Footway boards may only be used on footways to maintain foot and light vehicle access during excavation works. They must not be used on the carriageway.
Footway boards used for bridging excavations:
- must extend the full width of any temporary footway;
- must be strong enough to support pedestrians and mobility scooters and, where light vehicle access is needed, the weight of those vehicles;
- must be made from material that is unlikely to become distorted;
- must cover the whole width of any vehicle crossover;
- must have chamfered edges to prevent tripping;
- should have a slip-resistant surface;
- must be rigidly fixed with sufficient length on either side of the excavation to provide the necessary support. On non-bitumastic surfaces, the use of bitumastic material should be avoided, as the surfacing will be affected after works are completed;
- must only be used where the sides of the excavation under the boards are stable or suitably supported; and
- must be fenced to prevent falls where the edges of the boards are adjacent to an excavation.
