Why Scaffolding Needs Insurance
Unlike basic ladders and towers, complex scaffold structures expose workers and the public to serious harm risks requiring insurance buffers including:
- Height Hazards - Scaffolds frequently exceed 9 metres enabling dangerous falls from slippery planks or incorrectly fixed poles. Severe injuries or fatalities require substantial compensation payouts an uninsured business cannot afford.
- Collapse Impact Risks - Substandard construction, weather damage or vehicle collisions can suddenly bring heavy scaffold sections crashing down. Uninsured scaffolders bear full liability for harm caused to people and buildings hit below.
- Falling Object Dangers - Scaffolders transporting equipment, waste bags or demolition debris at height risk dropping items on passers-by below. Substantial injury claims quickly arise without public liability cover.
The Legal Position On Required Insurance
UK health and safety law obliges scaffolding contractors to hold employers liability insurance protecting staff. Separate public liability insurance is also legally essential where your work could affect or harm members of the public.
However scaffolding built purely for personal use on your own private property (not overlooking public spaces) has no legal insurance requirement.
Implications Of Remaining Uninsured
While scaffolding for private use or on isolated rural builds may theoretically proceed uninsured, significant business risks arise including:
- Inability To Afford Claims - Just one serious scaffolding accident causing permanent disability could incur 5+ million in compensation payments that would cripple most contractors lacking cover.
- Loss Of Assets - Successful injury claims against uninsured defendants often result in seizure of personal company assets like property, vehicles and equipment to recover damages awarded by courts.
- Prosecution Risks - Scaffolders found operating commercially without required employers and public liability policies face potential HSE fines up to 10,000 per breach.
- Lost Contracts - Reputable developers, construction firms and agencies will not hire scaffolding contractors unable to prove up-to-date insurance. You lose revenue.
Specialist Scaffolding Insurance
While general trade policies may state scaffolding is excluded, various insurers like Tradesman Saver offer bespoke scaffolding insurance packages at reasonable rates considering exposures covered.
Their scaffolding policies include key protections like:
- 5 million public liability cover
- 10 million employers liability cover
- Hired-in equipment inclusion
- Contract works cover
- Business equipment cover
- 7 day replacement scaffold guarantee
Final Words
Attempting complex, dangerous scaffolding projects while uninsured exposes yourself, employees and the public to severe injury risks while risking prosecution. Always maintain get covered . Discuss your scaffolding insurance needs with a specialist broker like Tradesman Saver to ensure full protection.
