The recent case of a self-employed trader who was given 200 hours community service and ordered to pay costs of just under £1,000 after his unsafe scaffolding put him and others at risk, highlights the drawback of scaffolding, especially when it is being used by untrained workers.
The HSE prosecuted the trader after an investigation that found poor planning, lack of guardrails and an unrecognised scaffold design put himself and those on the ground at risk.
Following the hearing the HSE Inspector commented that the trader: “had been served with a Prohibition Notice six months prior to this incident when he breached the Work at Height Regulations for similar circumstances. This incident could and should have been prevented. Scaffolding should always be erected to the appropriate standards and previous enforcement action should not be ignored”.
The Risks & The Differences
Scaffolding can allow work at height to be carried out safely, but only if it is erected and used by those who are competent and have had sufficient training, supervision and instruction. If a scaffold isn’t assembled correctly, or defective components are used, the integrity of the structure can be compromised, putting those working on the scaffold as well as people on the ground at risk.
Offering safe, rapid access to roofline level, walls, second floor windows, soffits or gutters for maintenance and repair work, Easi-Dec access platforms offer a cost-effective alternative to scaffolding. A standard Easi-Dec is 2m wide but as it is modular in design, the system can be easily expanded to provide a larger working platform if required.
Full training is provided with the purchase of an Easi-Dec system to ensure user competency. A standard system can then be assembled by two people and ready for use in just 10 minutes. In addition to this rapid and simple installation, an Easi-Dec platform also offers other advantages over scaffolding systems. For example, it is easy to move around site, can be transported in a standard estate car or transit van and can reduce the risks of security breaches or vandalism on site as it can be dismantled and put away as soon as a job has been completed.
Why not contact us to see for yourself the benefits of using an Easi-Dec platform to see how much money you could save if you used an Easi-Dec system instead of scaffolding.