Wind limits checker
The commonly used stop-work wind speeds for MEWPs, scaffolds, cranes, roof work, ladders and hoardings — in mph, m/s and Beaufort, with sight cues to judge by eye. Enter today's wind to see what should stop, and print a wind action card for the cabin.
Free to use — no signup; everything stays in your browser. Use as a planning aid, then review against the actual site.
Instant verdict
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Today's wind (optional)
Enter the forecast or measured wind to highlight which activities should stop. Use the mean from a handheld anemometer where you can — and remember a gust can be half again as strong.
How it looks on site — Beaufort cues
No anemometer? Judge by what you can see. Most height work gets risky from a fresh breeze (Beaufort 5) up.
| Force | mph | m/s | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Gentle breeze | 8–12 | 3.4–5.4 | Leaves and twigs in constant motion; a light flag extends. |
| 4 Moderate breeze | 13–18 | 5.5–7.9 | Dust and loose paper lift; small branches move. |
| 5 Fresh breeze | 19–24 | 8.0–10.7 | Small leafy trees sway; crests form on water; you feel it pushing you. |
| 6 Strong breeze | 25–31 | 10.8–13.8 | Large branches sway; umbrellas hard to use; wires whistle. |
| 7 Near gale | 32–38 | 13.9–17.1 | Whole trees in motion; effort needed to walk into the wind. |
| 8 Gale | 39–46 | 17.2–20.7 | Twigs break off trees; very hard to walk; loose materials become missiles. |
Stop-work wind limits by activity
Commonly used planning figures. The manufacturer's handbook, the appointed person and the temporary works designer always govern — and gusts matter more than the mean.
- MEWP / cherry picker (boom or scissor)28 mph12.5 m/s · B6
Stop and bring the platform down. 12.5 m/s (28 mph) is the common maximum, but many machines are rated lower — read the data plate.
Governed by the machine's data plate and operator handbook. Large boards or sheets held at height create a sail and lower the safe limit further.
- Scaffold work at height (tube & fitting / system)17 mph7.6 m/s · B5
Stop active work at height around 17 mph. A properly erected and tied scaffold is generally stable in winds up to about 25 mph, but the people on it are not.
Governed by the scaffold design and the site temporary works arrangements. Inspect the scaffold and ties after any gale before it is used again.
- Mobile tower scaffold (PASMA)17 mph7.6 m/s · B4
Cease work and reduce the tower height at a 17 mph mean wind. Tie the tower to a rigid structure if 25 mph is likely; dismantle it if 40 mph is likely.
Governed by the tower instructions and PASMA guidance. Never move a tower in strong or gusty wind, and never sheet a tower unless it is designed for it.
- Roof sheeting / cladding / fragile-roof work17 mph7.6 m/s · B5
Stop handling large sheets and cladding panels around 17 mph — a sheet acts like a sail and can pull a worker off balance. The NFRC recommends roofing work cease by about 23 mph.
Governed by the manufacturer's handling guidance and the roof work method statement. Fragile-roof and edge risks make this the lowest practical limit on site — gusts decide it.
- Crane lifting / lifting operations22 mph9.8 m/s · B5
Many cranes quote about 9.8 m/s (22 mph) in-service wind, but the lift plan and the crane's load/wind chart govern — and large-area loads derate it sharply. Stop the lift if the limit in the plan is reached.
Governed by the lift plan, the appointed person and the crane's wind chart. All lifting typically stops by 38-40 mph regardless. Confirm load weight, rigging and exclusion zone before every lift.
- Ladder / step ladder work20 mph9 m/s · B5
Avoid ladder work in strong or gusty wind — by around 20 mph a ladder is hard to control. Use a more stable means of access, or wait for the wind to drop.
Governed by the user's judgement and the task risk assessment.
- Hoarding / temporary works (inspect after gales)38 mph17 m/s · B8
Hoardings and temporary works are designed to a wind load, but a gale (around Beaufort 8, ~38 mph) is the trigger to inspect them afterwards for movement, damage or loosened fixings before the area is reopened.
Governed by the temporary works designer and the inspection regime. Loose materials, scaffold sheeting and stacked panels become missiles in a gale — secure or remove them.
Rules & data last reviewed 6 June 2026. Figures collated from IPAF (MEWPs), PASMA (towers), NASC scaffold guidance, NFRC (roofing) and HSE LOLER/MEWP guidance. They are planning defaults only — the relevant handbook, appointed person or temporary works designer sets the actual limit.
When does wind stop site work?
Wind is one of the most common reasons work at height and lifting operations have to stop, and one of the easiest to misjudge. There is no single legal number — the right limit depends on the task, the equipment and the load. This tool collects the figures the industry uses for planning so a supervisor can make a quick, defensible call, and an optional forecast input highlights which activities should stop at a given wind speed.
The figures are planning defaults, not the law
The most important point: these are commonly used planning figures. For any piece of plant, the manufacturer's handbook governs; for a lift, the appointed person and the lift plan govern; for a scaffold or hoarding, the temporary works designer governs. Where guidance simply says “the manufacturer's limit”, this tool gives the value most machines use as a default and says so. Always check the data plate and the method statement against the figure here.
Gusts matter more than the mean
Wind speed is usually quoted as a mean, but it is the gusts that overturn platforms and snatch sheets out of hands. A gust can be half again as strong as the mean, so a 20 mph mean can carry 30 mph gusts. Measure with a handheld anemometer where you can, and treat the limits below as the point to stop on the mean — not a target to work up to.
The activities and why their limits differ
- MEWPs — 12.5 m/s (28 mph), Beaufort 6, is the figure IPAF and most machines use, but scissor lifts and some booms are rated lower. The data plate is the authority.
- Scaffolds and tower scaffolds — active work at height commonly stops around 17 mph (Beaufort 4–5). A tied scaffold stays stable higher, but the people on it do not. PASMA towers should be tied if 25 mph is likely and dismantled if 40 mph is likely.
- Roof sheeting and cladding — large sheets behave like sails, so handling them becomes dangerous well below the general limits, commonly around 17 mph; the NFRC recommends roofing work cease by about 23 mph. Fragile-roof and edge risks push this lower still.
- Crane lifting — many cranes quote about 9.8 m/s in-service wind, but the lift plan and the crane's wind chart govern, and a large-area load derates the limit sharply.
- Ladders and hoardings — ladder work becomes hard to control by around 20 mph; hoardings and temporary works should be inspected after any gale before the area is reopened.
Sources: IPAF guidance on MEWP wind limits; PASMA mobile-tower guidance; NASC scaffold guidance; the National Federation of Roofing Contractors on roofing in high winds; HSE's MEWP guidance and LOLER 1998 ACOP (L113); and the standard Beaufort wind scale.
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