Scaffolding PPE: The On-Site Kit Checklist

Turn up to a site without the right PPE and you will be sent home, carded or not. The basics are non-negotiable, and most sites will check them at the gate. Here is the kit a scaffolder is expected to have, what each piece is for, and who is supposed to pay for it.

What PPE does every scaffolder need?

Every site will expect these as a minimum:

• Hard hat. Usually with a chin strap for working at height, so it stays on if you lean or fall.
• Hi-vis. A vest at least, often a long-sleeve top on busier or traffic-managed sites.
• Safety boots. Steel or composite toe cap and a midsole, with decent grip and ankle support for climbing.
• Gloves. You are handling tube, fittings and boards all day, so a good pair saves your hands.

Forget any of these and you are not getting on site, so they live in the van.

What extra PPE do you need for working at height?

Scaffolding is work at height, so depending on the job and the site rules you will also need:

• A full body harness with a lanyard, used where the job calls for it.
• Eye protection for cutting, grinding or dusty work.
• The right footwear and clothing for the weather, because you are outside in all of it.

Your supervisor or the site induction will tell you exactly what is required for that job. If in doubt, ask before you climb, not after.

Who pays for PPE?

As a rule, your employer is responsible for providing the PPE you need to do the job safely, and for keeping it in good order. In practice, many scaffolders also keep their own boots, gloves and hard hat because they would rather have kit that fits and that they trust.

If you are self-employed on a day rate, the lines blur, but the safety duty does not disappear. Whoever supplies it, the kit has to be there and in good condition before you work.

A quick pre-shift check

Before you set off, run through it:

• Hard hat (with strap), hi-vis, boots, gloves.
• Harness and lanyard if the job needs them, checked and in date.
• Eye protection and weather kit.
• Your CISRS card, because the gate will ask for that too.

PPE is the easy part of staying safe on a scaffold, but it is the part that gets you turned away if you skip it. New to the trade and wondering what else you need to start? See our guide on how to become a scaffolder.

When you are kitted out and carded, browse the latest scaffolding roles and apply to the firms hiring now.