Company fined after scaffolding collapse

Scaff

It was right and proper to draw your observations and concerns to the attention of the Principal Contractor and praise for their timely reactive response, perhaps this will induce a proactive stance by others, for, if it were not for your timely intervention the Stability and Integrity of the Structure may have been called into question.

It is only by due diligence and reporting of such breaches that the message will get through---feckin hands aff the tube :mad:---never rub another Mans rhubarb ;)
 
Good points made there & congrats to Galliford for what should become the 'norm' on all sites - a weekly inspection is a long time to wait to spot a potential catastrophe!
 
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Recently had a 60m x 20m high monaflexed job and the metsec guys removed 60m of ties on a lift to insert metsec rather than come to us to move said ties, I spotted it on my walk around and quite rightly blew a gasget reported to the main contractor who were very supportive. They erected signs over the whole job stating "anyone tampering with the scaffold will be red carded and removed from site" introduced it into thier site induction, and made every contractor do a toolbox talk. Well done!! Galliford Try for this reactive response. :D and yes they have red carded guys for said offense.
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Well done to you for spotting it and good on Galliford Try however...it was still too late!! They only implemented the scheme once a problem had been flagged up...It should have been identified in the Principal Contractors pre-start Risk Assessment and they should have implemented the scheme and included the red card scenario at induction prior to any Contractors working on the scaffold, the risk is obviously greatly reduced. More importantly for the PC if the thing then comes clattering into the road they have someone to blame and sue.

Its all about arse covering boys....in these days of litigation you better make sure yours is teflon coated!!
 
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Another interesting bit of feedback for myself here. As you know we have developed tagging/inspection systems for scaffolding and I've already got a few ideas for how to improve it - thanks guys. Another side of our business (our core business) is the manufacture and supply of safety signs. We already have a wide range of signs for the construction industry but I'm always looking for new additions or gaps in the market. I guess a warning sign for people not to tamper with scaffold and the resulting action of being red carded could be a possibility. I also developed some warning signs for silica dust (which I haven't seen before). Any other ideas or suggestions would be welcomed too. Is there anything you think is missing? Another thing I'm working on is a site notice board with document holders for all the necessarys: F10, Insurance certificate, H&S policy, open door policy, Fire plan, fire point location plan, site rules, emergency contact list, first aid policy and H&S Law poster.
 
grim72

The the Heid has opened a Horizon Scanning Group---the Scaffs have been discussing Unauthorized removal of Tube and Fitting Ties and Strategies of how to reduce and or illuminate this Breach, perhaps you would like to contribute and develop an initiative to Control this Breach : perhaps you could discuss the option of developing a Tagging System exclusively for Tie Pattern Node Points ???.
 
More than happy to take a look and hopefully develop something that will prove of use. Certainly on the signage/warning message I can introduce something fairly quick/easy. I am just working on our next safety signs catalogue at the moment so any suggestions/ideas of signs specific to scaffolding would be welcomed asap if I am going to include them. The tag system can be looked at on a less time critical basis, but anything I can do to help/assist, just let me know.
 
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