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Working at height can give rise to a range of scaffolding accidents both directly to employees of the company responsible for the construction site and indirectly to other workers who enter the site or members of the public.
Scaffolding is intended to provide a safe working platform for anyone in the building trades who is working above head height and the higher the building rises then the greater the risk of someone suffering a work-related injury through the neglect or action of another.
Falls are the most obvious hazard for a builder, electrician, roofer or other tradesman and these can occur for a variety of reasons. If the scaffolding has been incorrectly erected, there may be gaps in the boarded walkway, fixings between the poles may be insecure or the whole structure may be unstable, causing workers to lose their balance, especially when carrying tools or materials.
Because erecting scaffolding correctly and safely is such a specialist skill, most building firms use outside contractors to install the framework and remove it again when the job is finished. This means that the main construction site workers can rely on it meeting industry standards and give them the best possible environment.
Although this is the case for major projects, a small or medium-sized building company may wish to cut costs by hiring the scaffold poles and planks then erecting the walkways itself. There is nothing to stop the firm doing this or, for that matter, an individual who wants scaffold for a DIY project from going to a hirer and taking away a suitable platform or components.
However, the supplier of the scaffolding is obliged to make the hirer aware of all the safety regulations which apply to the framework. Non-commercial hirers are most likely to only need a scaffolding tower but they, too, should be fully-aware of the potential for work-related accidents.
Scaffold towers are ideal for do-it-yourself jobs or small projects such as painting the outside of a house or replacing guttering. They often have wheels so can be moved easily and can be supplied either as a fixed unit or in sections so that the user can adjust the height of the tower depending on the requirements of the job.
A tower is far safer and easier to use than a ladder, allowing the worker to have not just a stable surface on which to stand but also somewhere to place their paint or tools yet keep them to hand.
An individual will have to be responsible for his or her own safe working practices when using a hired scaffold platform but someone working as a sub-contractor or employee for a builder or other tradesman can expect the employer to have taken safety precautions to protect them from injury when working at height.
These measures include checking the viability and construction of the scaffolding and boards, and appropriate protection such as safety harnesses then should a work injury occur, if the victim has protected himself from as much risk as possible then there may be grounds for suing the employer for compensation for pain, suffering and loss of earnings.
YouClaim's record on scaffolding accidents
If you choose to consult one of the expert lawyers at YouClaim about your scaffolding accident, you will find there is a wealth of knowledge and professional experience from our industrial injury solicitors, who will be able to represent you wherever you live in the UK.
They will offer advice in a friendly, down-to-earth manner, explaining all the possible procedures in plain English, and you needn't worry about the cost of making a compensation claim because with the no win no fee system you will be protected from having to pay legal costs.
Because a building site accident could well be disabling, anyone who has suffered from this type of work-related injury would be sensible to talk to one of YouClaim's legal advisers as soon as possible after the incident and no more than three years after it occurred.
For more information about starting a claim following a scaffolding accident, why not call us free on 0800 10 757 95
