Glossary

Every part of a scaffold, labelled. The words a scaffold is described in — standards, ledgers, transoms, ties, lifts and bays — each one shown on the same diagram so you can see what it actually is rather than read around it.

A two-bay independent scaffold. Pick any term below to see it highlighted on this drawing.

Components

Standard

A standard is the vertical tube in a scaffold.

Ledger

A ledger is a horizontal tube running along the length of a scaffold, parallel to the building face.

Transom

A transom is a horizontal tube running across the width of a scaffold, from the inner row of standards to the outer row.

Brace

A brace is a diagonal tube that stops a scaffold racking — moving out of square under load or wind.

Tie

A tie connects a scaffold to the building it is built against.

Base plate

A base plate is the steel plate at the foot of a standard.

Sole board

A sole board is the timber or board laid under base plates to spread a scaffold's load over the ground.

Putlog

A putlog is a horizontal tube with a flattened blade at one end, built into the brickwork of a wall to support the inner side of a putlog scaffold..

Platform & edge protection

Scaffold board

A scaffold board is the timber or steel decking that forms the working platform.

Toe board

A toe board is the upstand along the edge of a working platform.

Guard rail

A guard rail is a horizontal tube along the open edge of a working platform that stops a person falling.

Inside boards

Inside boards are the boards bridging the gap between the scaffold platform and the building face, closing the space a person or an object could fall through..

Edge protection

Edge protection is the collective arrangement at the open edge of a platform that stops people and objects falling — guard rails, toe boards and, where needed, brick guards or netting..

Sheeting

Sheeting is solid material fixed to the outside of a scaffold to enclose it against weather or contain debris.

Debris netting

Debris netting is mesh fixed to the outside of a scaffold to contain falling material.

Protection fan

A protection fan is an inclined platform projecting from a scaffold to catch falling material and deflect it back towards the structure, protecting people below..

Brick guard

A brick guard is a mesh panel fitted between the guard rails and the toe board, closing the gap so stacked material cannot fall from the platform edge..

Dimensions

Lift

A lift is the vertical distance between ledger levels on a scaffold — effectively one storey of the scaffold.

Bay

A bay is the horizontal distance between two adjacent standards along a scaffold.

Base lift

The base lift is the lowest lift of a scaffold, between the ground and the first ledger level.

Working lift

The working lift is the lift a scaffold is currently being used from — the one that is fully boarded and edge protected for people to work off..

Return

A return is the section of scaffold that turns a corner and runs down the adjoining elevation.

Platform width

Platform width is the working width of a scaffold platform, usually expressed as a number of boards.

Scaffold types

Facade scaffold

A facade scaffold is a scaffold built up one elevation of a building, giving working platforms at each lift along that face.

Birdcage

A birdcage is a scaffold built as a grid of standards across an area rather than along a face, giving a single working platform over the whole footprint.

Independent tied scaffold

An independent tied scaffold stands on its own two rows of standards and is tied to the building for stability, rather than taking any support from it..

Putlog scaffold

A putlog scaffold has a single row of standards, with the inner end of each horizontal member built into the wall.

Static tower

A static tower is a free-standing scaffold tower fixed in one position, used for access to a single point rather than along an elevation..

Mobile tower

A mobile tower is a scaffold tower on castors, able to be moved without being dismantled.

Cantilever scaffold

A cantilever scaffold is supported at one end only, projecting out from a building where there is no ground beneath it to stand on..

Truss-out scaffold

A truss-out scaffold is supported on a framework projecting from the building, used where the ground cannot be used at all and the scaffold must start at height..

Loading bay

A loading bay is a strengthened section of scaffold designed to take materials landed by crane or hoist, built to a higher duty than the scaffold around it..

Staircase tower

A staircase tower is a scaffold tower containing stair flights rather than ladders, providing access to a scaffold or a structure for people and light materials..

Temporary roof

A temporary roof is a scaffold-supported roof structure built over a building to keep weather off work below, usually clad in sheeting..

Chimney scaffold

A chimney scaffold provides access around a chimney stack at roof level, usually supported off the roof structure or from a scaffold at eaves level..

Pavement gantry

A pavement gantry is a scaffold structure spanning a footpath, carrying a protected walkway beneath and often a working platform above..

Bridge scaffold

A bridge scaffold spans an opening — a doorway, an access route, a road — carrying scaffold over the gap on beams rather than on standards within it..

Suspended scaffold

A suspended scaffold hangs from above on ropes or rigid supports rather than standing on the ground, giving access to a facade from a cradle or platform..

System scaffold

System scaffold is prefabricated scaffold whose components connect at fixed positions, usually through rosettes or cups welded to the standards, rather than being coupled anywhere along a tube..

Tube and fitting

Tube and fitting is scaffold built from loose steel tubes joined by couplers at any position, rather than from prefabricated components with fixed connection points..

Fittings

Double coupler

A double coupler joins two scaffold tubes at right angles and is the only coupler rated to carry load in a scaffold structure.

Swivel coupler

A swivel coupler joins two scaffold tubes at any angle.

Putlog coupler

A putlog coupler fixes a transom or putlog to a ledger at right angles.

Check coupler

A check coupler is a second coupler fitted alongside a primary one as a safeguard, so that a single fitting failing or slipping does not release the connection..

Girder coupler

A girder coupler clamps scaffold tube to the flange of a steel beam.

Sleeve coupler

A sleeve coupler joins two scaffold tubes end to end, fitting externally over both.

Joint pin

A joint pin joins two scaffold tubes end to end from the inside, expanding within the bore of both tubes to grip.

Spigot

A spigot is a connector that locates one tube or standard into another end to end.

Reveal pin

A reveal pin is a threaded fitting that tightens a tube horizontally between two opposing faces of an opening, creating a friction fixing for a reveal tie..

Board clip

A board clip fixes a scaffold board down to the tube beneath it, stopping the board lifting or being displaced..

Bracing

Facade brace

A facade brace is a diagonal tube across the outer face of a scaffold, resisting movement along the length of the structure.

Ledger brace

A ledger brace is a diagonal across the width of a scaffold, between the inner and outer standards.

Plan brace

A plan brace is a diagonal in the horizontal plane of a scaffold, keeping the structure square when seen from above..

Cross brace

A cross brace is a pair of diagonals forming an X across a bay, bracing it in both directions at once..

Raker

A raker is an inclined tube running from the scaffold down to the ground outside it, propping the structure against overturning..

Buttress

A buttress is a framed structure built out from the side of a scaffold to widen its base and resist overturning, used where the scaffold cannot be tied..

Ties

Through tie

A through tie passes through an opening in the building — a window or a doorway — and is held by a tube on the inside face, tying the scaffold to the structure..

Box tie

A box tie encloses a structural element such as a column or a pier with tubes on all four sides, tying the scaffold to it without penetrating the building..

Lip tie

A lip tie hooks around a structural feature such as a parapet, sill or opening reveal, forming an L or J shape that resists the scaffold pulling away from the building..

Reveal tie

A reveal tie is a tube wedged across an opening by a threaded reveal pin, held by friction against the two opposing faces, with the scaffold tied to that tube..

Anchor tie

An anchor tie fixes into the fabric of the building with a drilled anchor, usually a ring or eye bolt, to which the scaffold is tied..

Tie pattern

The tie pattern is the arrangement of ties across a scaffold — how many, where, and of what type.

Tie test

A tie test is a pull test on an installed anchor tie, confirming the fixing achieves the load the design assumes before the scaffold relies on it..

Compliance & standards

TG20

TG20 is NASC's technical guidance for tube and fitting scaffolds.

Handover certificate

A handover certificate is the document a scaffolding contractor issues when a scaffold is complete and ready to use.

Scaffold tag

A scaffold tag is the notice fixed at the access point of a scaffold showing whether it may be used.

TG20 compliance sheet

A TG20 compliance sheet is the document produced by the TG20 eGuide confirming that a specific scaffold configuration sits within NASC guidance.

Bespoke design

A bespoke design is a scaffold design produced by a competent designer for a structure that falls outside published guidance.

Load class

Load class is the classification of what a scaffold platform is built to carry.

Duty rating

Duty rating is the everyday term for what a scaffold is built to carry — light, general or heavy duty.

7-day inspection

A 7-day inspection is the recurring statutory inspection of a scaffold used as a working platform.

Scaffold register

A scaffold register is the record of every scaffold on a site or a contract, with its status, its inspection dates and the documents behind it.

RAMS

RAMS stands for risk assessment and method statement — the paired documents setting out the hazards of a job and the sequence of work to control them.

Design brief

A design brief is the statement of what a scaffold has to do, issued to the designer before the design is produced.

A temporary works coordinator is the person responsible for managing the temporary works process on a project — making sure designs are produced, checked and followed, and that structures are not loaded before they are signed off..

Temporary works designer

A temporary works designer is the competent person who produces the design for a temporary structure, including a scaffold that falls outside published guidance..

NASC

NASC is the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation, the UK trade body for the scaffolding industry.

CISRS card

A CISRS card evidences that a scaffolder has been trained and assessed to a recognised standard for the work they do.

SG4

SG4 is NASC guidance on preventing falls in scaffolding operations.

Work at Height Regulations 2005

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 are the UK regulations governing work at height.

BS EN 12811

BS EN 12811 is the European standard for temporary works equipment, covering performance requirements and general design for scaffolds.

BS EN 39

BS EN 39 is the European standard for loose steel tubes used in tube and coupler scaffolds.

BS EN 74

BS EN 74 is the European standard for couplers, spigot pins and base plates used in falsework and scaffolds.

A–Z

More terms are being added. Every diagram here is free to use on your own site or in training material, with a credit link — the snippet is under each one.