NE/042/11Two North East companies have today been fined after a member of the public (1 Viewer)

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Two companies fined after member of public badly hurt in scaffold collapse
Date:
16 March 2011
Release No:
NE/042/11Two North East companies have today been fined after a member of the public was seriously injured when scaffolding collapsed during high winds.

A 68-year-old woman was out shopping with relatives when the scaffolding in Shields Road, Byker, Newcastle collapsed on 14 March 2009.

She suffered double fractures to her right hip joint and right femur, puncture wounds to her right ankle and severe bruising and was in hospital for 12 days following the incident. Almost two years on she is still unable to carry shopping bags and is limited in what housework she can do.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that Skyline Scaffolding Ltd had not erected the scaffolding properly by failing to ensure it was adequately secured to the building. The scaffold had been reduced in height to a single working platform with the wooden hoardings and sheeting still attached. In reducing the scaffold, the scaffolding company removed the arrangement that retained the scaffold to the building.

HSE also found that Ashbrook Construction Services Ltd had failed to ensure that the scaffolding was properly inspected both before work began and at regular intervals as it progressed.

Skyline Scaffolding, of Drum Industrial Estate, Birtley was found guilty, in absence, to one breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 between 14 January and 14 March 2009 and a second offence of breaching Regulation 8(b) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 between 11 and 14 March 2009 and was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,182.30 at Newcastle Magistrates' Court today (16 March 2011).

Ashbrook Construction Services Ltd, of Leeholme Industrial Estate, Cowpen Lane, Billingham pleaded guilty to one breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 between 14 January and 14 March 2009 and was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2091.15.

After the case, HSE Principal Inspector Rob Hirst said:

"This incident could, and should, have been prevented. The lady was seriously injured and was lucky not to be killed as a result of this incident. And things could have been even worse had the scaffolding collapsed when workers were using it.

"Skyline Scaffolding Ltd failed to erect the scaffolding properly by not securing it adequately and Ashbrook Construction Services Ltd failed to ensure the scaffolding was inspected before work began and then regularly once it was in progress.

"Each company had varying responsibilities, but were complicit in failing to ensure the scaffold remained stable. Both parties should have been aware that the addition of wooden hoardings and impervious sheeting increased the loading on the structure.

"I would urge all those involved in the supply and use of temporary work platforms such as scaffolding, to ensure that they are erected by competent persons and are subject to inspection before work starts and then at least every seven days or following alteration or effects of adverse weather."

Notes to editors
1.The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to prevent death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. HSE: Information about health and safety at work[1]
2.Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety."
3.Regulation 8(b) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 states: "A working platform shall be of sufficient strength and rigidity for the purpose for which it is being used."
4.Skyline Scaffolding Ltd is now in liquidation.
5.Both companies were also ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge, the proceeds of which will be spent on services for victims and witnesses
6.Principal Inspector Rob Hirst is available for interviews upon request.
7.For further information about working at height, please see HSE - Falls from height in the workplace
 
was Terry Hassen still there or is he still there

---------- Post added at 07:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:33 PM ----------

Id never heard that they were in trouble
 
I thought Skyline was still merrily plodding along, i remember the days early 80's i think, when they had most of the Toon graft. Clasper was there then.
 
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Yeh had a lot of the work then Paddy some big jobs intown
but lately there work has looked dated with the old black tube still bieng used
theres not much of the old rusty gear left eh?
 
Yeh had a lot of the work then Paddy some big jobs intown
but lately there work has looked dated with the old black tube still bieng used
theres not much of the old rusty gear left eh?

I remember when Peter and Andy Mc and Billy Bryden i think was his second name. did the Cathedral for them by the Haymarket, St Mary's.

It was in the winter, I used to get 'Snowed off' and my bus used to drop me off at the Haymarket. Straight into the Farmers rest. But there was my mates the Skyline lads, digging oot their gear with a little tiny shovell the size of a trowell. back on the rope and wheel, and up to the 'Steeple'. The lads used to have there baits, sitting in the Pews next to the worshippers while reading the racing post.:eek:
 
Paddy I remember Billy and also working for Skyline around the same was Billy ( The General ) Patton . A real character and a proper clumsy fooker too just like Mr Magoo with jam jar specks .
 
Paddy I remember Billy and also working for Skyline around the same was Billy ( The General ) Patton . A real character and a proper clumsy fooker too just like Mr Magoo with jam jar specks .

Thats the man,lived for Scaffolding, He is a good scaff though.

I remember during that Famous John Kettley weather prediction, No Gales for us. Billy got called out to the Swanhouse roundabout job they had up, at 2 or 3 in the morning, as it had come down.

Billy got a taxi there. It was like a re-enactment from the 'Towering Inferno' when Steve McQueen pulls up to the tower, surrounded by the 'Emergency forces' WTF was he going to do, PMSFL.

I used to go too the 'Rock' on Scotchy rd on a Fri night, my mate Kevin Armstrong was a Skyline scaff as well, and played darts in the pub where the Gaffers drank, i was in awe at the time of Skyline, mid 20's . Bring back those times.:D:D:D
 
memory's boys,
i worked with both billy's. patton was blind as a bat and rough as fukc but everbody loved him,
kev armstrong used to walk in the cafe every morning and say "we love kev" without fail,
i started for them in 87 had some cracking times, learned a great deal doing different jobs every day, doing all the town work, 15 lifts and the ladder was sent out last:D. 7.5 ton wagon meant you could put 7.5 ton on it:laugh:

ps spanky sold it to two accountants from carlisle about 4 year ago, ????

spent my first 5 years there and loved every minute, i was also the first person (along with another lad) that they paid for their part 1, how fukcing proud should i be, ohh and the last;)
 
always thought of skyline as breadline,Tyne marine and cails bitmo were the only 2 firms worth working for in the northeast,cash wise
 
memory's boys,
i worked with both billy's. patton was blind as a bat and rough as fukc but everbody loved him,
kev armstrong used to walk in the cafe every morning and say "we love kev" without fail,
i started for them in 87 had some cracking times, learned a great deal doing different jobs every day, doing all the town work, 15 lifts and the ladder was sent out last:D. 7.5 ton wagon meant you could put 7.5 ton on it:laugh:

ps spanky sold it to two accountants from carlisle about 4 year ago, ????

spent my first 5 years there and loved every minute, i was also the first person (along with another lad) that they paid for their part 1, how fukcing proud should i be, ohh and the last;)

Kev Armstrongs brother was a Scaff as well Evan, gaffer i think, Kevin started scaffing for Palmers and was blacklisted with a load of others after the Eldon square strike.

Also had Billy the Hat, The other 2 billy's that Kevin worked with for Ritchie Carter after skyline when they had a canny bit of work on the building of the Metrocentre, that was dominated by ISL, Geordies and Mackems OMG.

I got a Saturday in with Man access or rapid access on Carrefour at the metrocentre. I went for no wages, on a voluntary basis, for experience. Sad or what?:eek:
 
always thought of skyline as breadline,Tyne marine and cails bitmo were the only 2 firms worth working for in the northeast,cash wise

probably right cash wise, however learning the game? second to none.
when i watch all these superscaffs saying, been there done that when they have actually done fukc all but pass gear on big jobs,
skyline: it was either do it or fukc off, like it or lump it.
i think all trainees should work for a firm like that. just my opinion
 
probably right cash wise, however learning the game? second to none.
when i watch all these superscaffs saying, been there done that when they have actually done fukc all but pass gear on big jobs,
skyline: it was either do it or fukc off, like it or lump it.
i think all trainees should work for a firm like that. just my opinion

you never met mad jack then
 
Kev Armstrongs brother was a Scaff as well Evan, gaffer i think, Kevin started scaffing for Palmers and was blacklisted with a load of others after the Eldon square strike.

Also had Billy the Hat, The other 2 billy's that Kevin worked with for Ritchie Carter after skyline when they had a canny bit of work on the building of the Metrocentre, that was dominated by ISL, Geordies and Mackems OMG.

I got a Saturday in with Man access or rapid access on Carrefour at the metrocentre. I went for no wages, on a voluntary basis, for experience. Sad or what?:eek:

billy the hat:love:, i was his supervisor at colmil for a day, walked on the site in trainers and his spanner in his pocket, i said you must be billy he said you must be this new supervisor, you cant tell me **** all, i run this firm and i do what i like, talk about an attitude, (napoleonic syndrome)

---------- Post added at 09:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:29 PM ----------

you never met mad jack then
worked for nor clean but only when mad jack had just about retired, i'm only 42;)
 
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