ScaFixRegulations
Scaffolding rules by country
Every country writes its scaffold rules into a different law, and many of the guides on this site exist in the country's own language as well as in English. This page lists them all in one place: the regulation that governs scaffolding in each country, each language version of the guide, and where we have one, the page on putting a scaffold on the street or pavement.
By Ole Emil Frikstad Urstad · How the numbers are computed ·
Where do I find the scaffolding rules for my country?
Pick your country in the table below. ScaFix publishes a scaffolding rules guide for 16 countries, each built on the regulation's own text with the clause and the date it was read. The table names that regulation, links the guide in every language it is written in, and links the permit page for scaffolding on public ground where one exists.
Scaffolding regulations and guides, country by country
| Country | Main regulation | Guide | Scaffold on public ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | Forskrift om utførelse av arbeid, kap. 17; arbeidsplassforskriften § 2-22 | English · Norsk | Norsk |
| Sweden | AFS 2023:11 kap. 8 och bilaga 6; AFS 2023:9 kap. 5; AFS 2023:3 | English · Svenska | Svenska |
| Denmark | Bekendtgørelse nr. 428 af 5. april 2022 (tekniske hjælpemidler) | English · Dansk | – |
| Finland | Valtioneuvoston asetus 205/2009, 51–68 § | English · Suomi | Suomi |
| Germany | BetrSichV Anhang 1 Nr. 3; TRBS 2121 Teil 1; DGUV Information 201-011 | English · Deutsch | – |
| Austria | Bauarbeiterschutzverordnung (BauV) §§ 7, 8, 55–73; ÖNORM B 4007 | Deutsch | Deutsch |
| Switzerland | Bauarbeitenverordnung (BauAV, SR 832.311.141) | Deutsch | Deutsch |
| Netherlands | Arbobesluit art. 3.16, 7.23b en 7.34 | English · Nederlands | Nederlands |
| France | Code du travail R4323-69 à R4323-80; arrêté du 21 décembre 2004 | English · Français | Français |
| Spain | RD 1215/1997, anexo II 4.3 (RD 2177/2004) | English · Español | – |
| Poland | Dz.U. 2003 nr 47 poz. 401, rozdział 8 | English · Polski | – |
| Czechia | Nařízení vlády č. 362/2005 Sb., příloha | Čeština | – |
| Slovakia | Vyhláška č. 147/2013 Z. z., § 14 a príloha č. 6; nariadenie vlády č. 396/2006 Z. z., príloha č. 3 | Slovenčina | – |
| Hungary | 4/2002. (II. 20.) SzCsM–EüM együttes rendelet, 4. melléklet | Magyar | – |
| United Kingdom | Work at Height Regulations 2005; NASC TG20:21 | English | – |
| United States | 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L (1926.450–454) | English | – |
How to use these guides
- Each guide quotes its clauses from the primary text and names the date each was read. Check the current text before you rely on a figure, because regulations change.
- The law of the country where the scaffold stands applies, whatever the erector's home country. A crew posted abroad also meets that country's posting and registration rules; several guides cover them in English.
- Scaffolding on a pavement or street is a separate permission from the municipality or the police, with its own fees. The permit pages give one city's dated charges as an example; other municipalities set their own.
- Every page is planning information, not structural approval and not legal advice. The regulator, the manufacturer's instructions and a competent person's inspection decide.
Comparing the numbers side by side
To set guardrail heights, inspection intervals and training rules of several countries against each other, read scaffolding regulations by country compared; for the English-speaking markets (UK, US, Ireland, Australia) in one page, see scaffold regulations.
Questions and answers
Is there one European scaffolding regulation?
No. EU directive 2009/104/EC sets minimum requirements for work equipment, but each country writes its own scaffold rules, and the guardrail heights, inspection intervals and training rules differ. EN 12810 and EN 12811 are the shared standards for facade scaffolds.
Which country's rules apply to a scaffold abroad?
The rules of the country where the scaffold stands. A firm posting a crew abroad also follows that country's posting rules, such as the posting declaration, a contact person or a site ID card, which several country guides describe.
Do I need a permit to put scaffolding on the pavement?
In most places, yes: the municipality, or in Sweden the police, gives permission to use public ground and charges a fee. The permit pages here give the application route and one city's dated fees for Norway, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands and France.
Limits
- The number of wall ties follows the system's tie rule. Their positions must be checked against the manufacturer's assembly instructions.
- Round corners, silos and hanging scaffolds are in Pro. A round scaffold is not a standard configuration and needs a calculation or the supplier's documentation. A hanging scaffold (Layher Allround and HAKI Universal) always needs a structural calculation from the supplier or an engineer.