Access deck with ladder (hatch deck)
A platform unit with a hinged hatch and a ladder underneath that lets workers climb inside the scaffold from one lift to the next.
Also called: hatch deck, trapdoor deck, ladder deck, access platform with ladder
Everyone on a scaffold has to get up and down somehow, and climbing frames or braces is not allowed. The access deck is the simplest answer: a platform unit with a hinged hatch, below which a ladder leads to the next lift. In the access bay it takes the place of an ordinary deck, so people climb inside the scaffold without an extra bay in front of the facade. With the hatch closed, you walk over it like any other deck.
Design and sizes
The unit is a frame, usually aluminium, with a plywood or aluminium deck. In it sits an opening with a lid that one person can pass through comfortably. Typical width is about 0.60 m, so on a 0.73 m scaffold a narrow deck completes the bay, and on a 1.09 m bricklaying scaffold more decks go alongside. Lengths match the bays, mainly 2.57 m and 3.07 m.
Many hatch decks have a ladder fixed underneath; others take a separate scaffold ladder that is hooked in. Note that access decks usually carry less than full decks: load class 3 is typical, some reach class 4. Heavy material should not be stored in the access bay.
Building the access bay
- Choose the access bay and offset the hatches from lift to lift, so that nobody can fall through several levels.
- Provide a safe start at the bottom: depending on the system, a deck just above the base jacks or a securely standing first ladder.
- Hook in the access deck like a normal deck, point the ladder the right way and engage it.
- Close the rest of the bay with matching decks and test the hatch: it must open easily and shut fully.
- Tie the access bay as the instructions require, often at least every second lift.
On dismantling, the hatch decks come out from the top down, so there is always a safe way down.
Ladder bay or stair tower?
An internal ladder bay is quick to build and needs no extra space, which suits short trips and small crews. If people carry buckets and tools up all day, the crew is large or the scaffold is tall, a stair tower is the better choice, and the risk assessment often calls for one. Our guide to scaffold access compares both.
Checks and typical faults
- Hatch left open: it is opened only to climb through and shut straight afterwards. An open hatch is a trap for anyone stepping backwards with material.
- Nothing on the lid: material on the hatch blocks the way down and strains the hinges.
- Hinges, stops, ladder rungs, stiles and hooks: no play, no deformation, no cracks.
- Plywood: watch for moisture damage and delamination.
When buying used, open and close the hatch several times, unfold the ladder and look at the end fittings. A distorted frame no longer closes cleanly. Used units are listed with decks and boards.