Rooftop scaffolding has collapsed under the pressure of the high winds of Storm Doris, forcing emergency services to close a main road through central London.
The scaffolding that looks to include debris netting, became dislodged at the top of the office block at the 1926-built Aldwych House, Holborn, due to the high winds reports ITV.
It had been put into place as part of plans for a £15 million rooftop extension.
The roadway running beneath was closed off this afternoon (Thursday 23 Feb) and was not expected to reopen until 5pm.
Motorists were warned of long delays in the area.
A large scaffold under a bridge crossing in New Zealand has collapsed.
According to local media three people have plunged into the water and one person was trapped after the scaffolding collapsed at a bridge over the Panmure lagoon in east Auckland.
The local Fire services managed to extract the man, who was stuck on his back on a beam running under the bridge.
The fire service says the three who fell have been removed from the water.
The cause of the collapse is unknown, but authorities are investigating.
Image Credit: NewshubImage Credit: Newshub
Materials falling from height, no matter how small, from scaffolding platforms present a serious risk and we understand the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) are becoming increasingly stringent about gaps in scaffolding platforms. A small gap is a particular issue when Ready Lock transoms are used and where standard toe board clips are not an adequate solution leaving other, more complicated and costly ways of filling the gap such as cutting strips of board, fitting plywood or running a secondary ledger would need to be employed.The Tamer fitting offers a cost effective, reusable solution to the toe board gap issue and is manufactured under the Forgeco/MS (Metal Spraying)-UK banner. We asked the driving force behind the development of the Tamer fitting, Nick Flynn managing director at FlynnDS Ltd. and a director of Safelinx Ltd. about the fitting’s development and properties.“The Tamer was born from my day to day use of the Ready lock transom (Animals where I come from – hence ‘Tamer’) and being constantly frustrated by the resulting platform,” said Flynn. Although setting the toe boards at an angle seemed to work for a while, in the long run, movement on the platform led to board movement and the dreaded gap appearing time after time. I’ve never personally laid a tube in the gap but am aware of its use – again unsatisfactory,” said Flynn. “The Tamer rids the platform of the gap and keeps the boards aligned in a simple clip design, from the few incarnations came the final design we have released into the market.”Also Read: New ‘KLAWZ’ scaffold fitting hits the marketplace
Flynn said that the concept was one thing, “The design process to get a cost effective yet functional product, was the real issue. Many long hours were spent in joint efforts with Matt Shore and the MS-UK development team, their overseas manufacturing group, and various Patent Attorneys before the final multipurpose design you see today was ready for launch.”The fitting has been tried and tested on site. Flynn said, “Mark Parkin and Barry White of Tiger Scaffolding in Whitby were the guys who gave us the feedback on the design from use in their own projects. Their excellent feedback left us in no doubt to push the button on the mass production of the Tamer and release the fitting as soon as possible.”There was more usability to the fitting, “The bonus came when we tried the Tamer on Cuplok at the Forgeco base and it fit like a glove, when using 38mm boards and intermediate transoms,” said Flynn. “The unique way in which it holds the toe board proud of the standard cleared the cups and locks again, tidying the platform beyond recognition. AT-PAC kindly offered to try the same cross system use with their Ringlock system and again the results were great.”Flynn is confident that the Tamer fitting will at £1.45 prove its worth on site. “The primary benefits of the Tamer to the scaffold contractor are that the platform is a much more user friendly place to work,” he said. “Gaps no longer appear over time leaving the client very happy and the general appearance of the completed scaffold is improved overall. Benefits that will be felt over time are the lack of site visits to reseat or replace moving boards.”According to Tamer fitting documentation the fitting is available exclusively from Metal Spraying (UK) Ltd and their nominated distributors.
A man is fighting for his life after falling from height while working on scaffolding at an address in London
The incident happened at around 11:30am this morning (Thursday 16th February) in Cricklewood Broadway, Police believe this was due to a scaffolding collapse near The Crown Hotel.
The air ambulance attended the scene along with the London Fire Brigade. A second man is also said to have fallen and was taken to hospital although his injuries are not life-threatening.
A police spokesman said: “We believe this to be a workplace accident and the Health and Safety Executive will be informed.“We were called at 11.38hrs on today (Thursday February 16) to Crickewood Broadway to reports of two males injured after falling from a height.”
The opening of two newly accredited scaffolding training facilities in Oman have been announced.
The new centres situated in Nizwa and Muscat represent a very important strategic base for scaffolding training by providing support to the major oil related industries in Oman.
The project is being spearheaded by UK scaffold training provider Safety and Access Ltd (SA) with the established Oman-based training provider, Technical Training Institute (TTI) and training specialist provider Knowledge Grid (KG).
Following a recent CISRS accreditation the new centres will now run a wide range of CISRS scaffold related training including scaffolder operative training, scaffold inspection and scaffolding supervisor courses.
TTI has a proven track record of delivering training to multidiscipline contracting companies specialising in construction, fabrication and maintenance services for the energy and industrial sectors. Their existing training facility is large and spacious and finished to a very high specification and they are working on plans to build a brand new bespoke training facility for multi discipline trades in Oman in the near future.
In a statement sent to ScaffMag, SA state that ‘prior to the accreditation a presentation was arranged with local key clients to outline the present and future plans for training and support in the area. It has been a requirement with several major clients in Oman for some time that independently accredited training is adopted by contractors and this new venture provides such support’.
Following the accreditation, SA Joint MD Rick Statham said: ”The new centre represents a very important strategic location for us. We have been offering accredited training in the Gulf for over four years and we can see the requirement for quality training growing. It is yet another major step forward for the clients in the region to affirm their strict requirements for high standards of safety and technical delivery with the requirement for independently accredited training in the high risk area of scaffolding and work at height. The excellent centre here in Oman with our partners TTI will greatly complement the expanding need for such support for clients and contractors across the GCC and Asia.”
CISRS Scheme Manager Dave Mosley who carried out the CISRS accreditation audit commented: “It is excellent to see Safety & Access expanding its presence in Gulf Co-operation Countries (GCC). We hope that this venture with TTI will be a great success and will continue to promote CISRS training benefits within the region. It is very encouraging to see a company willing to invest in their practical facility, I was impressed with the current set up and look forward to seeing the new centre when it is completed.”
International industrial services provider Cape have announced that their Qatar operations have signed a ‘major’ turnaround shutdown contract.
The contract with Qatar Engineering & Construction Company (QCON) will see Cape provide scaffolding, insulation, painting and refractory works at Qatar Petroleum’s NGL-4 plant.
Pre-shutdown activities commenced in December 2016 with all shutdown activities scheduled to be completed by April 2017.
QCON is the leading maintenance contractor in the oil & gas, petrochemical, fertilizer and power industries. Formally known as MECON, the company was established in 1975. Since then, QCON has contributed immensely to the hydrocarbon infrastructural development in Qatar. QCON employs over 5,000 skilled personnel on permanent basis that are supplemented by short-term personnel as required to meet project needs.
Samir Chopra, Operations Director Qatar, commented: “We are proud that Cape is always trusted for such a challenging job and we are confident we will provide our services in a safe and efficient manner.”
A list of the most dangerous jobs in Britain has been published. Scaffolding and Roofing has finished high on the list, and even with all the safety and technical guidance around Scaffolding is still classed as one of the most deadliest jobs in Britain.
Highlighted by Business Insiderand using data compiled from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) workplace mortality figures from 2010-2016, they found that almost 850 people have died at work in the past six years.
The most common cause of death was falling, which accounted for 268 deaths last year. Perhaps not surprisingly, roles that involve working at great heights like construction and scaffolding were some of the most dangerous on the list, but they didn’t come top.
9. Bin Man/Waste Collection – 20 Deaths
Operating heavy machinery and extremely heavy vehicles means that waste collection isn’t only a stinky dirty job, it can be a deadly one.
8. Civil engineering – 20 Deaths
Collapsed excavations, being hit by vehicles, coming into contact with electricity and even hyperthermia were just some of the causes of deaths for civil engineers.
7. Electricians and Plumbers – 26 Deaths
Falls were the top cause of death for electricians, not being electrocuted…as you may of thought.
6. Mechanics – 26 Deaths
With grease monkey mechanics spending much of their working day under cars and trucks it’s quite easy to identify the most immediate risk to them. But many mechanics are also called out to motorway breakdowns, which exposes them to further risks.
5. Chippies and Painters – 28 Deaths
Here once again working from height is the culprit, with 18 out of the 28 deaths resulted from a fall.
4. Lorry Drivers – 41 Deaths
After falling, cars and lorries are one of the biggest causes of workplace deaths, with vehicle-related incidents, making up a fifth of all fatalities at work. Just over 40 HGV drivers have died in road accidents.
3. Roofing and Scaffolding – 69 Deaths
The majority of workplace deaths are due to falls. Falling or injuries sustained while falling accounted for 29% of all workplace deaths last year — and scaffolding is one of the most dangerous careers in the country after 69 people died at work since 2010.
2. Construction – 101 Deaths
Almost 20% of workplace deaths in the UK are linked to accidents with heavy machinery, so it’s unsurprising that 101 people died in construction work. Half of the deaths on building construction sites were a result of a fall from height, but falling objects are also a risk.
1. Farming – 167 Deaths (Most Deadliest)
Agriculture is the UK’s most dangerous industry, with 167 deaths over the past year. Aside from coming into contact with heavy machinery and working from heights, farm animals also pose a danger. Animal-related incidents have accounted for 29 workplace deaths since 2010.
Data compiled and adapted by adzuna from HSE – 2010-2016 by
Scaffolder Jamie Mines who had to have his leg and hands amputated after a severe electric shock is no longer in an induced coma.
As ScaffMag previously reported Jamie was working at Kendrick Industrial Estate, Swindon, in December when he was electrocuted so severely he had to be rescued by emergency services. Jamie’s injuries were also so severe he was placed in an induced coma.
To save Jamie’s life doctors had to amputate one of his legs, he lost all the toes on the other, and also had one hand amputated. However several days later, soon after Boxing Day, both his arms had to be amputated.
See also: Scaffolder loses leg and arms after being electrocutedScaffolder, Jamie Mines
The 33 year-old dad of five month old twin girls is “continuing to impress his medical team with his progress” said Jamie’s friend Ian Kennedy.
“He is still in intensive care but he is no longer sedated and is aware of his injuries. He is starting to work with the rehabilitation team & is proving very determined. He knows how much support he has and has seen a lot of the video messages. Thank you to everyone for your continued support”.
Jamie has had huge support from across the country including famous sporting stars such as Joe Calzaghe and footballing legend Alan Shearer have left video messages pledging their support.
Donate
Tributes continue to pour in for Jamie on his Go Fund Me page.
The Go Fund Me page was set up by his close friend Ian Kennedy to help with the costs of his life-changing injuries with a target of £100,000, over 2,368 people have already donated £79,575 in the last four weeks.
Great little video showing the old school scaffolding and the nail biting views from 400+ feet from the top of Salisbury Cathedral in the 1950’s.
Amazingly the video also shows us the old original winch and the original oak scaffold boards used to build the cathedral in the 13th century.
According to Wikipedia – The cathedral has the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom (123m/404 ft). Visitors can take the “Tower Tour” where the interior of the hollow spire, with its ancient wood scaffolding, can be viewed.
Video Credit: British Pathe
Scaffolding training provider AIS Training has secured a contract with Kier North Tyneside to up-skill its employees.
It’s been announced that Kier North Tyneside will initially invest in training 24 of its employees at AIS Training’s 12-acre industrial training village on North Tyneside.
Kier employees will be trained in the CISRS Scaffolding Testing Inspection qualification. The three-day accredited course, which AIS say has been tailored to Kier North Tyneside’s existing processes and practices, will enable employees to inspect and sign-off external scaffolding structures.
Kier regional director, Mike Furze said: said: “At Kier, we are committed to investing in our workforce to not only improve skill-sets but also to keep raising industry standards.“We chose AIS Training to deliver this training because of the high quality facilities and tuition. The company has invested heavily in the region over the past few years and now offers a unique training proposition in the North East.”
David John Adams from AIS Training added: “We are delighted to be working with Kier North Tyneside on this prestigious project to up-skill its workforce. There are huge skills shortages within the scaffolding sector and Kier North Tyneside’s investment will help to boost skills levels within the North East region.”
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“The Tamer was born from my day to day use of the Ready lock transom (Animals where I come from – hence ‘Tamer’) and being constantly frustrated by the resulting platform,” said Flynn. Although setting the toe boards at an angle seemed to work for a while, in the long run, movement on the platform led to board movement and the dreaded gap appearing time after time. I’ve never personally laid a tube in the gap but am aware of its use – again unsatisfactory,” said Flynn.
“The Tamer rids the platform of the gap and keeps the boards aligned in a simple clip design, from the few incarnations came the final design we have released into the market.”
Also Read: New ‘KLAWZ’ scaffold fitting hits the marketplace
Flynn said that the concept was one thing, “The design process to get a cost effective yet functional product, was the real issue. Many long hours were spent in joint efforts with Matt Shore and the MS-UK development team, their overseas manufacturing group, and various Patent Attorneys before the final multipurpose design you see today was ready for launch.”
“The Tamer was born from my day to day use of the Ready lock transom (Animals where I come from – hence ‘Tamer’) and being constantly frustrated by the resulting platform,” said Flynn. Although setting the toe boards at an angle seemed to work for a while, in the long run, movement on the platform led to board movement and the dreaded gap appearing time after time. I’ve never personally laid a tube in the gap but am aware of its use – again unsatisfactory,” said Flynn.
“The Tamer rids the platform of the gap and keeps the boards aligned in a simple clip design, from the few incarnations came the final design we have released into the market.”
Also Read: New ‘KLAWZ’ scaffold fitting hits the marketplace
Flynn said that the concept was one thing, “The design process to get a cost effective yet functional product, was the real issue. Many long hours were spent in joint efforts with Matt Shore and the MS-UK development team, their overseas manufacturing group, and various Patent Attorneys before the final multipurpose design you see today was ready for launch.”
The fitting has been tried and tested on site. Flynn said, “Mark Parkin and Barry White of Tiger Scaffolding in Whitby were the guys who gave us the feedback on the design from use in their own projects. Their excellent feedback left us in no doubt to push the button on the mass production of the Tamer and release the fitting as soon as possible.”
There was more usability to the fitting, “The bonus came when we tried the Tamer on Cuplok at the Forgeco base and it fit like a glove, when using 38mm boards and intermediate transoms,” said Flynn. “The unique way in which it holds the toe board proud of the standard cleared the cups and locks again, tidying the platform beyond recognition. AT-PAC kindly offered to try the same cross system use with their Ringlock system and again the results were great.”
Flynn is confident that the Tamer fitting will at £1.45 prove its worth on site. “The primary benefits of the Tamer to the scaffold contractor are that the platform is a much more user friendly place to work,” he said. “Gaps no longer appear over time leaving the client very happy and the general appearance of the completed scaffold is improved overall. Benefits that will be felt over time are the lack of site visits to reseat or replace moving boards.”
According to Tamer fitting documentation the fitting is available exclusively from Metal Spraying (UK) Ltd and their nominated distributors. 
Operating heavy machinery and extremely heavy vehicles means that waste collection isn’t only a stinky dirty job, it can be a deadly one.
8. Civil engineering – 20 Deaths
Collapsed excavations, being hit by vehicles, coming into contact with electricity and even hyperthermia were just some of the causes of deaths for civil engineers.
7. Electricians and Plumbers – 26 Deaths
Falls were the top cause of death for electricians, not being electrocuted…as you may of thought.
6. Mechanics – 26 Deaths
With grease monkey mechanics spending much of their working day under cars and trucks it’s quite easy to identify the most immediate risk to them. But many mechanics are also called out to motorway breakdowns, which exposes them to further risks.
5. Chippies and Painters – 28 Deaths
Here once again working from height is the culprit, with 18 out of the 28 deaths resulted from a fall.
4. Lorry Drivers – 41 Deaths
After falling, cars and lorries are one of the biggest causes of workplace deaths, with vehicle-related incidents, making up a fifth of all fatalities at work. Just over 40 HGV drivers have died in road accidents.
3. Roofing and Scaffolding – 69 Deaths
Almost 20% of workplace deaths in the UK are linked to accidents with heavy machinery, so it’s unsurprising that 101 people died in construction work. Half of the deaths on building construction sites were a result of a fall from height, but falling objects are also a risk.
1. Farming – 167 Deaths (Most Deadliest) 
Operating heavy machinery and extremely heavy vehicles means that waste collection isn’t only a stinky dirty job, it can be a deadly one.
8. Civil engineering – 20 Deaths
Collapsed excavations, being hit by vehicles, coming into contact with electricity and even hyperthermia were just some of the causes of deaths for civil engineers.
7. Electricians and Plumbers – 26 Deaths
Falls were the top cause of death for electricians, not being electrocuted…as you may of thought.
6. Mechanics – 26 Deaths
With grease monkey mechanics spending much of their working day under cars and trucks it’s quite easy to identify the most immediate risk to them. But many mechanics are also called out to motorway breakdowns, which exposes them to further risks.
5. Chippies and Painters – 28 Deaths
Here once again working from height is the culprit, with 18 out of the 28 deaths resulted from a fall.
4. Lorry Drivers – 41 Deaths
After falling, cars and lorries are one of the biggest causes of workplace deaths, with vehicle-related incidents, making up a fifth of all fatalities at work. Just over 40 HGV drivers have died in road accidents.
3. Roofing and Scaffolding – 69 Deaths
The majority of workplace deaths are due to falls. Falling or injuries sustained while falling accounted for 29% of all workplace deaths last year — and scaffolding is one of the most dangerous careers in the country after 69 people died at work since 2010.
2. Construction – 101 Deaths
Almost 20% of workplace deaths in the UK are linked to accidents with heavy machinery, so it’s unsurprising that 101 people died in construction work. Half of the deaths on building construction sites were a result of a fall from height, but falling objects are also a risk.
1. Farming – 167 Deaths (Most Deadliest) 
Agriculture is the UK’s most dangerous industry, with 167 deaths over the past year. Aside from coming into contact with heavy machinery and working from heights, farm animals also pose a danger. Animal-related incidents have accounted for 29 workplace deaths since 2010.
Data compiled and adapted by adzuna from HSE – 2010-2016 by 
It’s been announced that Kier North Tyneside will initially invest in training 24 of its employees at AIS Training’s 12-acre industrial training village on North Tyneside.
Kier employees will be trained in the CISRS Scaffolding Testing Inspection qualification. The three-day accredited course, which AIS say has been tailored to Kier North Tyneside’s existing processes and practices, will enable employees to inspect and sign-off external scaffolding structures.
Kier regional director, Mike Furze said: said: “At Kier, we are committed to
investing in our workforce to not only improve skill-sets but also to keep
raising industry standards.
“We chose AIS Training to deliver this training because of the high quality
facilities and tuition. The company has invested heavily in the region over the
past few years and now offers a unique training proposition in the North East.”
David John Adams from AIS Training added: “We are delighted to be working with
Kier North Tyneside on this prestigious project to up-skill its workforce. There
are huge skills shortages within the scaffolding sector and Kier North
Tyneside’s investment will help to boost skills levels within the North East
region.” 
