A building firm in Surrey has been sentenced after a length of scaffolding fell onto a street in Fulham, blocking one lane but thankfully missing pedestrians and traffic.
Alliance Building and Contracting Ltd were prosecuted after an investigation carried out by the HSE in October 2011 identified safety failings.
This month, Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told that the firm, now in voluntary liquidation, was the primary contractor for a demolition and build project in Fulham. A 16-metre length of scaffolding collapsed at the building site, falling from the first floor level to the ground below. The scaffolding covered the pavement and an entire traffic lane.
The fall happened around lunchtime on what is usually a very busy thoroughfare. It is just a short walk from a nursery and local schools.
An investigation by the HSE found that the company had failed to manage the demolition phase of the work properly. The scaffold had been on the site for a year and was left in place long after demolition had finished. The site was also left unattended for long periods of time and regular inspections to check the scaffold’s safety had not taken place.
Alliance Building & Contracting Ltd was found guilty of a breach of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and given a fine of £10,000 alongside costs of £7,190.