Who this course is for
- Anyone who erects, uses or dismantles access scaffolding on site
- Construction, maintenance and painting crews working off scaffolding
- Contractors whose clients require a scaffolding certificate at induction
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent scaffold erectors
What you will be able to do after this course
- Identify scaffold components and check their condition before use
- Erect access scaffolding in the correct sequence, tied and braced
- Use scaffolding safely, including platforms, guardrails and access
- Dismantle scaffolding in the right order and stack components correctly
What the course covers
The course qualifies a learner to erect, use and dismantle access scaffolding safely, which is the competency most sites ask for before anyone is allowed to build or work off a scaffold.
Learners cover scaffold components and their function, inspecting components and rejecting damaged ones, foundations and base plates, the correct erection sequence, standards, ledgers and transoms, bracing and tying to the structure, platforms, toe boards and guardrails, safe access, loading limits, and dismantling in the reverse order. The erection work is assessed practically on scaffolding.
How you are assessed and what you receive
Assessment covers a written knowledge test and a practical, where the learner erects, uses and dismantles a section of access scaffolding under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 263245, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
Scaffolding collapses and falls from scaffolding are among the most common serious incidents in South African construction, which is why the Construction Regulations treat scaffold work as a controlled activity. The certificate is what a client safety officer asks for before a scaffold goes up. Learners can download it from the Fundza portal at any time.
Duration, dates and fees
| Option | Duration | Fee | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full course | 2 Days | R1,045 | First-time certification |
On-site delivery at your own operation is available and is usually the better option for a crew, because the practical work is done on the scaffold system your own teams use. For group bookings, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based.
Where and how the training runs
Training runs at the Fundza Training Institute centre in Mokopane, and on site at your own operation. On-site delivery is generally better for a crew, since scaffold systems differ between suppliers and the training is more useful on the one they build with. For a group booking, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.
Scaffold erector and scaffold inspector: how they differ
| Scaffolding (this course) | Scaffold tower erector and inspector | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Erecting, using and dismantling access scaffolding | Inspecting and signing off erected scaffolding |
| Unit standard | SAQA 263245 | SAQA 263205 |
| Duration | 2 days | 5 days |
| Prerequisite | None recorded | Erect, use and dismantle at NQF Level 3 |
Erecting scaffolding and inspecting it are two separate competencies with two separate unit standards. A person who can erect scaffolding is not, by that fact, qualified to inspect it.
Where this course can take you
Scaffolding is the entry point to the height stack at Fundza. The natural next step is the Scaffold Tower Erector and Inspector programme, and most scaffolders also hold Working at Heights. Browse the full Construction Trainings range.
Enquire about this course
Tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.