Woman in scaffolding association launches

The Women in Scaffolding Association (WiSA) will officially launch on 10 October, marking a defining moment for the UK scaffolding sector.

According to the Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS), there are over 60,000 registered CISRS cardholders across the UK. Yet, data shared by the National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) suggests that only around a dozen are women currently working as qualified scaffolders. WiSA aims to change that.

Founded by Emerantia Claassen, Managing Director of ICE Scaffolding and Glyntree, WiSA was established to support and connect women scaffolders, female-owned scaffolding companies, and SMEs involved in the industry.

The association provides a platform for mentorship, visibility, and professional development, while promoting excellence and safety across all scaffolding disciplines. Claassen said, “For too long, the image of scaffolding has been limited to one type of worker.

The truth is scaffolding is about skill, precision, teamwork, and integrity, qualities not defined by gender. WiSA was born out of the desire to create space for women who are already excelling in this trade, and for those who aspire to enter it.

It’s not about tokenism or diversity metrics, it’s about merit, opportunity, and a shared standard of excellence.

My hope is that WiSA will become a home for women in scaffolding — a network that supports, equips, and celebrates them while contributing meaningfully to the future of our industry.”