A scaffolding company has been fined after an inexperienced 18-year-old apprentice broke his back when he fell more than three metres.
Kidderminster magistrates heard today that the trainee, who has asked not to be named, was working for Halesowen based Harris Scaffolding Limited on a construction site in Stourport on 16 November 2011.
The firm had been called back to the site to make modifications to the scaffold it had put up two months earlier.
The changes were needed to provide roofers with working platforms at each corner of the scaffold so they could install rainwater downpipes.
The teenage worker, who had signed up to a scaffolding apprentice programme just five weeks earlier, was carrying out the necessary alterations when he fell nearly three-and-a half metres to the ground below. He fractured two vertebrae and was off work and in a back brace for three months.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the apprentice was allowed to work unsupervised in areas of scaffold with no boards or guardrails and without a harness.
At times he stood on single-width scaffold boards or directly on tubing and gained access to work areas from an unsuitable ladder and by climbing up the outside of the scaffold.
HSE said the work had not been adequately planned, supervised or carried out in a safe manner.
A more experienced colleague had been sent to work with him but he had not carried out any scaffold construction work for some 15 years and had not had any refresher training in that time.
The investigation also found that Harris Scaffolding Ltd had not followed its own risk assessment when it first built the scaffold by failing to work in accordance with industry-recognised best practice guidance.
No guardrail or supports were in place for use during modifications of the scaffold. Neither the apprentice nor the older colleague were given any specific instructions or drawings before going on to site and had not seen a risk assessment or method statement.
Harris Scaffolding Limited, of Coombs Wood Court, Steel Park Road, Halesowen, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined a total of £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,156.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Luke Messenger said: “This was an avoidable incident and a young man was fortunate not to suffer more serious life-changing or even fatal injuries.
“Work at height is the biggest single cause of fatal and serious injury in the construction industry, and for scaffolding companies working at height on a daily basis the controls required should be second nature.”
He added: “In this case the company fell well below accepted standards and a trainee scaffolder was badly injured as a result. It was lucky his career wasn’t ended before it had properly begun.”
News Story Via: www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk
hse tha fukd
This type of accident shouldn’t be happening these days but often does as safety goes out the window too often when working on price ( more speed less haste ) it’s a shame most companies only pay bonuses for production and not safety wonder how much the accident rate would fall if instead of a phonecall asking how long you gonna be someone did a spot check and rewarded safe working
hmmm failing to see your point here David Ward, why should the little street firm get away from the responsibility placed on them by the health and safety at work act? they sent an inexperienced man with another man with no current training or experience. As such would have no knowledge of current working at height regs, or of what was safe to do bet the young lad in question had seen the “old hands” running around on one board no handrails, and tried to emulate his peers! we are expected to lead by example… monkey see, monkey do buddy… just sayin! 😉
Even a trainee should know the basics you are your own safety officer. Not the company’s place to police the scaffolders, you should take all steps necessary to ensure you work in a correct and safe manner. I feel for the trainee and wish him well.
All the rules and regs are great and are enforced on sites but there are thousands of little street firms banging up fronts and backs and stacks who never use s harness or hrails
pmsl wot? trainee erecting scaffolding with no gaurd rails or boards, never seen that before :p ona serious note tho, theres no excuse now, no scaffolder should ever fall these days, and employers should know better!
Wayne James Swan Kyle