ToughButterCup Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/aug/01/at-least-two-injured-after-scaffolding-collapses-in-reading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 2 minutes ago, AnonymousBosch said: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/aug/01/at-least-two-injured-after-scaffolding-collapses-in-reading This is why it puts my back up when people talk about "health and safety gone mad". The potential for horrifying injuries or worse is very real. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 Two industries in the UK that have been markedly more prone to workplace accidents than any other seem to be building and farming. The problem with building work is that it seems commonplace for the smaller companies to cut corners when it comes to H&S, whereas my (limited) experience of a big company (Sir Robert McAlpine) was that their site safety was really excellent (to the extent that a breach of their site safety rules was one warning then instant dismissal for a repeat offence - off site within minutes). Scaffolding seems to be an area where the rules are frequently breached. We used a scaffold company that erected and tagged the scaffold and gave me a sheet full of warnings that nothing was to be changed except by them. Everyone on site changed bits of the scaffold. Trying to stop people from just changing bits of it around was like trying to get a fish to ride a bike. None of the people who came on site were any better or worse than any others, it seemed everyone universally just changed scaffolding around. Given that modifying certified scaffolding seems to be endemic, I'm surprised their aren't more accidents, TBH. Having said that, it looks as if the Reading accident may have been induced by the building itself collapsing and taking the scaffold with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K78 Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 4 minutes ago, JSHarris said: Two industries in the UK that have been markedly more prone to workplace accidents than any other seem to be building and farming. The problem with building work is that it seems commonplace for the smaller companies to cut corners when it comes to H&S, whereas my (limited) experience of a big company (Sir Robert McAlpine) was that their site safety was really excellent (to the extent that a breach of their site safety rules was one warning then instant dismissal for a repeat offence - off site within minutes). Scaffolding seems to be an area where the rules are frequently breached. We used a scaffold company that erected and tagged the scaffold and gave me a sheet full of warnings that nothing was to be changed except by them. Everyone on site changed bits of the scaffold. Trying to stop people from just changing bits of it around was like trying to get a fish to ride a bike. None of the people who came on site were any better or worse than any others, it seemed everyone universally just changed scaffolding around. Given that modifying certified scaffolding seems to be endemic, I'm surprised their aren't more accidents, TBH. Having said that, it looks as if the Reading accident may have been induced by the building itself collapsing and taking the scaffold with it. I agree. Hardly the scaffolding companies fault if a building collapses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 Knowing what I know now, I'm horrified by the quality of the scaffolding that we and the trades we had onsite were clambering over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 This is not some tin pot cowboy poorly erected set of Kwikstage that has fallen over. It is a big job with I am sure professional scaffolding. As someone already said, it looks as though the building it was providing access to has collapsed. I wonder if this was a building failure during work, or the result of bad weather? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 2 minutes ago, JSHarris said: Two industries in the UK that have been markedly more prone to workplace accidents than any other seem to be building and farming. The problem with building work is that it seems commonplace for the smaller companies to cut corners when it comes to H&S, whereas my (limited) experience of a big company (Sir Robert McAlpine) was that their site safety was really excellent (to the extent that a breach of their site safety rules was one warning then instant dismissal for a repeat offence - off site within minutes). The rate of injury in construction is 1.64 per 100k, agriculture is 8.44. The fishing industry is 62 and that's in 2017. As a teenager in the 80s I spent quite a lot of time on fishing boats, sometimes in seriously bad weather. I don't think I ever saw even basic PPE, not a safety harness or even a life jacket, never mind survival suits and hard hats. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 Scaffolding/ working at height is the biggest H&S worry I have in our build. The safety culture amongst small builders here is terrible. I've been on the Facebook pages of several small companies that I'm intending to send tender packs to.... On every single one there are significant breaches of H&S regs and good practice that I will not tolerate on my build. Lack of proper scaffolding and edge protections during concrete pours being the worst. They are all at it. They are in for a shock when they see the H&S requirements and scoring in the tender... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 1 minute ago, Conor said: Scaffolding/ working at height is the biggest H&S worry I have in our build. You are right to be worried. Some of the builders we used took enormous risks IMO and as @JSHarris says trying to get them to work differently is like trying to get a fish to ride a bike. We did have a scaffolding accident here (luckily not uber serious) and thankfully our insurance covered it when the person came after us for compensation, but it was stressful and took literally years to resolve with us being served with court papers a couple of times during that process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted August 1, 2019 Author Share Posted August 1, 2019 Been all over my scaffold this afternoon. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 15 minutes ago, Conor said: They are in for a shock when they see the H&S requirements and scoring in the tender... Maybe they don't tender when they see them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 25 minutes ago, jack said: Maybe they don't tender when they see them? In that case it'll be me climbing up the scaffold to do the work lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 The job in reading is a demolition job, the scaffolding was there to prevent debris falling into the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzie Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 1 hour ago, jack said: Knowing what I know now, I'm horrified by the quality of the scaffolding that we and the trades we had onsite were clambering over. Me too.....shudders quietly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrerahill Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 2 hours ago, Ralph said: This is why it puts my back up when people talk about "health and safety gone mad". The potential for horrifying injuries or worse is very real. Health and Safety has gone mad, but health and safety around the erection and use of scaffolding is very serious and much be adhered to. That is not mad H&S, mad H&S is the BS we need to put up with with so some idiot can stand and tell us how to walk into a plant room and then issue us with a certificate while extracting £200 for the privilege! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Construction Channel Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 To look at it another way. Considering the scale of the unexpected collapse they must have done something right for only 3 people to suffer minor injuries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSharp01 Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 Yes the news item made me think as we moved some Kwikstage around on site to get the next wall up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oz07 Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 (edited) Was on a job in town yesterday terrible h and s yet they wanted people to wear vests and had a map to nearest defibrillator and hospital. Refused to wear the vest and refused to go back after yesterday. Was helping a mate oyt. Main contractor was to provide scaffolding below staircase we were fitting I'll get a screenshot of video. Don't get me wrong my jobs aren't a shining example of h and s but no stupid risks are taken. Edited August 1, 2019 by Oz07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 3 hours ago, Carrerahill said: Health and Safety has gone mad, but health and safety around the erection and use of scaffolding is very serious and much be adhered to. That is not mad H&S, mad H&S is the BS we need to put up with with so some idiot can stand and tell us how to walk into a plant room and then issue us with a certificate while extracting £200 for the privilege! Yes that's people taking the piss. H&S is often used as an excuse for people who don't want to do something or who want to extract money from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epsilonGreedy Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 6 hours ago, ProDave said: This is not some tin pot cowboy poorly erected set of Kwikstage that has fallen over. It is a big job with I am sure professional scaffolding. As someone already said, it looks as though the building it was providing access to has collapsed. I wonder if this was a building failure during work, or the result of bad weather? I am pleased you and @JSHarrisraised this observation, it took me about 12 seconds at the Guardian web site to suspect it looks like a partial building collapse that brought down the scaffolding. 6 hours ago, ProDave said: I wonder if this was a building failure during work, or the result of bad weather? For all the speed readers here I should point out the building was being demolished. Quote The centre was being demolished as part of a redevelopment scheme in the town centre and was previously used as retail and office space, Reading council said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 7 hours ago, Ralph said: As a teenager in the 80s I spent quite a lot of time on fishing boats My boss was a government inspector on the EU fishing fleet. The first boats he saw that took H&S seriously were the Spanish ones. There was an incident down here a few weeks ago, fisherman fell off back of boat, caught his own net. Luckily the boat hit the harbour wall at Newlyn. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/12/28/fisherman-clings-boat-autopilot-five-miles-falling-overboard/ Not so lucky: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-16984521 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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