HSE Target Yorkshire Construction Sites This Month

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HSE Target Yorkshire Construction Sites This Month
Construction sites in Yorkshire are being safety-checked by the HSE this month as part of an inspection initiative aimed at reducing death, injury and ill health when working at height. HSEThe targeted inspections are in response to the continued loss of life and serious injury arising from falls from height. In the year 2011/12, 49 workers lost their lives on construction sites in the UK, with falls from height being a major cause. During September, inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be visiting sites across the region. The inspections teams will start in Bradford before moving to other locations in West, North and East Yorkshire. The initiative will primarily focus on those working on the external parts of buildings, but will target all types of work carried out at height The key purpose is to remind those working in construction that poor standards are unacceptable and potentially cost workers their lives. David Stewart, HSE’s Principal Inspector for Construction in the Yorkshire region , said: “Falling from height causes a significant number of deaths and major injuries. All too often straightforward practical precautions are not considered and workers are put needlessly at risk. In many cases, simple changes to working practices can make all the difference. “Poor management of risk in this industry is unacceptable. As we have demonstrated in the past, we will take strong action if we find evidence that workers are being unnecessarily put at risk.” In recent months HSE has prosecuted several construction companies following incidents in which workers were injured, including:
  • A North Yorkshire farm building manufacturer and a self employed contractor were each fined a total of £4,500 with costs of £1,150 after a worker suffered a smashed left heel and broken right ankle after falling four and a half metres while working on the construction of a new farm building.
  • A self-employed handyman died following a fall from the roof of a house in Bradford whilst undertaking minor roof repairs in March 2011. He had been using an unsecured extension ladder and a roof ladder to undertake this work.
  • A firm from Halifax was fined £13,500 when an employee installing a flue liner down a chimney fell seven metres from the roof due to provision of an inadequate work platform with no edge protection.
  • A roofing contractor from Ilkley was fined £23,500 after their employee fell through a fragile skylight on the roof of a garage where repairs were being carried out. Adequate measures had not been taken to prevent falls though the fragile material. The worker suffered severe head injuries.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below

COMBISAFE: Keeping construction on track when under the weather

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COMBISAFE: Keeping construction on track when under the weather
Combisafe: UBIX temporary roof   In the last few years the construction industry has had to deal with rising material costs, construction-related bankruptcies, reductions in government capital expenditure and constantly shrinking budgets. And with the world’s economy still in such a fragile state, building contractors all over the world are under pressure to deliver construction projects on budget, on time and on demand – whatever the weather. As Europe’s largest industrial employer and generating almost 10% of the European Union’s Gross domestic product (GDP), the construction industry will inevitably play a crucial role in the economic recovery and so the pressure is on contractors to meet ever increasing demands. As a result, more and more construction projects need to be carried out during inclement weather months when bad weather would traditionally have caused huge delays. During the 2010/11 winter period, Germany saw its construction output decline by a staggering 24%, with the slump largely attributed to heavy snowfall. And despite its 2011 recovery when the country’s economy grew by 3%, it contracted in the first quarter of 2012 – this time by 0.25%. Again, an unusually cold winter clearly had an impact – with February temperatures dropping below -20°C and causing temporary suspension of many German construction sites. In France, it was heavy rainfall in February 2012 that forced many construction sites to suspend work – further delaying the country’s economic growth and recovery from its 2009 recession. These extreme weather conditions and fluctuating temperatures are fast becoming the norm all over Europe, and precipitation and wind speeds are also on the increase. In fact, it has been predicted in Sweden wind speeds will increase by 0.8m/s and winter rainfall will rise by 50mm a month over the next century. In the UK, analysts at Barclays projected a 3.4% fall in the construction sector for the first quarter of 2012 – attributed in large part to poor weather conditions. And now with a recent study by BRE (Building Research Establishment) also predicting a 6% increase in UK wind speeds, construction output is sure to suffer unless contingencies are put in place. COMBISAFE UBIX® temporary roof system The challenge for contractors is simple – stop the weather to stop the delays. But as the severity and duration of weather conditions is so notoriously difficult to predict, contractors look for ways to compensate rather than negate. The most common method is to minimise the delaying effects of weather by protecting a site from the elements. One product that does just this is a temporary roof system, such as the COMBISAFE UBIX® temporary roof system. For both contractor and client, a carefully considered build programme which takes into account the effects of adverse weather is crucial to every project’s success. However even these are subject to change, and so a temporary roof offers the contractor the additional assurance that the project remains on track. Traditionally, construction companies forecast periods without precipitation for the completion of critical path project elements, such as the setting of concrete. Now, temporary roofs can keep sites on course and fully prevent rainwater ingress at any time of year. Whether for a short term summer project or extended use in extreme weather conditions such as rain, wind and snow, the UBIX temporary roof meets the challenge. Flexible and versatile, the UBIX temporary roof can also feature a COMBISAFE RunWay system which means it can quickly and safely roll open to allow for plant, equipment and materials to be craned in and out as required. This system was utilised to provide weather protection at a 12 week archaeological dig at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, helping archaeologists to work unaffected by the weather, and in turn allowing vital construction works to continue as soon as possible and keep the £1 billion redevelopment project on schedule. Without a construction plan in place, or a temporary roof in position, vital construction contracts will continue to be delayed by weather and contractors will feel the impact where it matters most – at their bottom line. Helping projects to stay on schedule no matter what extremities are thrown their way, temporary roofs provide vital protection for workers, machinery, tools and structures to keep projects on time and on budget. More info @ http://www.combisafe.com  

Scaffolders forced to remove giant Union Jack netting

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Scaffolders forced to remove giant Union Jack netting

Union Jack Scaffold Netting
Image courtesy of Caters News Agency
Scaffolders have been forced to remove a giant Union Jack flag they created from netting. The Sun have reported that Development managers complained the patriotic workmen did not get permission to use three colours of netting. Inspired by Team GB in the Olympic and Paralympic games, the creative Bristol builders used red, white and blue mesh to create a huge replica of the British flag while covering the city centre’s Colston Tower. Bosses say the covering should have been plain blue, and demanded it was taken down only hours after it was created. Contractors Pocock Safety Netting and Advanced Scaffolding came up with the idea for the flag. Workers believed it would brighten up the 14-storey building for months while builders of CW Duke carried out refurbishment work. Lee Pocock, of Pocock Safety Netting, said: “I just think it was a bit unfair. We just wanted to do something for Team GB.” Paul Evans, the managing director of CW Duke, denied colour had anything to do with it. He said: “The netting was put up without permission or agreement being sought from CW Duke. “Had the appropriate permissions been sought and granted, CW Duke would have been proud to put up a Union Jack.” Mr Evans continued. “But we are a professional company and act accordingly. In this situation the correct procedures were not followed.” Paul Rich, from Advanced Scaffolding, admitted they did not have permission from either the owners of Colston Tower or CW Duke. He said: “It was our fault, we didn’t have permission to do it, but we didn’t think it would be a problem.”

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Painters killed as mobile scaffolding touches 10,000 Volt power line

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Painters killed as mobile scaffolding touches 10,000 Volt power line

httpv://youtu.be/BiHyohqxRRo

Shocking Video

This video was posted to you tube on Sunday showing the horrific scene as four Chinese painters are electrocuted while moving a 9meter high mobile scaffold tower.

Sadly three of the men died from there injures after the tower touched a 10,000 volt high tension power line supplying the a factory in Nancun China . According to the report in the comments on you tube the scaffold was being used for changing a light bulb in another area of the factory. The painters had there own idea and thought they would use it for a painting job not noticing  the power lines over head.

Let us know your thoughts about this video in the comments below 

Don’t let a dodgy ladder shatter your life!

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Don’t let a dodgy ladder shatter your life!

 Ladder Association launches 2012 Ladder Exchange For three months starting 1 September 2012, anyone who buys, uses or has responsibility for supervising the use of ladders, can take advantage of this year’s Ladder Exchange – the annual campaign that enables ‘dodgy’ ladders to be replaced for brand new ones, at a discounted price, at any one of the Ladder Exchange’s official partners. Please see www.ladderexchange.org.uk Now run and managed by the Ladder Association who plan to grow and develop the campaign in future years, the Ladder Exchange has already removed over 10,000 broken, bent and damaged ladders from the workplace, with the message: Don’t let a dodgy ladder shatter your life. “Right now is the ideal time for firms to be checking their ladder stocks,” says Cameron Clow, Chairman of the Ladder Association. “Dodgy ladders are dangerous and need to be removed from service. The Ladder Exchange provides the perfect incentive to do just that and replace them with safe, brand new ones at a discounted price. “Falls from height remain the most common cause of death and injury in the workplace, so this campaign has a particularly important role to play in helping to reduce these consistently worrying statistics.” It is important to maintain ladders and stepladders in good working order by carrying out pre-use checks, detailed inspections and routine maintenance. Pre-use checks are intended to quickly establish whether a ladder is safe to use there and then. Detailed inspections, as required by the Work at Height Regulations, are more in-depth and need to be carried out by a competent person. This year’s Ladder Exchange is supported by an impressive line-up of campaign partners across the UK, whose details can be found on the website. It also contains a wealth of information about ladder safety, including free online videos. About the Ladder Association  The Ladder Association is the trade body responsible for advancing safety and best practice in the ladder industry, and oversees the delivery of national training. Formed in 1947 by leading ladder manufacturers, the Ladder Association has since expanded to welcome members from every part of the access industry, playing an integral role in promoting the highest standards of ladder design and manufacture, and advancing best practice in ladder use. With its focus on training, and its recent move to take over the Health & Safety Executive’s Ladder Exchange scheme, the Association is a vibrant, forward-looking organisation determined to look after the best interests of its increasingly diverse membership base and, of course, the industry at large. www.ladderexchange.org.uk

UTN Training Wakefield has been acquired by AFI Uplift

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UTN Training Wakefield has been acquired by AFI Uplift
 
UTN Scaffold Training Center
A view from inside UTN Scaffold Training Center
ScaffMag is hearing reports that UTN training in Wakefield has been acquired by AFI Uplift and Scaffold training at the site will stop. UTN based in Wakefield  has been in operation for the past 16 years delivering a wide range of Scaffolding and safety related courses. Posted on the AFI uplift website a press release has appeared confirming that AFI has acquired the trade and the assets of UTN Training. The press release continues to report that the business will continue to operate from the same premises and will retain the UTN Training name. Although the press release mentions courses that will continue at the site there is no mention of the continuation of  any Scaffold Training. This is the second training business in a matter of months that AFI has acquired. We will bring you more information on this story as we get it

By Daniel Norton

Pyeroy wins £1.1M nuclear sub contract

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Pyeroy wins £1.1M nuclear sub contract
 
vanguard_class
Vanguard class submarine via: Military-today.com
Industrial support group Pyeroy has won a £1.1m contract to support the multi-million- pound refit of the Royal Navy’s Trident ballistic missile submarine HMS Vengeance. HMS Vengeance is the fourth and last of the Vanguard class submarines to undergo an overhaul which will take around three and a half years and involve over 2,000 personnel. Pyeroy will help the process by putting up scaffolding and containment contract. The work, at Babcock’s Devonport Royal Dockyard facility, will involve operatives providing access scaffolding and containment systems around the vessel to enable the refit work to be undertaken. Jack Hayton, director of Pyeroy’s marine division, said: “Scaffolding for access to the vessel’s hull is under way and this is another major contract for Babcock that showcases the skills and workmanship of our workforce.” The latest contract win follows an earlier £400,000 contract to support the refit of the Royal Navy’s Trafalgar- class submarine HMS Torbay at Devonport. Pyeroy also undertakes work for Babcock at Rosyth and is supporting work on the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers under construction around the country. Pyeroy employs 1,350 people at its headquarters and eight operating centres in the UK. It works in the industrial, construction and marine sectors, providing services including scaffolding and equipment hire, surface preparation and application of marine/industrial protective coatings, insulation, civil engineering and building works and environmental management services such as asbestos removal. Via: nebusiness.co.uk

Let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below

Retired scaffolder dies after exposure to asbestos dust

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Retired scaffolder dies after exposure to asbestos dust
  A RETIRED scaffolder died at home in Cheshunt from mesothelioma after he was exposed to asbestos dust some 50 years ago, the Hertfordshire coroner said today (Tuesday August 14).
asbestos dust
Image of asbestos dust
Brendan Swaine, of Wood Green Way, died on July 7 after being diagnosed with mesothelioma last year after developing a persistent cough and losing weight. He underwent chemotherapy after he was diagnosed. The 66-year-old began working as a scaffolder in 1963 and his job involved working with pipes and boards that were covered in dust and debris. He worked in close proximity to laggers who were spraying asbestos foam onto the steel frames of buildings. After a stint owning his own mini-cab firm, Mr Swaine returned to scaffolding, before retiring in November 2010. Coroner Edward Thomas recorded a verdict that Mr Swaine had died of industrial disease, adding: “He suffered substantial exposure to asbestos which was the cause of his mesothelioma, the symptoms of which started to develop some 50 years from his first exposure.” Via: hertfordshiremercury.co.uk

Do you worry about coming into contact with asbestos? let us know in the comments below

Man killed in Kent scaffold collapse

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Man killed in Kent scaffold collapse
 
Image of the scaffold collapse via: KentOnline.co.uk
A family is devastated after a man died in a scaffold collapse in Sittingbourne, Kent today. News sources have reported that the man in his 50s, is believed to have been painting the gable end of a house in the town when the scaffold collapsed. The man suffered serious head injuries in the accident at a semi-detached house in Chalkwell Road of the town at just after 11am this morning. Kentonline.co.uk reported: The road was closed by police until around 3pm. Fire crews were also at the scene – removing scaffolding to allow paramedics to treat the man. An air ambulance had landed, but the paramedics left without taking the victim. A witness at the scene said: “You can see the scaffolding tower that’s collapsed. You can see the top of it at a jaunty angle underneath the side wall of the house. “There’s fresh paint at the apex of the roof. It looks as though the man has been painting the top of the house and for some reason the scaffolding tower has collapsed. “I saw some completely distraught people on the pavement nearby in an absolute state of bewilderment and crying their eyes out. They were being consoled by the police.”

By Daniel Norton

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Simian Risk wins Blink Giant Media contract and announces key appointment

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Simian Risk wins Blink Giant Media contract and announces key appointment
    Leading scaffolding safety firm Simian Risk is continuing its expansion into the South of England with the appointment of Bournemouth based specialist Tristan Kelly.
Tristan Kelly
Simain Risk appoints Tristan Kelly as Senior Consultant
Tristan joins the firm as Senior Consultant and will oversee a range of projects, including a new contract to provide health and safety support for national media display and solutions company Blink Giant Media. Blink Giant Media – which specialises in event displays, building wraps and scaffolding wraps and large-scale signage – has taken on Simian Risk to provide a full range of health and safety services for its work at height projects across the UK. Tristan, who has twenty years experience in the scaffolding industry and eight years experience in the health and safety industry, said: “This is a fantastic new contract for us, as Blink Giant Media are a renowned name and real experts in their field, working with leading international advertising agencies as well as clients including the Royal Shakespeare Company and Air New Zealand. “Blink Giant Media deliver projects at some of the UK’s biggest, busiest and most difficult to access locations. The business is really raising its game across all areas and they have prioritised health and safety as a key concern – we will work closely with the firm to ensure the safety of both their installation staff and members of the public.” Tristan is also aiding in overseeing the scaffolding health and safety on the development of BAE Systems’ aircraft carrier at Portsmouth Naval Base, as well as a range of construction, infrastructure and utility projects with Cardiff based firm Lyndon Scaffolding. He said: “Lyndon Scaffolding is a great client and they currently have a number of prestigious office developments across central London that we are overseeing scaffolding safety on, as well as construction projects for the Severn Bridge, Cardiff and Bristol Infirmaries and work on the National Grid overhead line. We are also helping BAE Systems in their push for a Gold Standard Safety Award. “As well as site safety I will also be assisting in the business development side of things across the South of England and South Wales. Simian Risk is a fast growing company with projects across the UK and also the Middle East and it’s my aim to match the ambitions of the business by retaining clients and winning new ones.” Simian Risk is the UK’s leading scaffolding and work at height safety and training specialist, with offices in Warrington, London, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The firm works across a range of sectors such as construction, infrastructure, oil and gas and petrochemical, with blue chip clients including Carillion, Wates, Shell and Balfour Beatty. The firm was launched in Directors Ian Fyall and Simon Hughes launched Simian Risk Group in Warrington in 2005. With more than 40 years of experience within the scaffolding industry, the business specialises in providing health and safety consultancy for work at height. In 2010 Ian and Simon split the company into two divisions – Simian Risk and Simian Skill, taking on two new directors, Dave Randles and David Abraham for the respective divisions. Dave Randles became a shareholder in 2011. Dave and David also have more than 40 years of experience to add to that of Ian and Simon. For more information on Simian Risk visit www.simian-risk.com or call 0845 602 2418.
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