Norms and regulations scaffolding

Change to EN 1004 – New Regulations for Mobile Scaffolds and Foldable Scaffolds

At the end of 2021, the updated EN 1004 standard came into effect. This standard applies to mobile scaffolds and room scaffolds and has been revised in several areas. One important change is that the standard now also applies to scaffolds with a working height below 2.50 metres. In addition, various technical modifications have been introduced.

Key changes

The most significant change concerns the permitted distances between platforms.

• The maximum distance between the ground and the first platform has been reduced from 4.60 metres to 3.40 metres.

• The distance between two platforms is now 2.25 metres instead of 4.20 metres.

Small mobile scaffolds — the so-called foldable scaffolds — also now fall under the new standard. This means that folding and room scaffolds must now also be equipped with stabilisers and guardrails.

What does this mean in practice?

When a mobile scaffold is assembled using advance guardrails, only the distance to the first platform needs to be checked. To comply with EN 1004, it may be necessary to add an extra platform.

Scaffolds that are still assembled with only traditional braces no longer comply with the standard. The updated regulation requires that the correct platform distances are used and that workers may no longer stand on a platform without proper protection.

A folding scaffold can be easily upgraded to meet the new requirements by adding one horizontal brace and four small stabilisers.

Must existing scaffold materials be replaced immediately?

No, existing scaffolds may continue to be used, as they complied with the standards in force at the time. However, the updated EN 1004 improves safety, partly due to the reduced distances between platforms. By adding a horizontal brace and four stabilisers to folding scaffolds, the risk of tipping is significantly reduced, further enhancing user safety.

Nevertheless, from a safety perspective, it is advisable to upgrade your existing scaffolds to meet the latest EN 1004 requirements. Would you like to adapt your current mobile scaffold to comply with current regulations? Simply order additional scaffolding parts.