HSE Alert on Unsafe Scaffolding Crisis in Construction Projects; Urgent Need for Revised Working-at-Height Standards and Regulatory Audits

Following an alarming rise in occupational accidents related to working at heights, the National Trade Union of Construction Workers has issued an urgent call emphasizing the necessity of upgrading Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) indicators. The union described the use of obsolete and sub-standard traditional scaffolding as a critical hazard to the construction industry’s human capital, demanding immediate intervention from the National Standards Organization and labor safety inspectors.

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According to the Labor Workforce Safety and Health News Agency (citing ILNA), the safety conditions across construction sites and the widespread failure to comply with occupational technical safety regulations have once again sparked strong reactions from labor representatives and safety officials. Statistical HSE reports consistently identify falls from height as a leading cause of fatalities and permanent disabilities in domestic construction projects, with a major portion directly linked to defective and non-compliant scaffolding structures.

Meysam Zolqi, Head of the National Trade Union of Construction Workers, outlined the operational risks and systemic shortcomings in HSE enforcement:

“A significant share of fatal construction accidents stems from the deployment of outdated scaffolding systems, corroded tubes, and non-certified couplers. Although modern, certified modular scaffolding systems have been available in the domestic market for years, the absence of mandatory regulatory enforcement and sufficient oversight has led to the persistent use of degraded, traditional scaffolding equipment across both private and large-scale projects.”

Key HSE and Structural Safety Challenges in Construction Projects

Highlighting gaps in safety management system implementation, the union head pointed out:

1. Absence of Periodic Inspections and Scaffold Tagging: In numerous worksites, comprehensive risk assessments prior to erection, as well as routine weekly inspections (or post-weather-event audits) by certified HSE officers, are neglected.
2. Deficiencies in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Integration: A lack of synchronization between scaffolding structures, certified horizontal lifelines, and full-body safety harnesses significantly increases worker vulnerability.
3. Lack of Certified Competence: Scaffolding assembly and dismantling are frequently conducted by unqualified workers who lack verified technical certifications.

Core Demands and Directives for Regulatory Bodies

Emphasizing the necessity of coordinated action among the Iranian National Standardization Organization (INSO), the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, and the Construction Engineering Disciplinary Organization, Zolqi urged the following measures:

• Mandatory Manufacturing and Material Standards: Establishing rigorous quality criteria for the production of steel clamps, base jacks, and structural bracing, along with the immediate decommissioning of corroded and fatigued components.
• Updating Chapter 12 of the National Building Regulations: Revising work-at-height guidelines to mandate the systematic phasing out of traditional scaffolding in favor of certified modular systems.
• Rigorous Field Audits and Unannounced HSE Inspections: Intensifying joint site inspections by labor inspectors and supervising engineers, coupled with immediate “Stop Work Orders” for worksites failing technical scaffolding compliance.

HSE Conclusion

The Head of the National Trade Union of Construction Workers concluded:

“Construction workers represent the most valuable asset in the nation’s infrastructural development. Safeguarding their lives and health is not an optional preference, but a non-negotiable imperative in safety engineering and corporate social responsibility. Implementing strict HSE requirements across this sector must be treated as an utmost priority by all governing authorities.”