A Hastings scaffolder has today been fined for endangering himself and others after working on a four-storey scaffold with no harness.
Hastings Magistrates’ Court heard Gareth Roser was spotted by a passing Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector working without a harness at the building in East Parade, Hastings, on 14 October 2010.
The court was told when the inspector initially saw Mr Roser, who was contracting for Battle-based Giant Scaffolding Ltd, he was approximately eight metres in the air, balancing on scaffolding tubes. However, it emerged that harnesses were available for the workers to use in their van.
Well-established industry guidance requires scaffolders to wear and use a fall arrest harness when more than four metres above ground without a safe platform to stand on and edge protection in place.
Mr Roser, a self-employed scaffolder from St Mary’s Terrace, Hastings, was fined £750 and ordered to pay £643 in costs after admitting a breach of Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
The court was also told that Giant Scaffolding had repeatedly failed to reply to written questions put to them by the inspector despite a number of warnings.
Giant Scaffolding Ltd, of Ringletts Farm, Whatlington Road, Battle, pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and a breach of Section 20(2)(j) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined at total of £15,000 with costs of £5,000.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector, Melvyn Stancliffe, said:
“The simple measure of wearing a harness can save scaffolders from death or serious injury. A basic common sense approach to work is all that’s needed to prevent a possible tragedy.
“In many cases, harnesses are available but some workmen just cannot be bothered to wear them. They should take a moment to think about the consequences.
“It was reckless for Mr Roser to be working in this way. He was exposing himself and members of the public walking below to unnecessary risk. He was seen working in 2008 in similar circumstances and was warned about his future conduct.
“Giant Scaffolding Ltd has also been warned about the dangerous working practices of those working for it.
“These prosecutions show that HSE will not tolerate poor working practices and will take firm action against individuals and contractors who ignore their health and safety obligations.”
Via: HSE U.K. Edition
Harsco Infrastructure, which is part of the worldwide industrial services and engineered products provider Harsco Corporation, has announced a new contract which adds significantly to its industrial maintenance sector order book. The contract provides scaffolding support to the 2,000 acre Tata Steel plant in Scunthorpe, a major location where Harsco Metals also provides onsite metal recovery and material handling services to Tata’s steelmaking operations.
The contract reinforces Harsco Infrastructure’s increasing global focus on the industrial maintenance and infrastructure sectors. It also demonstrates the company’s growing multi-discipline relationship with the Tata Group, following the announcement of other recent new orders in India.
Harsco’s industrial maintenance expertise was seen as a principal factor in winning the award, as the Company identified key areas in which savings could be made through increased efficiencies and reduced waste. “Our decision to move to a new work-at-height contract provider was not one that was taken lightly,” said Dave Jones, Contracts Manager at Tata Steel in Scunthorpe.
Unlike traditional scaffolding arrangements (in which scaffolding providers normally charge by the hour based on how many scaffolders were provided and over what period) Harsco Infrastructure proposed a solutions-focused approach built around the project requirements. “The development of this solutions-focused approach will be a radical change but one that will save us a lot of money,” adds Dave Jones. “These savings, along with Harsco’s best-in-industry operations standards, give me confidence that benefits across the whole site will be felt quickly.“
Harsco Infrastructure is one of the world’s largest and most complete providers of engineered scaffolding, shoring and forming systems as well as painting and insulating services, for major construction and industrial maintenance projects.
Ivor Harrington, Harsco Executive Vice President and Harsco Infrastructure Group CEO commented, “This order from one of the world’s largest blue chip organisations highlights the progress that we have made in increasing our presence in the industrial and key infrastructure sectors. Our combination of experience and expertise makes us ideally placed to continue this growth and help deliver improved performance for some of the biggest players in this important market.”
The sale is effective immediately.
Altrad is a privately owned French manufacturer, hirer and distributor of scaffolding equipment with annual revenues in 2010 of about €415m (£372m) and subsidiary operations across Europe, Africa, Asia and America. The acquisition of Beaver 84 marks its intention to grow in the UK scaffolding market.
“SIG maintains an active portfolio review process to assess the fit with other parts of the group and SIG’s ability to grow and develop each business going forward,” said strategic development director Andrew Greenaway. “Following this review we believe that Beaver 84 has greater potential for growth within the Altrad Group, who as one of Europe’s largest scaffolding businesses, are better positioned to take Beaver 84 forward in its chosen markets.”
As previously reported on 
The future of the industry’s skills card scheme was thrown into question this week after the CITB revealed it is cutting its ties with the scheme.
CITB-ConstructionSkills – which administers the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), used by over 1.6 million workers – revealed it has put its contract on notice.
The move, prompted by commercial differences, ends an often turbulent 16-year partnership. Sources close to the situation claimed personality clashes and disputes over how income had been divided between between the two bodies had contributed to the schism.
The news has sparked fears that the CSCS card scheme will be damaged by the end of its association with the industry’s government-backed skills council.
CSCS cards are demanded as proof of occupational competence by most major clients and contractors on sites.
James Wates, chairman of CITB, admitted the relationship had been difficult but dismissed any suggestion of a recent falling out.
He said: “It’s been a challenging relationship because it’s been a difficult contract for both sides to work within. But I don’t think there’s been real dissonance.
“The [recent] disagreement was around detailed terms of the contract, which I won’t go into because they’re commercial.”
Mark Farrar, CITB chief executive, said: “CITB continues to fully support the scheme for the duration of our agreed contract.”
The notice period will last five years unless the two parties terminate the contract earlier by mutual agreement.
The CSCS indicated it will consult on how best to administer the scheme.
The falling out between two bodies has provoked dismay from the industry.
One source close to the CSCS said: “You’ve got to ask questions when two boards that are drawn from the same organisations can’t agree.”
The workers were lucky to be alive after the scaffolding and Monoflex came crashing down to the street below in strong winds.
The collapse happend at 10:25am on Saturday on Wellington Road in Hanley Stoke on Trent. Two parked cars were damaged by the scaffold.
The HSE are now investigating into how this accident happened but one theory is that the wind had pull the scaffold over in 50 mph gusts.
Richard Marson, aged 26, said: “We were five minutes’ late going back out after our breakfast and if we had been on time we could have been killed.
“My sausage and egg butty saved my life.”
Daniel Simpson, aged 19, added: “We were working on the scaffolding just before it collapsed.
“Then we were in the cabin having breakfast and just heard it come crashing down.”
Chris Morrall, aged 19, said: “If this had happened any earlier or later, I would’ve been dead.”
Paramedics were called to Wellington Road, although no-one was injured.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “The workmen had a very lucky escape given the size of the scaffolding.”
Simon Burrows, aged 35, was already on bail for another offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm and for crashing his car through a toll barrier on the Cleddau Bridge.
Kevin Riordan, prosecuting, told Swansea crown court that Burrows had been in a long, on-off relationship with Emma Bancroft.
On October 13 he saw her in the street and a row developed. Burrows hit her several times to the face and Miss Bancroft ran to the home of her mother in Clare Walk, Pembroke.
Her mother answered the door to find Burrows standing over Miss Bancroft, punching her in the face as she held her two and a half year old daughter.
Burrows drove away from the scene, forcing other drivers to take evasive action. When he reached the Cleddau Bridge he smashed through the barrier.
Mr Riordan said when police caught up with Burrows they saw him get out of the car holding a length of rope. He was detained under the Mental Health Act because he appeared to be suicidal.
A blood test showed he was almost twice over the drink drive limit.
Burrows admitted inflicting gbh, dangerous driving and drink driving.
Mr Riordan said he was granted bail.
On December 1 he went to a flat in Tenby Court, Monkton, where some friends were drinking.
One of the visitors, Lloyd Anthony Richard Jenkins, thought Burrows was about to attack another man and intervened.
Burrows responded by biting his ear and wouldn’t let go even when Mr Jenkins put a thumb into one of his eyes.
Burrows bit off part of the ear and spat it out.
He denied inflicting grievous bodily harm but was convicted by a jury.
He maintained that although he had placed his teeth onto the ear the damaging biting had happened because someone had hit his chin from below.
Judge Keith Thomas said the father of six, a scaffolder, had used his teeth as a weapon.
The attack on Miss Bancroft, he added, had involved the deliberate targeting of a vulnerable person.