TG20 Operational Guide - Guide to Good Practice for Tube and Fitting Scaffolding

Oct 29, 2026

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TG20 is a guide to good practice for tube and fitting scaffolding, acting as an unofficial code of practice for construction, use and maintenance. It is used by constructors, inspectors, health and safety professionals, and those procuring, supplying or managing scaffolding. TG20 supports compliance with the Work at Height Regulations 2005 by covering strength and stability through generally recognised standard configurations. The TG20 eGuide software helps produce compliance sheets accepted by HSE and designed to BS EN 12811.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

What is TG20?

Why is TG20 needed?

Features of TG20

What is a compliance sheet?

Typical compliance sheet designs

Compliance sheet designs for commonly used scaffolds

Key features: Three inside boards

Key features: Rakers

TG20 Operational Guide What is TG20? • TG20 is a guide to good practice for tube and fitting scaffolding. • TG20 has become the ‘unofficial code of practice’ for tube and fitting scaffolding and provides comprehensive guidance for construction, use and maintenance. • TG20 is used by constructors, inspectors, health and safety professionals and all who procure, supply or manage scaffolding. • The TG20 suite of documents consists of: o Operational Guide o eGuide o Design Guide o User Guide (A6 Pocket-sized booklet) Why is TG20 needed? The Work at Height Regulations 2005 state that: “Strength and stability calculations for scaffolding shall be carried out unless [...] it is assembled in conformity with a generally recognised standard configuration.” Essentially, this means that all scaffolding needs to be designed. The TG20 eGuide provides innovative software which can be used to produce‘compliance sheets’ for most commonly used scaffolds. These form ‘generally recognised standard configurations’ which are accepted by the HSE and have been designed to BS EN 12811. Features of TG20:21: • All guidance documents have been reviewed and significantly revised. • TG20 is available online in the NASC ePortal. • Can be accessed via a web browser on most devices • The TG20 Operational Guide and TG20 Design Guide are available in both physical and digital copies. What is a compliance sheet? A ‘TG20 compliance sheet’, contains all information necessary to construct the specified scaffold. Please note that either an applicable TG20 compliance sheet or a bespoke design drawing should be available for every scaffold. Typical compliance sheet (front) Typical compliance sheet (back) Compliance sheet designs The range of commonly used scaffolds for which compliance sheets can be produced includes: • Independent tied scaffolds with up to 3 inside boards • Part boarded Independents • Bridging in independents • Putlog scaffolds • Internal and external birdcages • Loading bays (with and without prefabricated beams) 8 or 10 boards wide • Static and mobile towers • Tied towers • Lift shaft towers • Chimney stack scaffolds Key features: Three inside boards • Compliance sheets may include independent scaffolds with 3 inside boards. • Although the board bearing transoms are not overloaded, a certain amount of deflection of the working platform may be experienced. • If the deflection is considered to be excessive, it may be counteracted by providing the board-bearing transoms in adjacent pairs. • Alternatively, this may also be achieved by using proprietary transom units or by fitting an assembly of rakers to support the free ends of the transoms. Key features: Rakers Rakers may be used in the following circumstances: • In place of ties for unclad independents up to 6.0m high, provided that transoms are also butted to existing façade. • Rakers may be used in place of ties at the first or second lift if the tie duty doesn’t exceed 2.7kN (see compliance sheet) . The remaining lifts must be tied as usual. • To stabilise single lift scaffolds. Rakers and butting structural transoms are required at alternate standards connected with right angle couplers.

FAQs

What does TG20 cover for tube and fitting scaffolding?

TG20 provides comprehensive guidance for construction, use, and maintenance of tube and fitting scaffolding, serving as an unofficial code of practice.

Why is TG20 needed under UK regulations?

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require strength and stability calculations unless scaffolding is assembled to a generally recognised standard configuration, so TG20 helps meet that expectation by supporting standard configurations.

What is included in a TG20 compliance sheet?

A TG20 compliance sheet contains all information necessary to construct the specified scaffold, and an applicable compliance sheet or a bespoke design drawing should be available for every scaffold.

Oct 29, 2026

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