Tradesman: Scaffolders & Scaffolding Co's

Get Tradesman Insurance Quotes with one simple form

Scaffolders Insurance

Scaffolders erect and dismantle scaffolding and working platforms on residential, commercial and industrial construction sites, properties and structures.

The job demands a head for heights, physical strength and agility.

It's no surprise that scaffolding is looked on as a high risk occupation by insurance companies which is why premiums are more expensive than other trades.

But you might be surprised to learn that the main cause of accidents to scaffolders isn't falls from height, but slips, trips and falls on the same level.

That's according to NASC (National Access and Scaffolding Confederation), the national trade body for access and scaffolding in the UK.

Public Liability Insurance

Public Liability Insurance covers a scaffolding business for unintentional damage or injury caused to others. The insurance covers your legal liability to pay damages awarded for death, injury or damage to property, and any subsequent legal costs if your business is found at fault.

Public liability insurance costs reflect the risks involved and insurers will need to know the breakdown of work carried out at different heights and ask you to specify the maximum height worked to.

They'll also want to know the proportion of work carried out at different locations e.g. new build or refurbishment work at private residential properties, commercial or industrial premises and whether hazardous locations are involved (airports, railways, docks, power plants).

Increased Risk and Cost

Scaffolding companies that specialise in areas such as falsework or offshore scaffolding will face higher premiums.

Temporary spectator stands and staging for public events pose real risks to the public if something goes wrong and you can expect the premiums to reflect this.

Renting/Hiring Out Scaffolding

If you hire out scaffolding out to other companies make sure your insurer knows about this and you'll probably want your scaffolding equipment insured against failure and accidents. You may be required to check the hirer has their own insurance.

If you erect your own scaffolding for someone else, a builder or roofing company for example, the contractor should have their own public liability insurance for subcontractors. They'll probably expect you to have the same level of cover as them.

Employers Liability Insurance

Scaffolders rarely work alone as it takes a team to erect and dismantly structures. If you directly employ assistants or apprentices you will probably need employers liability insurance.

ELI is compulsory cover designed to meet the cost of compensating employee(s) and paying their legal costs if injured or made ill at work if the employer is at fault.

Some exemptions exist for family businesses (unless incorporated as a limited company) and companies employing only their owner (who owns 50% or more) of the company.

The legal minimum is currently (2011) £5 million which includes costs. See www.hse.gov.uk for further details.

Tools and Equipment Insurance

As well as your people and premises, you will want to consider insuring valuable tools and equipment - hand tools, harnesses, pulleys and winches, scaffolding, towers and power-operated mobile work platforms.

Risk Management

It is a fact that when working in all weathers and at height, the risks of injury are greater than if not, which is why most general insurers place strict height limitations on cover.

Some risks are more easy to manage than others.

• Make sure scaffolding is regularly inspected to comply with safety standards and stored securely.
• Theft of scaffolding equipment from sites and yards, especially towers, is a growing problem so make sure you have good security measures in place.
• To reduce theft, all NASC members must identify their equipment with a marking system, and members have to register their colours with the Association.
• If valuable scaffolding and equipment is left lying outside in the yard with no security or left untended on site long after a contract has finished, your insurer may not want to know.
• You can cut down on site theft with scaffold locks to improve security.
• Keep copies of insurance certificates of CIS5 and CIS6 card holders and bone fide subcontractors.
• On site, tampering with scaffolding by other trades is reported as a common cause of accidents.
• If you can afford it, consider using security patrols or manned guarding, undertaken by National Security Inspectorate (NSI) approved and licensed security personnel. For details of NSI approved companies in your area visit www.nsi.org.uk

Things that could go wrong:

• Thieves break into your yard and make off with several tons of scaffolding on the back of your flat bed lorry
• A worker is killed in a fall from unguarded scaffolding
• A consignment of scaffolding falls from a lorry causing a multiple pile up on a busy motorway
• A working platform collapses on a member of the public
• A child dies after falling from a flat roof he accessed via an unattended scaffold you were erecting before works started. You're fined £75,000 breach of section 3(1) of the HSWA with £46,109 costs

Scaffolding Trade Body

The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) is the national trade body for access and scaffolding in the UK.

To be eligible for membership, you must have a minimum of £5 million Public Liability and £10 million Employers' Liability cover.

NASC have identified problems with scaffolding manufactured outside the UK which doesn't meet BSEN standards. If you use imported scaffolding equipment, check that your liability insurance covers this.

If you manufacture scaffolding, NASC's Code of Practice for the Hire, Sale and Use of System Scaffolds demands that UK suppliers must have a minimum of £2m Product Liability insurance.

Insurance Companies

Directline Tradesman Insurance

Direct Line's new Tradesman Insurance is designed for traditional building and allied trades (established professional tradesmen and craftsmen with up to ten manual employees).

Just one small mishap could jeopardize a scaffolder's ability to earn an income. Direct Line's Tradesman Insurance protects tradesmen in such situations, providing a comprehensive standard policy. This gives up to £1 million public liability cover, with the option to increase up to £5 million and add additional covers, allowing the customer to mould the insurance to their needs.

Standard cover:

• Public liability
• Optional cover
  • Employers liability
  • Tools and equipment

£100 excess in respect of damage to third party property.

Free 24 hour advice lines including legal advice on any business problem including Employment; Tax; Contract Disputes etc; stress counselling; health and medical assistance.

Active Insurance

Surrey-based Active Insurance offer Public and Employers liability quotations for the sole trader with a 15 metre height limit, as well as large companies with no height restriction.

Choose from indemnity limits of £1m, £2m, £5m or £10m.

They can also cover you for scaffolding for spectator stands or demolition sites in the UK or the European Union.

Optional covers can include Contract Works, Personal Accident and Professional Indemnity.

As well as scaffolders, Active cover over 200 trades including:

For a quote, fill in your detail online and they'll phone you back inside office hours.