Partners in a company that erected unsafe scaffolding, which crashed to the ground in strong winds, were sentenced yesterday (Wednesday 16 November).
A large section of scaffolding erected by the firm at a builders' merchants on 25 March, 2009 fell away from the building, seriously damaging a number of parked cars. The scaffolding had been erected to allow re-roofing to take place at the premises.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors told the court that netting had been fixed to the scaffolding but extended almost a metre and a half above the roof of the building. The netting was attached to the inside edge of the scaffold instead of the outside and acted as a sail to the prevailing wind causing the scaffolding to collapse.
The investigation also found that there were inadequate stability measures on the scaffold to withstand foreseeable wind speeds, such as scaffolding ties.
Terrence Foster and Shaun Greenslade pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 28(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. Mr Foster was fined £8,000 and Mr Greenslade was fined £5,000. Both were ordered to pay costs of £2,040.