Lightweight Dynamic Plate Load Testing (LWD) is becoming one of the most important checks before installing scaffolding around existing buildings. In London, where access is tight, ground conditions vary, and many structures sit on old or unknown foundations, knowing whether the soil can take scaffold loads is essential. The LWD provides this answer in minutes.

The test uses a portable device with a loading plate and a falling weight to measure soil stiffness (Evd). This indicates how much the ground will deflect under load — a direct measure of whether it can safely support scaffold standards, temporary towers, hoarding posts, cabins or MEWPs. Because the device is light, non-intrusive and works in small spaces, it can be used right up against façades, retaining walls, narrow strips of land and heritage buildings where intrusive testing isn’t permitted.

 

image: constructionmagazine.uk

For scaffolding contractors and temporary works designers, LWD results give immediate clarity. They show if the ground can support base plates as is, or if additional measures are needed: larger sole boards, pads, ballast or ground improvement. Without this information, scaffold crews risk unexpected settlement, leaning, instability or complete refusal of the ground — all of which can delay work or create safety hazards. A simple five-minute test prevents this.

The images above are typical examples: narrow ground next to old brick buildings, shallow soils along retaining walls, small excavations beside public structures and urban sites with unknown backfill. These locations are exactly where LWD testing is most valuable. It provides a safe, fast and accurate assessment in places where heavier equipment cannot reach and where the cost of uncertainty is high.

As the Building Safety Act pushes the industry toward stronger temporary works accountability, more designers now insist on ground verification before issuing scaffold designs. LWD test data supports that responsibility. It is quick, traceable, repeatable and suitable for UKAS-accredited reporting when required, giving clients and contractors confidence that scaffold foundations are supported by real evidence instead of assumptions.

Lightweight Drop Testing is now a practical, modern safeguard for projects across London. It protects people, protects buildings and prevents delays — a small test that makes a major difference to the safety and reliability of scaffolding installations.