vfrdave Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 So I am on the naughty step, health and safety visited site today and served me a prohibition notice. Basically roofers working with insufficient scaffolding. Can anyone recommend scaffolding companies in NI. Buying my own is not an option has to be a certified installation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeJunFan Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Christ. Best price i got was from D-Scaff but they were booked out. I tried around another few local to me but prices were unreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vfrdave Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 Not relishing getting quotes. Hse appear to be touring my part of the world got told of another site close to me who they imposed themselves on also. Also want internal fall protection in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeJunFan Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 We had a visit to our site in the early days. Brick layer had constructed a ramp to take wheel barrows up from the ground to the top floor slab and he seemed happy enough with it. Our roofer was insistent on some extra scaffolding but i managed to beg/steal/borrow enough to get me through but not sure how the H&S brigade would have taken it. Even our slab guys didn't use the air bags. They talked about it on calls but the installers didn't bother. They just wanted the job done and get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alphonsox Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Seems like we lucked out - we never got any sign of HSE. Too far out I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vfrdave Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 Currently within a 1 mile radius of me there are 4 other self build sites. At least one of them had a visit and stopped work until trestle had a hand rail fitted by a certified person. Scaffolding was also given a good going over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 So are the Irish regs different to the rest of the UK as I've never heard of any of that ..? Kwikstage is perfectly legal (and used extensively) without a certificate if it's constructed in accordance with the MIs and as for air bags they are only seen on large sites. Is the site registered as a build site with HSE..?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vfrdave Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 @PeterW not sure if there are any reg differences for here but he was certainly looking for everything to be certified. He was a cold caller and not what I wanted! The site is a pure self build and not registered with HSE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alphonsox Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Northern Ireland building regs tend to lag the rest of the UK for the most part. Unfortunately it sounds like the the local HSE are targeting self build this month. I'll make sure the gates are locked and the attack sheep put on standby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Are you sure he didn't just mean fall arrest equipment for those working at height? Inspectors have a pretty broad and open remit/powers. Self build or otherwise it's a building site. http://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crofter Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Excuse my ignorance, but how/why do you end up on HSE's radar? I'm past the dangerous stage now but I bet my singlehanded roof build using nothing but a ladder and a couple of ropes would have raised a few eyebrows. Was hard enough to keep SWMBO from shutting me down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Twice HSE have turned up on my site I have ended up with another £1000 worth of scaffolding. But they never asked for airbags for the roof build as far as I am aware.That seems over the top. We did have them when they put the upper floor slabs on but that was the slab company's choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 8 hours ago, Crofter said: Excuse my ignorance, but how/why do you end up on HSE's radar? I'm past the dangerous stage now but I bet my singlehanded roof build using nothing but a ladder and a couple of ropes would have raised a few eyebrows. Was hard enough to keep SWMBO from shutting me down... Luck of the draw, unless someone specifically reports you. The OP mentioned that there are 4 sites in close proximity. He could have gone to one on a planned visit and then just stopped at the others. An inspector for the HSE actually has more powers in terms of right of entry than the police! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpmiller Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Soft target IMHO. HSE locally don't seem to bother with industry or agriculture until *after* there's an accident, leaving equipment safety checks and training to the liability insurace companies and the NFU. gotta justify their existance somehow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 So..... if you aren't employing anyone and you're doing it yourself (ie @Crofter) then the HSE has no remit - they have no powers over individuals in their own home. What it sounds like is in this instance they have gone after a few soft targets. I'm not sure either they can mandate a solution, they have to accept a safe working methodology so if that is harness and hooks then it should be acceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 10 minutes ago, PeterW said: So..... if you aren't employing anyone and you're doing it yourself (ie @Crofter) then the HSE has no remit - they have no powers over individuals in their own home. What it sounds like is in this instance they have gone after a few soft targets. I'm not sure either they can mandate a solution, they have to accept a safe working methodology so if that is harness and hooks then it should be acceptable. That was a worry of mine while I had my own scaffold up and the builders working from that to erect the frame. The only real failing I am aware of was no toe boards as I simply needed all the boards I had to stand on. We "got away" with that. And now it i me genuinely working on my own. Re "Air bags" on my first build, the roofers insisted on them, but then carried on. I remember a guy turning up with a big lorry full of them an unloading them into the house when it was nearly all done, then removing them 2 days later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vfrdave Posted September 6, 2017 Author Share Posted September 6, 2017 This is what HSENI has to say about harnesses:- Harnesses should be the last option considered, and only used by workers who have been trained in their use and the use planned by someone competent to take into account: the circumstances strength and location of available anchor points type/length of lanyard suspension height and obstacles means of rescue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Just beware of them coming back and you haven't complied / don't remain compliant. They REALLY don't like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 19 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said: Just beware of them coming back and you haven't complied / don't remain compliant. They REALLY don't like that. +!. Ignoring a notice will put you deep in the doodoo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simplysimon Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 On 06/09/2017 at 09:01, vfrdave said: This is what HSENI has to say about harnesses:- Harnesses should be the last option considered, and only used by workers who have been trained in their use and the use planned by someone competent to take into account: the circumstances strength and location of available anchor points type/length of lanyard suspension height and obstacles means of rescue and if you don't use them correctly.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 I think that needed a warning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 I was going to a bite to eat but somehow just lost my appetite.......for life. "Bollocks" . Ouch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 6 minutes ago, AliG said: I think that needed a warning! There's a worse accident of this nature shown on working at height courses now where shall we say you see SEPARATE parts! Remember lads "form a pouch" for your valuables! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 My friend worked for British gas a while back. They hired Bristol crown court and staged a mock prosecution where a missing toe board caused a piece of equipment to fall off into a neighbours garden. In said garden was a 5 year old toddler who was struck by said flying object and 'left' with life changing brain injuries. An actual apprentice of BG was hauled as a witness and cross-examined so intensely that he broke down in tears and was excused from the courtroom!! The claim 'would' have run into millions of pounds. The point was made. People just don't know what can go wrong until it does. Should the scaffold companies not be prosecuted if they leave you incomplete or non-certified erections that you've paid good money for ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 29 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said: Should the scaffold companies not be prosecuted if they leave you incomplete or non-certified erections that you've paid good money for ? I think that's a problem the guy in the picture might have 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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