Scaffolder Fined for Unsafe Work at Height | Health & Safety

Scaffolder fined for unsafe work at height

Key Facts

• A scaffolder was investigated after a member of the public lodged a complaint with the HSE.
• There was no safety equipment in place to protect workers or members of the public.
• The scaffolder was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1907.50.

The Case:

An HSE investigation was launched into the practices of a scaffolder after workers were put at risk due to unsafe work at height.

A member of the the public lodged a complaint with the HSE where the scaffolder had been contracted to for ongoing refurbishment work to a property.

The subsequent HSE investigation found that there were no guard rails, harnesses or other equipment to protect workers from the risk of falling. Items were being removed from the roof in an unsafe manner that was potentially putting members of the public at risk of injury.

The case was heard on Thu 14 May 2015 at West Hampshire Magistrates’ Court where the scaffolder pleaded guilty to  breaching regulation 4(1)(a) and 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. He was fined £18,000, plus costs of £1907.50.

What the HSE inspector had to say

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Adam Wycherley stated

‘Although Mr Alldis was an experienced Scaffolder, in this instance the standards of safety that he endorsed on site fell well below those expected during the dismantling of a scaffold.

Falls from height remain the most common form of workplace fatality – there is no excuse for not planning work at height properly or ensuring the appropriate safety equipment is used, the Scaffolding industry are well aware of the risks involved and the methods which should be put in place to manage these risks’

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