Ad
Sunday, July 6, 2025
17.2 C
London

The Voice of Scaffolding Since 2008  |  U.K. Edition

Falling scaffold tube kills smoking worker

- Advertisement -

 

A Coroners Court heard how a  scaffold tube fell like a ballistic missile before killing a worker on his smoke break.

The luxury Lancasters development where Mr Dochev was killed

On August 6, 2010, Anton Dochev, 54, was sitting in the smoking area of the £ 100million Lancasters development in Bayswater, London while scaffolding was being dismantled above him.

The ham & high has reported details of an inquest into Anton death heard that the location of the smoking area and the lack of protection had been raised many times with site management.

Scaffolding supervisor Anthony Crow said: “To put a smoking area under scaffolding, which is a busy site and is being dismantled, is not a good idea.”

He said he had regularly raised the issue at formal health and safety meetings, but the “concerns fell on deaf ears”.

On the day of the tragedy, two “vastly experienced” scaffolders were set the task of dismantling a section of redundent scaffolding.

One of the scaffolders undid a fitting attached to the scaffold tube which then “went like a bullet”, ricocheted off another section and fell to the floor “like a ballistic missile”.

Site safety manager Paul Westie told the court the smoking area was moved after the accident because “it was disrespectful to the deceased to keep it there and the site had moved on and the area needed to be opened up for construction”.

But he claimed precautions at the time of Mr Dochev’s death were “reasonable and appropriate”.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Andrew East, who was brought in to independently review the site after the incident, told the court the incident “could not have been reasonably foreseen”.

He added: “If I had been there before the accident I do not think I would have said there was a problem.”

in summing up HM Coroner Fiona Wilcox said:

“A risk of falling objects in the smoking area was identified and communicated prior to the accident. Alternative options included moving the smoking area, covering it with protective measures, or closing it off during scaffolding work but no action was taken.”

The cause of death was given as an accident.

- Advertisement -

Popular this week >

South Molton Scaffolding Delivers Complex Temporary Roof Project

South Molton Scaffolding Ltd has successfully completed a technically...

PERI Showcases Rail Access Innovation at Rail Live UK

Scaffolding and formwork expert PERI has showcased its latest...

Palmers Scaffolding Hits One Million Hours Without a Lost Time Incident

The milestone has been hailed as a major safety...

Lindsey Oil Refinery Enters Liquidation

One of the UK’s major oil refineries has gone...

Enigma Expands in Aberdeen with Major Investment in New Premises

National scaffolding and industrial services provider Enigma Industrial Services...
- Advertisements -

Related Articles >

Scaffolder Dies After Fall at Hong Kong Site Despite Wearing Safety Harness

A 62-year-old scaffolder has died after falling from a construction site in Hong Kong, prompting an investigation by authorities. The scaffolder was working at a site in Fanling, a residential and industrial area in...

Latest Topics

Enigma Expands in Aberdeen with Major Investment in New Premises

National scaffolding and industrial services provider Enigma Industrial Services...

Palmers Scaffolding Hits One Million Hours Without a Lost Time Incident

The milestone has been hailed as a major safety...

Kirtanlal Partners with Leach’s to Raise Middle East Safety Standards

Kirtanlal Scaffolding & Formwork has announced an exclusive partnership...

PERI Showcases Rail Access Innovation at Rail Live UK

Scaffolding and formwork expert PERI has showcased its latest...
- Advertisement -

Popular Categories