Scaffolding information
Scaffold Lights
If your scaffold stands on or over a public highway – and that includes the pavement – lighting it after dark isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a condition of the licence that let you put the scaffold there in the first place.
When scaffolding must be lit
A scaffold on the public highway needs a licence from the local authority, and highway licences carry standard conditions: the structure must be guarded, signed and lit during the hours of darkness so that pedestrians and drivers can see the obstruction. An unlit scaffold that injures a passer-by at night is about as clear-cut as liability claims get – and breaching your licence conditions is exactly the kind of detail an insurer will examine when deciding whether a claim is covered.
On private land there’s no licence requirement, but the duty of care doesn’t switch off at the boundary line. If people can reasonably be expected to pass the structure in darkness – shared access ways, car parks, footpaths – lighting it remains the sensible, defensible choice.
What scaffold lighting looks like
The standard fitting is a red warning lamp fixed to the standards at pedestrian and driver eye level, typically on every standard facing the highway and at each end of the structure. Modern units are LED, weatherproof, and switch themselves on at dusk via a photocell, running for months on a single set of batteries. Older festoon-style strings still exist but need a power supply and are far more vulnerable to damage and theft.
- Photocell LED lamps – self-contained, dusk-to-dawn, the default choice for licensed scaffolds
- Flashing beacons – sometimes specified where the scaffold encroaches on a carriageway
- Walkway lighting – where the public passes through a scaffold tunnel or gantry, the route itself must be lit, not just the outside
Getting it right
Check your licence for the exact lighting condition – some authorities specify lamp spacing and mounting height. Position lamps where they can’t be reached and unclipped from the ground, check them as part of the regular scaffold inspection described in our safety guide, and replace batteries before they fade rather than after. It’s a small line on the job sheet that removes one of the easiest negligence arguments anyone could make against you. Lighting also works alongside scaffold alarms: a lit scaffold is a harder target, and a monitored one is harder still.
Scaffold lighting FAQs
Is it a legal requirement to light scaffolding at night?
On or over the public highway, yes – it’s a standard condition of the highway licence covered in our regulations guide. On private land there’s no licence condition, but the duty of care to anyone passing in darkness remains.
What colour should scaffold warning lights be?
Red is the convention for marking an obstruction on the highway – steady red lamps at pedestrian and driver eye level, with flashing beacons sometimes specified where the scaffold encroaches further into the carriageway.
How long do battery scaffold lamps last?
Modern photocell LED units typically run for months on a battery set because they only draw power in darkness. Treat the manufacturer’s figure as a ceiling, check lamps at every scaffold inspection, and change batteries on schedule rather than on failure.
Lit up and covered
Licence conditions met, lamps on – now make sure your public liability cover is equally in order.