NATIONWIDE UK SCAFFOLDING ACCIDENT COMPENSATION CLAIMS

Ever year there are estimated to be over 2,000 scaffolding accident claims involving serious injury or death. Most of these accidents arise as a result of improper construction or maintenance of scaffolding which fails to comply with the safety regulations. The most common faults found in scaffolding construction include:

• Poor foundations – no base plates or missing or rotten sole boards;
• Bay size is too large, it should never be more than 2.7 metres;
• Joints in standards and ledgers not properly staggered;
• Bracing omitted or incorrectly attached;
• Transoms incorrectly spaced or attached on working platforms;
• Boards missing, of poor quality or uneven;
• Ladder upside down or only fixed on one side;
• Insufficient over sail of ladder above working platform:

The most commonly "forgotten" scaffold components that contribute to falls from height, which is the main cause of accidents involving serious injury, includes:

• Base Plates: Are required on all scaffolds and the surface on which they are placed must be capable of supporting the loaded scaffold without settling which may necessitate compacting before setting up the scaffold.
• Scaffold Ties: The installation of scaffold ties should not depend on guesswork if a scaffolding accident is to be avoided. If there is any doubt in regards to positioning and numbers of ties then a review of the proposed scaffold should be made with a professional engineer.
• Guard Railing: There are industry guidelines in regards to height and spacing and failure to comply may mean that an employer is negligent if an accident occurs.
• Toeboards: Must be in place and comply with industry protocols.
• Work Platform Decking: All planking must be in place with proper positioning of planks.

It is a requirement of The Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 that full and detailed written records of scaffolding inspections be kept for a minimum period of 3 months after completion of the work and that all scaffolds be inspected by a ‘competent person’:

• Before being taken into use for the first time;
• After any substantial addition, dismantling or other alteration;
• After any event likely to have affected its strength or stability;
• At regular intervals, not exceeding 7 days since the last inspection:

The legal duty of an employer is take reasonable care for the health and safety of employees to reduce the possibility of a scaffolding accident. An employer is required to provide competent co-workers, adequate materials, safety equipment, protective clothing and a safe system of work. We are able to advise you of a suitably qualified experienced solicitor who is a member of the Law Society panel of personal injury experts and who operates the no win no fee scheme. The solicitors that we recommend do not make any deductions from your compensation and do not ask you to fund or finance your compensation claim in any respect.

For free advice on compensation claims from a specialist solicitor just complete the scaffolding accident report form and a member of The Law Society panel of personal injury experts will contact you by telephone at no cost and with no obligation.