads, and be maintained in a satisfactory condition.

3.12    Whenever there is the possibility of street lighting being obscured or removed arrangements must be made with the Head of Highways and Transport representative for alternative lighting to be made (tel:0118 937 2113). A minimum notice of 28 days is required for the removal or adjustment of any light fittings. All costs will be borne by the scaffold licensee.

3.14     Whenever there is the possibility of traffic signs, traffic signals or street name plates being obscured, or removed, arrangements must be made with the Head of Highways and Transport representative for alternative arrangements to be made. All costs will be borne by the scaffold licensee.

3.15     Whenever there is a possibility of fire hydrants, utility covers, sewer entrances being obstructed arrangements must be made with the Head of Highways and Transport representative (tel. 0118 937 3787) to ensure that they are accessible at all times.

3.16     In general, scaffold towers (mobile scaffolds and the like) will not be permitted on the public highway in the central area and on classified roads between 7am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday (excepting Bank Holidays) and 10am to 5pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays

3.17     All scaffolding that is erected in the town is to be fit for its purpose and must comply with the requirements of the relevant legislation, including the following British Standards and Euro Code: BS5973, 1990 and July and August 1991; BS2482, 1981 and 1990; BS1139, pts 1 -5; EN39, 1976; BS5974, 1990 and July 1992; Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996; Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994, together with any subsequent amendments and/or additions.

3.18    The requirements in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.17 equally apply for the removal of scaffolding from the Public Highway.

4. HOARDINGS

4.1     Hoardings shall be 2440mm high, rigidly constructed of smooth close-boarded timber. Other material may only be used if specifically approved by the Head of Highways and Transport representative.

4.2     Hoardings shall be painted in a colour to be approved by the Head of Highways and Transport representative and kept in clean and safe condition.

4.3     Hoardings must be lit at all times with bulkhead lights fixed to the top of the hoarding at 3000mm centres, red when facing the carriageway, white when facing the footway (Minimum wattage 60 watt GLS or equivalent). Lighting must be in place and operational within 7 days of the hoarding commencing.

4.4     All access doors to be fixed so as not to open out over the footway.

4.5     Whenever a scaffold is to remain in situ for more than 28 days the outside line of then scaffolding shall be boxed in with a 1200mm high hoarding. The top of this box must be covered and sloped at an angle of 45˚towards the carriageway. This requirement may be relaxed if the width of the footway is restricted.

4.6    Whenever there is a possibility of fire hydrants, utility covers, sewer entrances, traffic control cabinets, traffic counters or any other street furniture being obstructed arrangements must be made with the Head of Highways and Transport representative (tel. 0118 937 3787), to ensure that they are accessible at all times.

4.7    If it is permitted for a hoarding to enclose the footway then it should be set back a minimum of 450mm from the kerb edge. Should it not be possible to achieve this dimension then the requirements of paragraphs 2.15 to 2.19 would apply.

4.8     All temporary footways are to be constructed with adequate cross falls and arrangements made to ensure that they do not affect the highway drainage if they extend into the carriageway. There shall be no steps and no ramp shall exceed a gradient of 1:15. The ramp will be surfaced with an approved non-slip material. Any ramp exceeding 1000mm in length or temporary footway extending outside the line of the hoarding or scaffolding shall have a suitably constructed timber handrail fixed to its outer edge. The handrail is to be painted white.

4.9    If a footway is to be closed then requirements of Section 8, Temporary Road / Footway Closures must be adhered to.

5. STREET FURNITURE

5.1     Scaffold and/or hoarding must not obstruct access for servicing purposes to manhole chambers, cabinets and CCTV cameras. The view from existing CCTV cameras should also not be obscured by scaffolding and/or hoardings.

5.2    Scaffold and/or hoarding must not obscure traffic signals lights to either vehicular or pedestrian traffic. Should such an obstruction to signals be unavoidable, in exceptional circumstances, and is agreed by the Head of Highways and Transport representative (tel. 0118 937 2620), the signals may be adapted temporarily, at the expense of the licensee.

5.3     Where possible statutory signs, safety signs and direction signs must not be obscured. If any sign is obstructed the licensee will be required to supply a temporary replacement at his own expense, to be attached to the scaffold/ hoarding as agreed by the Head of Highways and Transport representative (tel. 0118 937 3787).

5.4     If a street nameplate is obscured by scaffold/ hoarding the licensee will be required to supply a temporary replacement to be fixed to the scaffold/hoarding in a location agreed by the Head of Highways and Transport representative. Unless authorised by the Head of Highways and Transport representative, the Licensee must not tamper with or remove any street nameplate.