West Midlands firm in court after teenage worker's fall

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West Midlands firm in court after teenage worker's fall

Date:22 March 2013Release No:HSE/M/82/13

A Halesowen scaffolding company has been fined after an inexperienced 18-year-old apprentice broke his back when he fell more than three metres.

Kidderminster magistrates heard today (22 March) that the trainee, who has asked not to be named, was working for Harris Scaffolding Limited on a construction site in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, on 16 November 2011.

The firm had been called back to the site to make modifications to the scaffold it had put up two months earlier. The changes were needed to provide roofers with working platforms at each corner of the scaffold so they could install rainwater downpipes.

The teenage worker, who had signed up to a scaffolding apprentice programme just five weeks earlier, was carrying out the necessary alterations when he fell nearly three-and-a half metres to the ground below. He fractured two vertebrae and was off work and in a back brace for three months.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the apprentice was allowed to work unsupervised in areas of scaffold with no boards or guardrails and without a harness. At times he stood on single-width scaffold boards or directly on tubing and gained access to work areas from an unsuitable ladder and by climbing up the outside of the scaffold.

HSE said the work had not been adequately planned, supervised or carried out in a safe manner.

A more experienced colleague had been sent to work with him but he had not carried out any scaffold construction work for some 15 years and had not had any refresher training in that time.

The investigation also found that Harris Scaffolding Ltd had not followed its own risk assessment when it first built the scaffold by failing to work in accordance with industry-recognised best practice guidance. No guardrail or supports were in place for use during modifications of the scaffold. Neither the apprentice nor the older colleague were given any specific instructions or drawings before going on to site and had not seen a risk assessment or method statement.

Harris Scaffolding Limited, of Coombs Wood Court, Steel Park Road, Halesowen, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined a total of £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,156.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Luke Messenger said:

"This was an avoidable incident and a young man was fortunate not to suffer more serious life-changing or even fatal injuries.

"Work at height is the biggest single cause of fatal and serious injury in the construction industry, and for scaffolding companies working at height on a daily basis the controls required should be second nature. There is a wealth of guidance available, from HSE and the industry, and there is really no excuse for not following basic precautions such as working from a safe area or using a harness.

"In this case the company fell well below accepted standards and a trainee scaffolder was badly injured as a result. It was lucky his career wasn't ended before it had properly begun.

"This case should serve as a reminder to all those involved in work at height of the need to ensure that their work is properly planned and carried out safely. Employers are responsible for ensuring that their staff have the right equipment, that safe operating procedures are in place and that persons carrying out work at height have the right training and supervision."

The latest HSE statistics show that 40 workers were killed and more than 3,400 were seriously injured in falls from height in 2011/12. Further information on safe working at height can be found online at HSE - Falls from height in the workplace

Notes to editors
1.The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce 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
2.Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 states: "Every employer shall ensure that work at height is properly planned; appropriately supervised; and carried out in a manner which is so far as is reasonably practicable safe, and that its planning includes the selection of work equipment in accordance with regulation 7."

Press enquiries

Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.

Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by the Regional News Network
 
proof if we needed it that refresher training should and will be enforced


A more experienced colleague had been sent to work with him but he had not carried out any scaffold construction work for some 15 years and had not had any refresher training in that time.

a sad story for a young guy who should have been looked after and nurtured to become a good scaff,lets hope he gets well soon and returns to the game
 
did no one notice the "no refresher training"
its coming and this has just confirmed it no government buullshiit an HSE man giving a statement after the investigation;)
 
It's not a done deal yet Happy, it may well still come but a fair bit of resistance to that as well. It turns out, you will be able to do that in house as well.
 
i will ask my mate to ask his misses,who works for the MP who works alongside the witch hunt department of the HSE.
I WOULDNT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RETRAINING IF YOU HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM THE INDUSTRY,A LOT HAS CHANGED IN 5 YEARS NEVER MIND 15;)
 
I see it as it all depends where you have been and what you have done. I have a folder as do most that would choke a donkey with additional certificates to prove on going training. I wouldn't mind refresher training if we could scrap the rest of the training we do, but for example, the advanced has a section covering pull testers but you still need additional manufacturers training. Things like that could be tidied up then I wouldn't mind so much.
 
fair play AOM
the point i was trying to make as regards the older worker who was obviously meant to be teaching and looking after the young scaff(trainee)was 15 years away from the game and as we all know there are things we all did 15 years ago as Scaffs which we wouldnt even dream of including sending a young lad along a scaffold without any fecking boards to work from no matter what sort of alteration was to made to the Scaffold
SO YES REFRESHER TRAINING WHEN YOUVE BEEN AWAY FROM THE GAME FOR SAY 5 YEARS OR SO.TO GET THEM BACK UPTO SPEED WITH CURRENT REGS ETC.
 
Agreed. Doesn't have to always include centres though. Employers could take their share as this one did with the fine but maybe if he put the re-entry out with an experienced hand, wrote his RAMS and followed that up with tool box talks, that could have been enough. It's always easy to criticise, and I have a young boy who I trained start back with me on Monday but before I unleash him on an unsuspecting public, he will do a few shifts with me, sign on to all my RAMS and already had a bit of training yesterday on SG4:10 and the dreaded step.

Anyway, how is the gers getting on?
 
I consider myself in need of retraining if ever I was to come back to the UK and plan on working on the tools. The scaff step would be a mystery to me. Even though I keep myself up to date as far as is practicable with the regulations I fully admit as far as actually working at height using fall protection I would be a novice.
 
fair play aom
the point i was trying to make as regards the older worker who was obviously meant to be teaching and looking after the young scaff(trainee)was 15 years away from the game and as we all know there are things we all did 15 years ago as scaffs which we wouldnt even dream of including sending a young lad along a scaffold without any fecking boards to work from no matter what sort of alteration was to made to the scaffold
so yes refresher training when youve been away from the game for say 5 years or so.to get them back upto speed with current regs etc.

not only should be for people that have been out the game theres a lot of lads working now still dont know what a scaff step is or how to use it have no consept of tg and sg they have no idea but whos fault is it .... Their employers and whats done about it nothing you can dirve down the street as a hse and instantly spot a job that has been erected to tg and sg 's instantly but yet nothing is dont about it . For eg there a couple of lads at the old firm havent been on any kind of course for last 15 years other than cscs touchscreen now these boys would be deemed not compitant nor qualified..why there training from 15 20 years ago is so out of date yes they can put tube together but can they do it safely ..... I think not
 
My opinion marra is employers need to take a look at themselves. If there are scaffolders out there without any additional knowledge of what's happening or changing in our industry it's the employers fault. That been said, with the advent and increased use of forums like this one, people must be blind not to know some of whats going on, not all use computers though.
 
my opinion marra is employers need to take a look at themselves. If there are scaffolders out there without any additional knowledge of what's happening or changing in our industry it's the employers fault. That been said, with the advent and increased use of forums like this one, people must be blind not to know some of whats going on, not all use computers though.

it would blow your tash off the old firms idea of tg and sg was erecting a single hand rail after you put the lift in off 1 or 2 boards thats what the lads think sg and tg constst of .i tried to educate them about tg 20.08 as soon as got to . 08 the said i nearly believed you till you siad point 3897782892 ahahahh .tried telling them you should be using a step there reply was no you dont single hand rail after your run the lift. Was on the phone to yan lad last week and gaffer had told him to do this piticular job by the book (he done his part 2 about a yr b4 me) continues to mention the step and they said awey to fek i mean single hand rail once you get up 2 singles on trannies lol the spot was a joke


ON THE COMMENT ABOUT WHY WOULD EMPLOYERS TAKE A LOOK AT THEM SELVES WHEN THE CASH S ROLLING IN AND NOTHINGS GETTING SAID TO THEM ABOUT THE WAY JOBS ARE GOING UP? THERES IS A FEW EXCEPTION TO THIS AND SOME EMPLOYERS WANT TO EDUCATE THERE TEAMS. BUT I SUPOSE ITS LIKE DRIVING WITH IN THE SPEED LIMITS. POPLE WILL BE AWARE OF THE SPEED LIMITS BUT SOME WILL BREAK THEM DRASTICLY AND ONLY SOMETIMES GET CAUGHT SPEEDIGN. THIS COMMENT DEFO HAS NO REFELCTION ON HOW YOUR RUNNING AOM COZ WE ALL KNOW ITS A PUKAK FIRM
 
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haha, point taken.:embarrest:

I have admitted many times marra to being around 90% compliant is truthfully where I see myself. Sometimes the scaffs must carry some of the can as well though but that is why I do the training and use the guidance notes so they don't have to take my word for anything, it's in black and white. I'm not going to admit all my failings but did notice a couple of things that need addressing when dismantling a job mid week.

The speeding thing, well what can I say? It's no defense but to be honest, after driving the truck at 40 odd mile an hour then the big jeep that can feel like a tractor at times at between 50 and 60, getting into that motor was like letting a dog of the leash, I won't be doing it again in a hurry.
 
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