TradedocScaffold handover certificate
A blank handover + inspection certificate you can print and fill on the tower. Or the faster option — complete it on your phone at sign-off, site manager signs from their inbox, paperwork is closed before you're out the gate. Tracks the Work at Height Regulations 2005, Reg 12.
No card required. Cancel anytime.
What it is
A Scaffold Handover Certificate is the formal document a scaffolding contractor issues to the user (typically the principal contractor or site manager) when a scaffold is completed and ready for use. It records the scope, design basis (TG20 standard configuration or bespoke calculation), loading class, who erected it, that the pre-use inspection has been carried out, and any limits of use. A related form — the 7-day inspection record — is used for the ongoing Reg 12 inspections after handover.
UK legal requirement
Required by the Work at Height Regulations 2005, Regulation 12 (inspection of work equipment). A competent person must inspect the scaffold after installation and before first use, at intervals not exceeding 7 days thereafter, and after any event likely to affect its safety (high winds, impact, alteration). For scaffolds over 2m a written report must be made before the end of the working day. Design basis is NASC Technical Guidance TG20:21 for tube-and-fitting standard configurations, or a bespoke design by a competent engineer for anything outside TG20 scope. Scaffolder competence is demonstrated by a valid CISRS card appropriate to the scaffold type.
Compliance status
This template tracks Work at Height Regulations 2005, Reg 12. Our compliance radar crawls the publishing bodies every six hours — see the standards we build to today or the radar of what's coming next.
Engineer remains responsible for verifying compliance with the version applicable to their work. TradeDoc is a tool, not a regulator.
Who needs it
- ·Scaffolding contractors handing over completed scaffolds on construction sites
- ·Principal contractors and site managers accepting a scaffold for site use
- ·Roofers, cladders and builders using their own scaffold on domestic jobs
- ·Facilities and maintenance contractors erecting temporary access for inspections
What goes on it
Every mandatory field, in the order the inspector or auditor will check them.
Site + contract details
Site address, principal contractor, scaffolding contractor, project reference, date of erection, date of handover, scope of scaffold (elevations, heights, bays, decks).
Design basis
TG20:21 compliant standard configuration (state the TG20 compliance sheet reference) or bespoke design reference (designer name, drawing number, date). If TG20, state loading class; if bespoke, attach the design calculations.
Loading class + intended use
Loading duty to BS EN 12811-1 — Class 1 (inspection/light access) through Class 6 (heavy masonry). Intended use (bricklayer's lift, roof work, cladding, inspection). Maximum number of loaded decks at one time. Any hoist loadings.
Scaffolder competence
Name of the lead scaffolder handing the scaffold over, CISRS card level and number (trainee / scaffolder / advanced scaffolder — advanced required for complex scaffolds), date card expires.
Pre-use inspection outcome
Confirmation that the Reg 12 pre-use inspection has been carried out and the scaffold is safe for the intended use, signed by the competent person. Any defects found and rectified before handover logged with date closed out.
Limits of use + restrictions
Restrictions on the user: no additional ties to be added, no alteration without scaffolder consent, maximum wind speed for use, no stacking or material storage beyond the designed load, access only via the designated ladder bay.
Handover signatures
Scaffolder's signature + CISRS number handing over. User/site manager's signature accepting the scaffold, date and time of handover. Both parties retain a copy.
Common mistakes on a hand-filled one
The small things that get picked up on audit, insurance review, or when the next engineer reads it.
- ✗No TG20 compliance sheet reference attached — 'built to TG20' without the specific sheet number isn't evidence of a compliant configuration
- ✗Leaving loading class blank — the user has no way to know what the scaffold is actually designed to take, and a bricklayer loading a Class 2 inspection scaffold is a classic incident
- ✗Handover signed by the scaffolder but not by the user — the handover is a transfer of responsibility, both signatures are the point
- ✗Using a basic CISRS card holder on an advanced scaffold (cantilever, truss-out, system scaffold over standard heights) — advanced scaffolder is required by the CISRS scope
- ✗No date on the 7-day inspection — Reg 12 requires the interval, a missing date breaks the audit trail and effectively means no inspection
- ✗Forgetting to re-inspect after alteration — any change in configuration, including removing a guard rail for material loading, triggers a fresh inspection before the scaffold is used again
The faster option
Fill one on your phone in 2 minutes
Pick the template. Answer the fields. Customer signs from their inbox. PDF saved in the vault with a unique number. Free forever on your first 100 docs a month. Pro £15/month adds custom branding and one-tap customer email. No card at sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
Is a scaffold handover certificate a legal requirement?+
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 don't name a 'handover certificate' specifically, but Regulation 12 requires a pre-use inspection by a competent person and a written report before the end of the working day for scaffolds over 2m. In practice, the industry standard way to do that — and to record the scaffolder's handover of responsibility to the site — is a handover certificate plus an inspection record. It's also the document HSE and insurers look for in the event of an incident.
How often does a scaffold need to be inspected after handover?+
Regulation 12 requires inspection at intervals not exceeding 7 days, and after any event likely to affect safety — high winds, impact, alteration, substantial loading changes, or after it's been out of use and reoccupied. Each inspection is recorded on a 7-day inspection sheet or scaff tag, signed by a competent person with the appropriate CISRS card. Missing a 7-day inspection effectively means the scaffold should be taken out of use until re-inspected.
What is TG20 and do I need to follow it?+
TG20 is the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) Technical Guidance for tube-and-fitting scaffolds. TG20:21 is the current edition. It provides pre-engineered standard configurations that don't need a bespoke design calculation — provided the scaffold is built exactly to a TG20 compliance sheet, within its stated loading class, height, and tie pattern. Anything outside TG20 — cantilevers, truss-outs, unusual geometry, non-standard loadings — needs a bespoke design by a competent engineer.
Who is competent to inspect a scaffold?+
A competent person as defined by the regulations — someone with the knowledge, experience, and training appropriate to the type of scaffold being inspected. In practice that means an Advanced Scaffolder or Scaffolding Supervisor CISRS card for complex scaffolds, or a Basic Scaffolder CISRS card for standard TG20 configurations. A CISRS Scaffolding Inspector certification (SI) covers inspection on its own for site managers who aren't erecting the scaffold themselves.
What's the difference between a handover certificate and a scaff tag?+
The handover certificate is the one-off document issued when the scaffold is completed and handed from scaffolder to user. The scaff tag is an on-scaffold visual indicator showing the last 7-day inspection date and any restrictions — it's updated every inspection. The full 7-day inspection record is the written report that sits behind the tag. All three work together: the handover proves it was built correctly, the inspection record proves it has been kept safe, the tag gives users on-scaffold confidence.
Can I hand over a scaffold by email or does it need to be signed in person?+
Nothing in the Work at Height Regulations 2005 requires a wet signature. What matters is that a competent person has carried out the inspection, the scaffold is fit for the intended use, and the user has formally accepted it. A digital handover — scaffolder signs electronically, site manager signs from their phone, both parties retain a copy — meets the regulatory intent and speeds up the paperwork on a Friday afternoon.