Customers getting on scaffolding

Status
Not open for further replies.
U

user_removed

Well-Known Member
The job we are on at the minute is 2 semis, joined.

One customer is absolutely bang on, leaves us too it, has a joke and appreciates how we are tackling the job.

The other customer next door is also ok, but somewhat annoying, however, the husband whose not a bad bloke has been getting on the scaffolding most nights I have found out today, which I'm not too happy about

I'm not best pleased as I don't want him worrying and snooping about the job, I'd gladly walk round with him and answer any questions or update him on certain aspects of the job, Iv had a word and told both husband and wife that I don't want anyone on there especially when we aren't there.

Iv also told them that any injury caused up there, for example he fell off, myself and the scaffolding company would be liable, I'd like clarification on this if anyone knows.

We also move batons about to fit a tray to catch waste render, I don't want him falling through or tripping.

Do others get this problem?
 
Yes I agree with what you are saying,I'd much rather him ask me if I can show him round and talk him through the works. I usually lean a scaffold plank up the ladder treads and tie it on,to stop children in the house or neighbouring homes climbing up.
 
We either take the ladder home or chain it and bolt it to the scaffolding horizontally, he's been getting his own ladders out and putting them away.
 
Vaseline the floor where he puts his ladder[emoji48] or just have a scaffold alarm sensor put on. most of my scaffold I've had put up has alarms now for customers home insurance as needs to be for there cover
 
mac_plastering said:
We either take the ladder home or chain it and bolt it to the scaffolding horizontally, he's been getting his own ladders out and putting them away.
Click to expand...
Just speak to him and tell him what you've told us that you would rather be there when he goes up the scaffold and you'll happily show him round the job
 
The scaffolding has to have an erection and regular inspection certificates, along with warning signs and all reasonable measures taken to prevent any unauthorised persons climbing it. If it doesn't have those and someone gets hurt you and the scaffolding company bear equal liability and would be royally ass raped in court probably including jail time.

Members of the public getting hurt on a site will always result in prosecution of the trades and contractors unless every last detail is spot on. For example, you have filled in the risk assessment to comply with the CDM regs haven't you? It's applicable to all jobs now.
 
We haven't finished stripping yet, there is nothing to see.

It's one of those where I get 10 questions as soon as I'm there about false timber beams, the state of the brickwork (it's fine btw, just damage to the face) asking why I'm not rendering below the dpc as I'm sat there with crumbling render that's fallen off in my hand saying this is why.

The job is spotless, and progressing nicely, just doesn't sit well with me knowing someone's up there trying to look for something that's not there
 
Iv had a word and I am on top of it.

I was interested to see if others had it and your thoughts on it.

Customers who gets up doesn't have the foggiest about the building trade, looks to have a desk job.
 
imago said:
The scaffolding has to have an erection and regular inspection certificates, along with warning signs and all reasonable measures taken to prevent any unauthorised persons climbing it. If it doesn't have those and someone gets hurt you and the scaffolding company bear equal liability and would be royally ass raped in court probably including jail time.

Members of the public getting hurt on a site will always result in prosecution of the trades and contractors unless every last detail is spot on. For example, you have filled in the risk assessment to comply with the CDM regs haven't you? It's applicable to all jobs now.
Click to expand...

if you've informed them that getting up is liable to result in injury either verbally or in writing the liability is on them. as said the scaffolding should be signed off by the allocated inspector of the scaffold outfit, but as long as they've erected a ladder up and gone up off there own back you can do no more and you would not be prosecuted.
I have a construction law barrister in the family and ive asked him a similar question in the past.
 
owls said:
if you've informed them that getting up is liable to result in injury either verbally or in writing the liability is on them. as said the scaffolding should be signed off by the allocated inspector of the scaffold outfit, but as long as they've erected a ladder up and gone up off there own back you can do no more and you would not be prosecuted.
I have a construction law barrister in the family and ive asked him a similar question in the past.
Click to expand...

Ask him or her about the 'reasonable precautions' bit, it's a proper 4rse.

You have to make sure everything is to the letter. I worked for a firm that were prosecuted when a kid fell off of scaffolding over a weekend. He'd climbed off of his dad's shed and the solicitor said that there should have been a barrier there to prevent it!
 
My words exactly were that if her husband fell and killed himself, there's every possibility myself or the scaffolding company could be done for manslaughter.

I'm know legal eagle but with the H&S now in this country I wouldn't be surprised at all if that was the case.

I'm going to have to change my t&cs explaining that under no circumstance does the customer access any scaffolding.

He's got 4 kids all under 7/8 all run around the garden without a care in the world, so one of them follows him up is not worth thinking about.
 
Put one of those signs up what says scaffoling incomplete do not access.

Sure I have seen them in that sign writers shop opposite Travis Perkins on Holme Lane.
 
The sign i have on back of my van!
Customers getting on scaffolding
 
Just call the scaffold company and tell them you've got customers going up there and your not happy about it

Ask for a scaffold gate and then just get a cheap chain that's what I do mate
 
imago said:
Ask him or her about the 'reasonable precautions' bit, it's a proper 4rse.

You have to make sure everything is to the letter. I worked for a firm that were prosecuted when a kid fell off of scaffolding over a weekend. He'd climbed off of his dad's shed and the solicitor said that there should have been a barrier there to prevent it!
Click to expand...
Sign of the times that the liability is always on you rather than on the clowns climbing up, compensation culture.
 
If you start putting up signs they may think your being abit. Moody beens as you've already spoke to them about it
 
Rigsby said:
A sign of some sort of disclaimer will do the trick
Click to expand...

If you haven't completed a risk assessment and got the CDM document available no amount of signage will help unfortunately. The changes that came in earlier this year mean everything from plastering a room to building an extension require it, and it's no longer the customer's responsibility it's ALL down to the contractor. HSE have said that they'll start doing spot checks this year anywhere they see work going on, with particular focus on domestic work as they already inspect sites.

On a related note, I've had to put together a method statement and risk assessment document for some work we'll be doing later in the year on a school. 168 pages of boll0cks with everything from blank hot work permission slips to the process for unloading materials. The council changed the rules this year and will only allow contractors to work if they have a unique document for each job. I said to the bursar that's fine, but I'll be invoicing for it. I'm charging like an angry bull for that one, they want nonsense they'll get it but not for free!
 
I need glasses.

Working today, my lab was ok but we did not have Hi vis on. I looked across the road and saw a bloke watching us sure it said HSE on the side so I shouted to my lab and got in the truck and sped off.

Scaffolders was working on the job so after half an hour or I rang them to see if he had gone. It was not HSE it was HES doing gas safety checks.

Got done last year so a bit paranoid now.
 
Rigsby said:
I need glasses.

Working today, my lab was ok but we did not have Hi vis on. I looked across the road and saw a bloke watching us sure it said HSE on the side so I shouted to my lab and got in the truck and sped off.

Scaffolders was working on the job so after half an hour or I rang them to see if he had gone. It was not HSE it was HES doing gas safety checks.

Got done last year so a bit paranoid now.
Click to expand...

Haha run like the wind bullseye!!

On a serious note what did you get done for and how? How much?
 
  • the contractor, if it is a single contractor project, who must take on the legal duties of the client in addition to their own as contractor. In practice, this should involve little more than what they normally do in managing health and safety risks
Taken from the CDM regs.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm/2015/domestic-clients.htm

I'm reading that as basically as long as your insured and have some common sense there isn't really a change.

Does the scaffolders being on site for a few hours add another contractor?
 
My lab got caught hacking off with no mask or ear defenders. He had them in my truck but would not wear them because I had nowt to do I went to my uncles for a cuppa. Because I had left him without the ppe I got fined £130. If they was on the job he would have got fined.

Expensive cup of tea.
 
Rigsby said:
My lab got caught hacking off with no mask or ear defenders. He had them in my truck but would not wear them because I had nowt to do I went to my uncles for a cuppa. Because I had left him without the ppe I got fined £130. If they was on the job he would have got fined.

Expensive cup of tea.
Click to expand...

On a domestic?

I hope you told them where to shove it.

We have hi vis, dust mask, gloves and glasses with the correct insurance
 
No, I actually shook her hand and thanked her for pinching me and said 'about time too'.

My lab paid me to pay the fine. That was the deal if he ever got caught. Now he wears the lot.
 
mac_plastering said:
  • the contractor, if it is a single contractor project, who must take on the legal duties of the client in addition to their own as contractor. In practice, this should involve little more than what they normally do in managing health and safety risks
Taken from the CDM regs.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm/2015/domestic-clients.htm

I'm reading that as basically as long as your insured and have some common sense there isn't really a change.

Does the scaffolders being on site for a few hours add another contractor?
Click to expand...

The killer question though is "can I see your copy of the risk assessment?" Not documented = didn't happen.
 
@Rigsby I'm surprised you didn't challenge it, don't get me wrong I'm all for working safely on domestics and commercial but it the H&S rules start dripping into the domestic work, it will only lead to overkill like it has done on sites & be another cost to the tradesmen, I wouldn't be surprised if a domestic health and safety card was brought out for domestic tradesmen to line some government funded company pocket who pretended to give a s**t.

@imago so what your saying is a risk assessment is now needed on domestic works, I'm not being funny, I genuinely want to know, I'll not lie and say that some of the jargon on that site looses me.

If you know, and care to share, what sort of procedure would you need to carry out a standard strip and re-render on a domestic property, I imagined with it being cosmetic and decorative works only (not structural or anything major) that really you'd be able to carry it out with minimal fuss.

Thanks in advance
 
mac_plastering said:
@Rigsby I'm surprised you didn't challenge it, don't get me wrong I'm all for working safely on domestics and commercial but it the H&S rules start dripping into the domestic work, it will only lead to overkill like it has done on sites & be another cost to the tradesmen, I wouldn't be surprised if a domestic health and safety card was brought out for domestic tradesmen to line some government funded company pocket who pretended to give a s**t.

@imago so what your saying is a risk assessment is now needed on domestic works, I'm not being funny, I genuinely want to know, I'll not lie and say that some of the jargon on that site looses me.

If you know, and care to share, what sort of procedure would you need to carry out a standard strip and re-render on a domestic property, I imagined with it being cosmetic and decorative works only (not structural or anything major) that really you'd be able to carry it out with minimal fuss.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...


Think she was a bounty hunter Chris. She did me a favour as it cost me nothing. My men have always been ignorant regarding H&S but would not hesitate to sue me in the case of an accident. As far as they was concerned H&S inspectors did not exist. But now they do exist and it will be them that gets fined they are now taking precautions.

That job I got caught on was a back Street but she said we had been reported. If we had it was the bloke across the road who was on a night shift and we was hacking off. But I think it was a random visit.

You can get risk assestments and method statements online. Made to your requirements. I paid a whack for mine as the cheaper online versions wasn't available then though but the first page only needs altering for the dates and the last page for any new employees.

What she told me was to leave a box on the job with a paper mask, specs, gloves (even latex will do) and ear plug for every man left on the job and I am covered. It is the workers then she will go for.

My bad luck I went for a cuppa.
 
H&S is a minefield they keep adding to it all the time, big money for gov and Brussels, you have to keep on top of it and do endless courses on it if you want to play the game these days !
Doing the actual job is the easy bit !
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Share this page

Back
Top