The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning of the need to ensure scaffolding is properly erected, secure and safe for use after two companies were prosecuted for an incident where scaffolding collapsed onto railway line at Aberystwyth station.
The call comes at a time when HSE is carrying out a series of spot-checks on building sites across Wales aimed at reminding those working in the construction industry of the need for good health and safety.
C. Sneade Ltd of Trwstllewellyn, Garthmyl, Powys, and their contractors MW Scaffolding Ltd of Glanyrafon Industrial Estate, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth, pleaded guilty to two charges each under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
On the morning of 22nd February 2005, a section of system scaffolding 52 metres in length, and three levels high located in a building site adjacent to Aberystwyth railway terminus collapsed and obstructed the track. No-one was injured in the incident, but workers had been using the scaffold only minutes before and members of the public were also placed at risk by the collapse.
A subsequent investigation by HSE involving a scaffolding specialist identified that neither company involved in the erection of the scaffolding had undertaken specific design calculations to ensure its strength and stability, nor had they inspected it once it had been erected. The addition of debris netting shortly before the collapse contributed to the instability of the scaffolding.
HSE Inspector Wayne Williams said: "It was a matter of sheer good fortune that there were no injuries as a result of this incident. It was entirely foreseeable that a freestanding untied scaffold was at risk of toppling over. The companies involved should have been aware of the obvious risk of collapse and taken appropriate action to prevent it.
"Scaffolding is an essential tool for construction companies to facilitate safe working at height, but it is vital that all precautions to prevent collapse are taken.
"In the case of system scaffold like that used in this case, they should be erected in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions to a site specific design - in most cases this would require more tying-in or securing scaffolding against a building, than for independent scaffolds. They should also be inspected for safety regularly, and this clearly wasn't done in this case."
C. Sneade Ltd pleaded guilty to charges under Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and were fined £5,000 on each charge and ordered to pay £20,000 costs. At an earlier hearing, MW Scaffolding Ltd pleaded guilty to charges under section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the same Act, and was fined £4,000 on each charge and ordered to pay £6,700 in costs.
(CD/JM)
Construction News
20/03/2009
Aberystwyth Scaffolding Collapse Highlights Construction Dangers
.gif)

30/06/2025
Places for London, Transport for London's wholly owned property company, has announced Ballymore as its joint venture partner for the transformation of the Limmo Peninsula in east London.
The partnership will see the creation of around 1,400 new homes, spanning affordable, market, and rental tenur

30/06/2025
Balfour Beatty, in partnership with Laing O'Rourke and Bouygues Travaux Publics, has officially signed the Programme Alliance Agreement with Sizewell C to deliver the main civil works at the UK's next nuclear power station.
The three companies will operate as the Sizewell C Civil Works Alliance (CW

30/06/2025
Morgan Sindall Construction and Southampton City Council have officially broken ground on the £36 million transformation of the city's historic Outdoor Sports Centre, marking a major milestone in one of the region's most ambitious regeneration projects.
A ceremonial event to celebrate the start of

30/06/2025
Doncaster Council has officially received a new collection of affordable homes at the Nutwell Grange development in Armthorpe, as part of a housing partnership with housebuilder Persimmon.
Deputy Mayor Glyn Jones and Councillor Majid Khan visited the site this week to mark the handover of eleven on

30/06/2025
Winvic Construction Ltd has announced the shortlisting of seven awards at this year's prestigious 'Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering Awards' (IWCE).
The shortlist celebrates both individual excellence and Winvic's company-wide commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in the built

30/06/2025
Alder Hey Children's Hospital and construction partner Morgan Sindall are celebrating a significant milestone in the development of a new facility that promises to transform care for children and young people.
The structure of the new building, which will house a state-of-the-art surgical neonatal

30/06/2025
Henry Boot PLC has announced that its land promotion and planning arm, Hallam Land Management, has completed the sale of a freehold site in Yalding, Kent, to housebuilder Fernham Homes.
The site has full planning permission for 112 residential units.
The sale has generated an ungeared internal ra

30/06/2025
A St Mungo's care home in Islington for people affected by homelessness has reopened its doors after a transformative refurbishment delivered by volunteers from delivery consultants and construction specialists Mace.
The six-week project, led by 46 Mace volunteers, saw the complete redesign and re-

30/06/2025
Galliford Try has marked a key construction milestone at its flagship project, The Rise, with a topping out ceremony celebrating the completion of the building’s structure at Guildford Crescent in the heart of Cardiff.
Once completed, The Rise will become Cardiff's tallest building, delivering 272

30/06/2025
Thousands more young people in the North East will be trained for careers in the fast-growing green energy sector thanks to an £8.48 million investment approved by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and her Cabinet.
The funding will support the expansion of Newcastle College's Energy Academy in Wallse