What Is the NASC?
Definition: The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) is the national trade body for access and scaffolding in the United Kingdom. It represents scaffolding contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, and related companies, and develops industry guidance on scaffold design, safety, and good practice. A company listed with this qualification is an NASC member.
The NASC is best known for its technical and safety guidance, which is widely referenced across the UK construction industry. TG20 provides the industry's guidance on good practice for tube and fitting scaffolding, including compliant designs for common scaffold configurations. SG4 provides guidance on preventing falls in scaffolding, including the advance guardrail approach used during erection and dismantling. NASC also publishes guidance on topics such as inspection, ties, and scaffold safety.
NASC contractor members are independently audited to confirm they meet the confederation's standards for safety, training, and competence, and members commit to employing trained scaffolders, typically holding cards under the UK's CISRS scaffolder training scheme. For owners and principal contractors, NASC membership is a widely recognized indicator of a competent scaffolding contractor. Through Scaffold Exchange, you can find NASC member companies for your project.
What NASC Membership Signals
NASC membership is associated with the following standards and resources.
TG20 Technical Guidance
Industry guidance for tube and fitting scaffolding, including compliant designs for common configurations.
SG4 Fall Prevention
Guidance on preventing falls during scaffold erection, alteration, and dismantling, including advance guardrails.
Independent Member Audits
Contractor members are audited to verify safety management, training, and competence standards.
Trained Scaffolders
Members employ scaffolders trained under recognized UK schemes, typically holding CISRS cards.
Industry Voice
Representation of the access and scaffolding sector with UK regulators and the wider construction industry.
When NASC Membership Matters
NASC membership is especially relevant in situations such as the following.
UK construction and refurbishment projects
Principal contractor prequalification
Public sector and infrastructure work
Tube and fitting scaffold designs
Industrial and energy facilities
Projects requiring CISRS-trained scaffolders
International projects using UK standards
Companies benchmarking against UK practice
How NASC Membership Compares to Other Qualifications
Association membership is one way to evaluate a scaffold provider. Here is how NASC compares to related memberships and qualifications.
North American industry association
- U.S., Canada, and Mexico members
- SAIA University training
- Works with OSHA and ANSI
- Best for North American projects
Canadian access association
- Canadian scaffold and access companies
- Provincial regulations and CSA standards
- Industry voice in Canada
- Best for Canadian projects
UK scaffolding trade body
- Publishes TG20 and SG4 guidance
- Independently audited members
- CISRS-trained scaffolders
- Best for UK projects and standards
Credentialed scaffold crews
- Crews hold recognized certifications
- Applies to individual workers
- Training and experience documented
- Best for verifying builder skill
Scaffold status tagging
- Tags show whether a scaffold is safe to use
- Supports regular inspection
- Focuses on the scaffold itself
- Best for jobsite safety communication
Find NASC Member Companies
Use the Scaffold Exchange map to search by location, filter by qualification, and connect directly with scaffold contractors and suppliers that are members of the National Access & Scaffolding Confederation.
UK Safety Regulations & Standards
In Great Britain, scaffolding work is governed by the Work at Height Regulations 2005, enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The regulations require work at height to be properly planned, supervised, and carried out by competent people, with scaffolds inspected after installation, at regular intervals, and after events that could affect their stability. NASC guidance such as TG20 and SG4 helps contractors meet these duties in practice. Companies working in the United States must also meet OSHA's scaffold standards.
- Work at height planned and supervised
- Scaffolds erected by competent, trained scaffolders
- Designs follow TG20 or a bespoke design
- Falls prevented during erection per SG4
- Scaffolds inspected and inspections recorded
- OSHA standards met on U.S. projects