Philip Pears fell about ten feet from a scaffolding tower outside a house in York in June 2009, while working for Premier Security Glazing Ltd, based in Sheffield.
York Magistrates’ Court heard two tower scaffolds had been erected ten feet apart, with wooden boards creating a makeshift platform between them.
Mr Pears, then 20, climbed a ladder on to the platform which slipped, and he fell three-and-a-half metres, breaking his wrist and bruising his back on the pavement below.
Sarah Lee, from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said: “The dangers of working from poorly-erected tower scaffolds are well known and are responsible for many injuries each year.
“Had the company followed widely-available guidance from HSE, the manufacturer’s instructions, or the findings of the company’s own safety audit then this incident could have been easily prevented.”
The court heard the company had employed a risk adviser some months before the incident, and received a health and safety audit on its systems of work, including recommendations for safe working at height and the correct use of tower scaffolds, but had not implemented these recommendations.
The firm, of Marriot Road, Swinton, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of their employees and was fined £2,500 with £2,644.90 costs.
Via: www.yorkpress.co.uk U.K. Edition
Lewis MacDonald, 35, died after falling from the Ocean Princess rig, which was docked at Invergordon harbour on the Cromarty Firth, on November 28, 2008.
A fatal accident inquiry at Tain Sheriff Court last July heard evidence from colleagues who were working with him on the revamp and maintenance of the semi-submersible rig when he fell to his death.
The inquiry was told that Mr MacDonald, of 39 Milnafua, Alness, fell to the sea below after stepping on a corroded metal grating on the deck of the rig, owned by Diamond Offshore Drilling.
A scaffolding barrier was set up around the unsafe grating, while wooden planks were placed on most of the exposed patch.
As Mr MacDonald was adjusting the scaffolding, he stepped on to an uncovered part of the grating, which gave way under his weight.
In his official judgment, published yesterday, Sheriff David Sutherland called the death of the “skilled and experienced scaffolder”, who worked for Invergordon-based McDonald Scaffolding Services, a “tragic accident”.
He said: “We will never know why Mr MacDonald chose to climb over the barrier rather than simply walk round about 30ft to the other side of the enclosed area.
“Whatever the reason for his actions, they would appear to have been completely unforeseen and, I consider, unforeseeable in all the circumstances.
“Given the evidence before me, I do not consider that either McDonald Scaffolding Services or Diamond Offshore Drilling should have taken any other prec- autions to avoid an accident.” A spokesman for Diamond Offshore Drilling said yesterday: “Our sympathies go out to the man’s family but we feel it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this time.”
No one from McDonald Scaffolding Services was available for comment last night.
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In addition to a fully comprehensive formwork, shoring, encapsulation, mast-climbing, suspended and powered access, scaffolding, staircase & edge protection package, Harsco also provided the largest rolling roof of its type ever to be used in the Netherlands.
“Although the rolling roof played a central role in Harsco’s contribution, our ability to act as a single-source supplier brought significant benefits to this project,” comments Arie van Dijk, Sales Manager, Harsco Infrastructure Construction Services BV “By providing a fully integrated solution we were able to ensure that each aspect was managed as efficiently as possible and also help maintain the highest safety standards on site.”
Harsco worked closely with the main contractor, Hurks van der Linden, and with roofing system provider HAKI to create the HAKITEC 750 rolling roof which shielded the site from the weather so that construction work could remain on schedule. The roof was designed to be opened and closed by the on-site scaffolding team during the construction work so that materials could be craned into the building. Towards the end of the project, Harsco and HAKI also raised the 1,446 sq m roof by an extra storey to create sufficient space for the final construction stage to take place.
Harsco Infrastructure is an approved supplier of HAKI’s temporary roof systems and accompanying shelter product range. Martin Van Putten, Managing Director of Harsco Infrastructure Construction Services in Holland, commented, “The HAKITEC 750 temporary roofing system has an unrivalled reputation for safety, ease of erection and speed of installation and is the product of choice for Harsco Europe. Therefore it was the only system we would have considered for this project.
“Teamwork on such a challenging application is essential so the total support HAKI UK gave us, from design right through to installation of the system, was crucial to the success of the project.”
Designed by the Dutch Hertzberger architecture studio, the striking new Faculty of Science building will house various scientific disciplines together under a huge open atrium. The atrium will eventually be topped by a large glass structure to create a striking landmark.
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Four companies could take over the former Indigo Easyfit conservatories site in Walsall, close to junction 9 of the M6.
Newly-formed home improvement company 1st Choice is hoping to start trading there in March, while Central Scaffold Services has also confirmed it intends to open a distribution hub at the West Bromwich Road site.
The scaffolding company, which has 80 employees based at Friar Park Road, Wednesbury, has been running for 20 years and hopes the move will help the business expand.
Both companies are planning to create new jobs. Two other companies are already in negotiations.
Wayne Bottomer, managing director of 1st Choice, which will open a showroom for kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and conservatories, said his company would initially look for five employees with more to follow. About 30 sub-contractors would also be needed.
Speaking on behalf of Central Scaffold Services, run by managing director John Dyke, he said some staff would be transferred from the Wednesbury site but more employees would be sought.
Mr Bottomer, who formed his company last October, said: “The importance for companies moving to this site is so they can grow.
“Some staff will transfer over but there will be about 30 new jobs created from the four companies.
“I was in consultancy roles for a number of companies when John approached me and we discussed the feasibility of doing this. We are in negotiations with two companies at the moment.”
Plans to change the use of the building, inserting a scaffolding refurbishment area and stone and granite masonry unit, and to install a roller shutter door, have been lodged with Walsall Council.
Under the proposals there would be 37 car parking spaces, five less than now, but there would also be four additional spaces for bikes.
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Tony Cook, 28, of Westfield, has been released on police bail after being arrested on December 10 on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle.
Part of his bail condition was to sign on at Hastings Police Station every Tuesday and Saturday between 10am and 6pm but he has so far failed to do so.
Police are now eager to track him down.
A spokesman for Hastings Police said that Cook, a scaffolder, is a regular in Westfield pubs and uses a gym in Hastings.
Anyone who sees Cook or knows where he might be is urged to call Hastings Police on 0845 6070999.
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Kier Stoke had charged the city council £423,000 for the use of scaffolding in 2008/09.
But taxpayers paid out £1.4 million in 2009/10 after Kier Stoke imposed the ladders ban.
It costs £35-a-day to erect scaffolding at a property, with the structures remaining for an average of eight days.
Now council officials are trying to reduce the cost by persuading Kier to use cheaper platform towers.
Tenants and councillors today described the ladders ban as ‘health and safety gone mad’.
City Independents deputy leader Councillor Dave Conway, said: “I’ve warned my wife that if the bathroom light goes we will have to put scaffolding up.
“It’s nonsense. Pensioners whose lights have gone outside their homes have had to wait for scaffolding.
“It’s health and safety gone mad.”
Community Voice councillor Mike Barnes said: “Kier has had a ladder ban across the country since January 2010 after someone fell off a ladder and seriously injured themselves.
“Since then, small jobs are being held up by Kier because they need scaffolding and it costs us £35-a-day.
“There are pensioners who need a new security light which someone six feet tall could put up by hand, who are having to wait six months because scaffolding is needed.”
Tenant David Burton gave up waiting for Kier to change the bulb on the security light outside his home and changed it himself – after standing on his tip-toes.
The 37-year-old, of Blurton, said: “I live in a ground-
The company plans to invest more than $2 million in the site’s preparation to turn it into a regional super center for its infrastructure business group. Full operations are expected to begin in April.
The company has also relocated the senior leadership of its Harsco Metals, Harsco Minerals, Harsco Infrastructure and Harsco Industrial groups to the corporate headquarters in Camp Hill, bringing in approximately 35 senior-level executives and supporting managers. The company has secured nearly 10,000 square feet of additional nearby office space for its corporate functions.
The 21-acre Harrisburg operations site, near the Capitol in downtown Harrisburg, will become Harsco’s northeast and mid-Atlantic region super center for rental scaffolding, shoring and forming resources used in the construction and maintenance of building projects, energy plants, airports, highways and civil works facilities.
Of the 20 jobs the company expects to create at the site by the end of the year, most will be for handling inventory and equipment maintenance.
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