Inspection, tagging and maintenance: pre-use checks, periodic inspection, scaffold tags and records, and reporting defects
Inspection, tagging and maintenance is the domain that tests how you prove a truss-out scaffold is safe at the point of use and after changing conditions.
Pre-use and periodic inspection
A competent person inspects before first use, after erection, after alteration, after damage or impact, after weather likely to affect stability (for example a typhoon or black rainstorm), and at the periodic interval required by the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations, normally at least every 14 days. The inspection covers anchors and tie-backs, couplers, bracing, boards, guardrails, toe boards, mesh, access and loading.
Tags and records
A tag should show the scaffold ID and location, date and time of inspection, inspector's name, status (safe or unsafe), and next inspection date. A green tag means the scaffold passed the inspection at that time; it is not a permanent certificate. A red or 'do not use' tag must be obeyed. Keep a register of inspections, defects and repairs.
Defects and maintenance
Defects include loose couplers, missing tie-backs, bent tubes, cracked boards, missing toe boards, torn mesh and unauthorized alterations. Stop use, barricade or tag the scaffold, report to the contractor, and repair to the design before re-inspection. Remove defective components from service.
Worked example
After a typhoon, a truss-out still carries last week's green tag. A worker wants to start work because the tag is green. Correct reasoning: the tag records an earlier inspection, not the post-storm condition. The competent person must inspect anchors, ties and platform before use; if a tie-back is loose, the scaffold is tagged red and work stops until repaired and re-inspected.
Traps
Do not treat a tag as a substitute for a pre-use check by the user. Do not let anyone sign a tag without inspecting. Do not accept 'minor' missing toe boards or loose ties, and do not restart work after repair without re-inspection and a new tag.