Edge Protection vs Scaffolding: What Do You Actually Need?

Ring around for a scaffold and you will often end up with a quote for something bigger than your job needs. Edge protection and scaffolding are two different bits of kit, built for two different problems. Here is how to work out which one your roof job calls for, before you start getting prices.

What edge protection actually is

Edge protection is a temporary guardrail that runs around the edge of a roof. Posts, a top rail, a mid rail and a toeboard, fixed to the fascia or to the roof itself, standing about waist height above the spouting.

It has one job. It stops people and gear going over the edge. On roof work that is where the risk sits, so that is where the barrier goes.

It is not somewhere to stand. Your crew works on the roof as normal, and the rail is there to catch the mistake nobody planned on making.

What a full scaffold is

A scaffold is a structure that builds up from the ground alongside the building, with boarded platforms at each level. It gives your crew somewhere to stand, somewhere to land their gear, and safe access to the walls at every height.

That is a much bigger build. More components on the truck, more time putting it up and taking it down, and more ground taken up around the house. Worth it when the job needs it, and overkill when it does not.

So which one does my job need?

One question sorts most of it. Where is your crew standing while they work?

Standing on the roof, you want edge protection

Re-roofs, roof repairs, spouting replacement, solar installs, roof inspections, moss and mould treatment, chimney work from above. The work happens on the roof surface, so a guardrail around the perimeter is the control that fits.

Standing against the wall, you want a scaffold

Recladding, weatherboard repairs, window replacement, exterior plastering, painting below the roofline. Your crew needs a platform to work from at height, and edge protection does not give them one.

Sometimes you want both

A re-clad and a re-roof running at the same time is the common one. The scaffold handles the walls and the edge protection handles the roofline. Worth sorting early so the two do not clash on site.

Why the difference shows up on your quote

Edge protection uses less gear and takes less time on site than a scaffold on the same building, so it costs less. That is the whole reason the distinction is worth knowing about.

If you have been quoted a full scaffold for a straight re-roof, it is worth asking whether edge protection would do the job. Sometimes there is a good reason it will not. Often there is not, and the number changes.

It runs the other way too. If someone has quoted edge protection for a job where the painter needs to reach the weatherboards, that will not work, and you will be paying twice to put it right.

Does edge protection meet the rules?

Falls from height are one of the things WorkSafe watches most closely on New Zealand building sites, and a roof edge does not need to be very high to do serious damage.

Edge protection is a recognised control for that risk, and WorkSafe publishes guidance on it. It is a physical barrier, which sits higher in the hierarchy of controls than a harness, because it keeps working whether or not the person on the roof remembers to clip on.

We install it ourselves and keep our health and safety records in EZICHEQ, so if a main contractor wants documentation before your crew starts, it is there.

How it works with us

We drop the gear off, put it up, and leave it there while your trade gets on with the work. When they are finished we come back, strip it out and cart it away. You never store it and you never touch it.

We cover Whangārei and Northland, up through the Bay of Islands and the Far North, and down through Rodney to the North Shore. Our yard is on Kamo Road in Te Kamo.

Frequently asked questions

Is edge protection the same as scaffolding?

No. Both are temporary height safety gear, but they solve different problems. A scaffold gives your crew a working platform up the side of a building. Edge protection gives you a guardrail along the roofline. Different jobs, and a very different amount of gear.

Do you do full scaffolding as well?

No. Edge protection is what we do, and we would rather say so up front than put something on your site that is not right for the job. If your job genuinely needs a full scaffold, we will tell you.

Can I just use a harness instead?

A harness is the last line of defence, and it only works if it is worn, clipped on, and anchored to something rated to hold a fall. A guardrail protects everyone on the roof the whole time, without anyone having to remember anything. On most roof work that makes edge protection the better control, and often the one the main contractor wants to see.

How long does it take to install?

It depends on the size and shape of the roof and how easy the site is to get around. A straightforward single storey home is a short job. Complicated rooflines, tight access and two storey homes take longer. We will tell you when we quote.

Do I need a building consent for edge protection?

No. It is temporary gear that comes off when the work is finished, so there is no consent involved.

Who is responsible for arranging it?

Whoever is in control of the site, which on most residential jobs is the main contractor or the roofer. If you are a homeowner booking trades directly, ask each of them what they have organised for height safety. Assuming someone else has sorted it is how jobs come unstuck.

What does edge protection cost?

It depends on the size and height of the roof, how long you need it up, and where the job is. What we can tell you is that it is consistently cheaper than a full scaffold on the same building. Send us the address and what is happening on the roof and we will price it properly.