Scaffolding board incident at hospital
Terence Brown was walking through the entrance of Southend Hospital when a 20ft-long plank fell from the top of the building and narrowly missed him and an elderly couple. A spokesman for Connaught said: “We are currently investigating an incident in which a scaffold board fell from height while being removed from our site..."
Crane firm fined over accident
London Tower Crane Hire & Sales Limited has been fined after the hook broke off a tower crane and its four tonne load crashed 36 metres to the ground. The load narrowly missed a footpath on the Hertford Regional College campus. The impact damaged the site boundary fence and a college building.
In response to this incident, London Tower Crane Hire & Sales Limited, operations director Martin Harvey told Cranes Today: “we have implemented dynamic and robust safety systems addressing the specific failings of this incident and wider risks across our operations...the circumstances which contributed to this incident in November 2007, no longer exist within our business and...our systems and procedures are currently industry leading."
Ministry issues 61 charges in scaffold deaths
Two companies face a total of 61 charges from Ontario's Ministry of Labour related to a fatal fall on Christmas Eve that claimed four lives. Charges have been made against Metron Construction Company and Swing 'N' Scaff Inc.
£8,000 fine for steeplejack company
Rafferty Chimneys Engineering Ltd was fined £8,000 after a worker was left in plaster for four months due to falling one-and-a-half metres from scaffolding. Following the incident, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the guard rail on the tower was too low, incorrect boards were in use and no toe boards were in place.