Scaffold Tag Systems
Many sites hang a tag at the access point of every scaffold to show whether it has been inspected and whether it’s safe to use. OSHA doesn’t require tags, but it does require a competent person to inspect scaffolds before each shift, and tags are a common way to show that it was done.
- Construction
- General Industry
Photo: green scaffold tag in a holder at the ladder access, signed and dated
Common tag colors
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | Inspected and complete. Safe for use within its rated load. |
| Yellow | Modified or incomplete. Use only with the special precautions written on the tag, often personal fall arrest. |
| Red | Do not use. Being erected, dismantled, or found unsafe. Only scaffold builders may go on it. |
Tag colors and wording vary by company. Learn your site’s system during orientation.
What a good tag shows
- Scaffold location or number
- Date and time of the last inspection
- Name and signature of the competent person
- Maximum intended load or duty rating
- Any restrictions or required PPE (yellow tags)
Before you climb
- Check the tag: right color, today’s inspection, and any restrictions.
- Do your own quick look: guardrails, full planking, access, base plates and mudsills, no obvious damage.
- Stay off any scaffold with no tag, a red tag, or an out-of-date tag.
- Report any changes you notice, like missing planks or guardrails.
- Don’t remove or change guardrails, planks, ties or braces yourself. Only authorized scaffold workers may modify a scaffold, and it must be reinspected afterward.
- Don’t sign or move a tag unless you’re the authorized competent person.
A tag isn’t a guarantee. Conditions change during the day: weather, impacts from equipment, and other trades removing parts. OSHA also requires reinspection after any occurrence that could affect structural integrity. See Scaffold Basics.
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1926.451(f)(3): Competent person inspection before each work shift
- See also: Frame Scaffolds
Last updated: