Safety Tagging System for Scaffolding and Access Equipment

The main requirements for ensuring safety when working at height using access equipment are specified in the Labor Protection Rules for Working at Height and in GOST R 58752-2019 "Access equipment. General specifications."

The results of inspections conducted by the HSE departments of branches/Representative Offices serve as the basis for managing the tagging system on scaffolding to indicate its status.

The safety tagging system for access equipment must be strictly observed by organization employees. This system involves installing safety tags at all access points to the equipment, containing information on inventory records, daily inspections, and the specialist responsible for the safe operation of the equipment, appointed in accordance with the order of the head of the organization (responsible specialist).

Red and green safety tags are used. A red safety tag with the inscription: "USE PROHIBITED!" indicates a complete ban on access to the equipment, except for persons performing assembly, structural changes, or disassembly. When performing these tasks, these responsible specialists must observe the principle of self-belay when working at height using a personal fall protection system with double lanyards.

After the assembly of the access equipment is completed and upon satisfactory results of an inspection conducted by the responsible person, a green tag is posted instead of the red safety tag. The green safety tag with the inscription: "SCAFFOLD SAFE FOR USE" indicates the date and time of the first inspection and the signature of the responsible specialist, as well as daily inspection records of the equipment's condition.

Daily inspections are carried out by the organization's responsible specialist. This is indicated on the safety tags for checking the condition of the access equipment. A daily inspection is conducted to confirm that the equipment is safe to use.

It includes checking for:

• absence of structural changes;
• reliability of the base;
• scaffolding alignment strictly according to the plumb line;
• presence of guardrails or other fall protection elements in necessary places;
• presence of decking on work platforms, secure fastening of scaffolding, etc.

Access equipment is subject to mandatory inspection after adverse weather conditions, such as strong winds, thunderstorms, etc., which may affect the strength and stability of the scaffolding. Filling out the logbook for the acceptance and inspection of scaffolding and platforms is a mandatory condition for such additional checks. Specialists from the organization's inspection services have the right to check the condition and correct operation of access equipment at any time. Based on the results of the inspection, if violations are identified, inspection service specialists have the right to prohibit work from access equipment that does not meet safety requirements. In this case, the specified specialist removes the green safety tags from all access points and hangs red ones. The red safety tag must indicate the position, surname, initials, and phone number of the person who installed the tag. The list of violations in the scaffolding structure is indicated on the back of the safety tag. Working from access equipment on which at least one red safety tag is posted is prohibited. After the violations are eliminated, the person responsible for the safe performance of work at height contacts the inspector by phone and presents the equipment for re-inspection. If the equipment meets safety requirements, the inspector removes the red safety tags and returns the green ones to their original places, after which work from the equipment can be resumed in the prescribed manner.

This tagging system ensures full control over the serviceability and the need for inspection of access equipment in accordance with safety requirements, including the Labor Protection Rules for Working at Height and GOST R 58752-2019. This guarantees worker safety and prevents injuries at work sites. The systematic use of replaceable tags provides a constant and visual demonstration of data on the status of access equipment and allows for the effective setup of the control process during operation.