Scaffold Firm Fined For Unsecured Structure Collapse (1 Viewer)

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Cardiff firm Linmar Scaffolding has been ordered to pay more than £7,000 in fines and legal costs after an unsecured scaffold collapsed at an industrial unit in Caerphilly in 2006.

The Health and Safety Executive said it was lucky no one had been injured in the collapse of the structure, which toppled 20 minutes before a change of shift at a factory on the Western Industrial Estate.

HSE construction inspector Dean Baker said: “Our investigation showed that this scaffolding was not properly secured to the building, which is a basic requirement for structures of this type. Scaffolding erection is the stock-in trade of this company but they failed to secure the scaffolding using appropriate ties.

“The scaffolding remained standing for 11 days after it was originally put up, so there was a significant risk of it collapsing while it was in use. Had it collapsed 20 minutes later than it actually did, it would have coincided with a change of shift and there could well have been casualties. CCTV footage shows people walking near the scaffolding just two minutes before the collapse, so it was lucky that no-one was actually hurt.”

Linmar pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005 at Abergavenny Magistrates’ Court. It was fined £1,800 and ordered to pay £5,400 in costs.

Source: Construction News
 
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