TEESSIDE SCAFFOLDER
Well-known member
Experts offer to inspect sites for free
Following accidents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, industry leaders have lashed out at scaffolding companies over substandard safety measures, saying labourers are not being properly protected
THE boss of one the UAE’s largest scaffolding companies has volunteered to run the rule over the nation’s building sites after becoming “sick and tired” of accidents.
Sean Hickinson, operations manager at Nass Scafform Services, said he would work without pay because he feels labourers are not being protected.
“This is not a difficult problem to fix, anyone with scaffolding experience can spot substandard scaffolds a mile off,” he said.
Hickinson was joined in a call for action by Simon Wills, managing director at Quickfix Scaffolding. Wills said he has repeatedly contacted the authorities about the issue.
“You can have all the laws in the world but unless you enforce them, it’s a waste of time,” said Wills, who employs 80 people.
Both men contacted 7DAYS following the death of three labourers at a site on Al Ain Road in Dubai on Saturday and one in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
All four died when scaffolding collapsed, while at least seven others were injured.
“It’s tragic,” said Wills. “These accidents will happen again unless there is proper enforcement of the law.”
However, Marwan Abdullah, of Dubai’s building engineering super*vision section, said the municipality had engineers to inspect the city and did not require outside help.
Members of the UAE’s Sikh community have been rallying to help the family of Gurbet Singh, the man killed in the Abu Dhabi accident.
Following accidents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, industry leaders have lashed out at scaffolding companies over substandard safety measures, saying labourers are not being properly protected
THE boss of one the UAE’s largest scaffolding companies has volunteered to run the rule over the nation’s building sites after becoming “sick and tired” of accidents.
Sean Hickinson, operations manager at Nass Scafform Services, said he would work without pay because he feels labourers are not being protected.
“This is not a difficult problem to fix, anyone with scaffolding experience can spot substandard scaffolds a mile off,” he said.
Hickinson was joined in a call for action by Simon Wills, managing director at Quickfix Scaffolding. Wills said he has repeatedly contacted the authorities about the issue.
“You can have all the laws in the world but unless you enforce them, it’s a waste of time,” said Wills, who employs 80 people.
Both men contacted 7DAYS following the death of three labourers at a site on Al Ain Road in Dubai on Saturday and one in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
All four died when scaffolding collapsed, while at least seven others were injured.
“It’s tragic,” said Wills. “These accidents will happen again unless there is proper enforcement of the law.”
However, Marwan Abdullah, of Dubai’s building engineering super*vision section, said the municipality had engineers to inspect the city and did not require outside help.
Members of the UAE’s Sikh community have been rallying to help the family of Gurbet Singh, the man killed in the Abu Dhabi accident.