Scaffolders and their Duty to Prevent Shattered Lives

The House and Safety Executive (HSE) has just launched a new campaign aimed at reducing the number of accidents in certain industries.

One industry where slips, trips and accidents are unfortunately common place is the construction industry and the HSE are offering valuable tips and help for various contractors in the construction industry.

Scaffolders and Scaffolding firms have been highlighted as being a section of the industry where simple health and safety practices should dramatically reduce the number of accidents that occur.

For individuals and companies who have to work on scaffolding, the following have been identified as the most common cause of falls:

• Missing or broken scaffolding boards mean that workers could either fall through or lose their footing whilst walking on the boards
• Untrained staff making modifications to the scaffold
• Guard rails being incomplete which means gaps are left which workers can fall through
• Ladders or other stairwell access not being secured onto the scaffold which results in falls

In addition to highlighting the most common case of accidents for scaffolders, the HSE also provide tips on how to use scaffolding safety. Tips including:

• Making sure the scaffold is inspected before use, every week thereafter or after alterations or damage
• Never adjusting scaffolding
• Making sure there is safe access to the scaffold with a minimum of a tied ladder with 3 rungs projecting over the platform to provide a hand hold

Mark Burdett of NCi Contractor, the UK Contractors Insurance Broker and Scaffolding Insurance Experts had this to say about the new HSE Shattered Lives campaign, “Our role as an independent insurance broker means we try whenever possible to provide clients with risk management tips. NCi Contractor does this to not only to reduce our clients exposure to risk but also their insurance premiums. Like the HSE we want our clients to the safe at all times so fully support their Shattered Lives campaign and would encourage anyone working in the construction or scaffolding insurance to check out their website at www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives”

NCi Contractor are Contractors Insurance Specialists and for details of their Contractor Insurance facilities or to get a contractor insurance quote simply visit the UK Business Insurance Brokers.