Scaffolding

Design, erection, scafftag inspection regimes, tube-and-fitting and system scaffolds, mobile towers, loading limits and ties — to ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0, DM Code of Construction Safety Practice, BS EN 12811 and BS 5975.

Which rules apply: Abu Dhabi vs Dubai

The ADOSH-SF references on this page (CoP 23.0, CoP 26.0 and CoP 37.0) are Abu Dhabi instruments issued under the ADOSH-SF Occupational Safety and Health System Framework, and they are what an Abu Dhabi inspector will audit scaffolding against.

In Dubai the equivalent legal reference is the Dubai Municipality Code of Construction Safety Practice, with Trakhees EHS requirements in PCFC areas and DDA rules in Dubai Development Authority areas. Other emirates apply their municipal building-permit safety conditions — Sharjah uses OSHJ-CoP-04, RAK free-zone projects use the RAKEZ HS&E Construction Regulations. Federally, MOHRE Ministerial Resolution 32 of 2022 applies everywhere.

The controls below are technically equivalent across emirates, so ADOSH-SF is widely used as the project benchmark — but cite your own emirate's code on permits, method statements and inspection records.

Scaffold Design and Competence

Scaffolds must be erected, altered and dismantled only under the supervision of a competent scaffold supervisor by trained scaffolders. Any scaffold that is not a basic configuration to a recognised standard configuration guide must be designed and calculated by a competent engineer, with drawings on site. Dubai Municipality and Trakhees require third-party-certified scaffolders and inspectors for major projects.

Scaffolder competence
Recognised scaffolding certification (e.g. CISRS or equivalent third-party card)
critical
Scaffold supervisor
Named, competent, present during erection, alteration and dismantling
critical
Design required when
Height >8 m free-standing, non-standard configuration, loading >2 kN/m², cantilever, birdcage over voids, sheeted/netted scaffolds
critical
Design documents on site
Stamped drawings and calculations available for inspection
critical
Standard configuration reference
BS EN 12811-1 / BS 5975 / TG20-style compliance sheet
standard

Dimensional and Component Requirements

Element	Requirement	Reference
Main guardrail height	950–1,150 mm above the platform	BS EN 12811-1 / ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0
Maximum bay length	2.4 m (tube-and-fitting) / 2.5 m (system scaffold)	ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0
Maximum lift height	2.0 m between platform levels	ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0
Intermediate guardrail	Max unprotected gap 470 mm	BS EN 12811-1
Toe board	Minimum 150 mm high, fitted to all open edges	BS EN 12811-1 / DM Code
Platform width — general access	Minimum 600 mm clear (3 boards)	ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0 / BS EN 12811-1
Platform width — with materials	Minimum 900 mm clear (4–5 boards)	BS EN 12811-1
Gap between platform and structure	Maximum 300 mm, otherwise infill or edge protection	ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0
Board overhang at supports	Minimum 50 mm, maximum 4x board thickness	BS 5975
Base plates / sole boards	Mandatory on all standards; sole boards on sand or soft ground	BS EN 12811-1
Tie spacing	Per design; typically every 4 m vertically and horizontally on sheeted scaffolds	BS 5975
Ladder access rise	Landing/rest platform at maximum 9 m vertical intervals	ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0

Sheeting or debris netting dramatically increases wind load. A scaffold designed unsheeted must never be sheeted without a re-design and additional ties — this is one of the most common collapse causes in the region.

Load Classes

Load class displayed
Stated on the scafftag and design sheet
critical
Loaded bays
Only bays designed for material storage may be loaded
critical
Simultaneous loaded lifts
Per design — commonly one loaded lift per bay
standard

Class	Uniform load	Typical use
1	0.75 kN/m²	Inspection and very light access only
2	1.50 kN/m²	Light duty — painting, cleaning, rendering touch-up
3	2.00 kN/m²	General duty — most construction trades
4	3.00 kN/m²	Heavy duty — masonry, blockwork
5	4.50 kN/m²	Very heavy — stone/heavy cladding storage
6	6.00 kN/m²	Special design — engineer calculation mandatory

Scafftag Inspection Regime

Every scaffold must carry a tag at each access point showing its status. A scaffold under erection, alteration or dismantle carries a red 'Do Not Use' tag with the tie/board status; only when a competent inspector has signed it off does it carry a green tag.

Inspection before first use
By a competent inspector, recorded and tagged
critical
Routine inspection interval
Every 7 days maximum — ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0
critical
Handover certificate
Scaffold handover certificate issued and signed by the competent scaffold inspector before first use — ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0
critical
Additional inspections
After alteration, impact, high wind, sandstorm or rain event
critical
Record retention
Inspection register kept on site for the project duration
standard
Tag content
Scaffold ID, load class, inspector name, date, next inspection due
critical
Incomplete scaffold
Red tag and physical access blocked at every ladder/stair
critical

Mobile Access Towers

Mobile aluminium towers must be assembled strictly to the manufacturer's instruction manual using an advance-guardrail or through-the-trap method, so the erector is never exposed to an unguarded edge.

Assembly method
Advance guardrail (AGR) or 3T through-the-trap only
critical
Height-to-base ratio — indoor
Maximum 3.5:1
critical
Height-to-base ratio — outdoor
Maximum 3:1
critical
Stabilisers / outriggers
Fitted per the manual before the tower is climbed
critical
Castors
Locked while in use; never move the tower with a person or materials on it
critical
Access
Internal ladder only — never climb the outside frame
critical
Manual on site
Manufacturer instruction manual available at the tower
standard