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A Government review of regulations affecting the construction industry could see building standards such as fire safety, wheelchair access and energy efficiency torn up in a Government plan to cut costs for the construction industry and boost the economy. Controversially, the review also includes the option of giving the building industry more scope for self-regulation. Figures show that ... more
We’re never ones to boast here at Facelift, but we’re so proud of our S50-XDTJ that we’ve designed a poster to demonstrate its very impressive capabilities. The poster shows the machine effortlessly demonstrating its impressive reach as it is used to carry out repair work at a Carthusian monastery in West Sussex. With a unique three section super-jib cage boom and an u ... more
Roofers make up nearly a quarter of all workers killed in falls from height at work, and this is one area where significant improvement in working practices is necessary. According to HSE statistics, falls through fragile materials, such as roof lights and asbestos cement roofing sheets account for more of these deaths than any other single cause. The injuries and fatalities are not restricted to ... more
IPAF’s accident reporting project shows that there were 26 deaths resulting from 25 accidents worldwide involving MEWPs from January to September 2012. There are around 1.5 million MEWPS in operation worldwide. Results for the last quarter reveal that there were seven fatalities from six accidents that were reported in the months of July, August and September. The main causes were reported ... more
Construction sites across the North East were recently put under the spotlight as part of an intensive inspection regime by the Health and Safety Executive. A total of 69 sites were inspected in September, and although the majority were found to be managing health and safety risks appropriately, work was stopped immediately on several sites. A total of 14 Prohibition Notices were served because ... more
Grave injuries sustained, lives devastated and careers irreparably damaged. The last month’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecutions make for extremely depressing reading. And the severity of each incident is matched by how easy it would have been to prevent, simply by using a ladder, MEWP or platform. For example, in Bedford, a grain milling company was prosecuted as a conseq ... more
It’s not often that the importance of safety when working from height makes the pages of the nationals but it made the news last week, for all the wrong reasons. A passerby captured a video of a window cleaner working 40ft above ground level at the Loch Fyne restaurant in Bath, Somerset, without a harness, scaffold or MEWP in sight. Worse still, he was seen merrily hopping out of windows, ... more
Good health and safety practice often goes un-noticed, so it’s only right that the safety and health practitioners who have excelled at protecting people from injury or ill health were recognised earlier this month at an awards ceremony held by Safety and Health Practitioner (SHP) magazine and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Comedian Seann Walsh of the BBC’s ... more
Crowds in Trafalgar Square looked on speechless recently as a scantily-clad man stood astride what appeared to be a completely upright, unsupported ladder. Wielding knives and wearing an outfit that left very little to the imagination, street entertainer, Pete Dobbing, performed his signature trick of climbing and balancing on an entirely unsupported 10ft ladder to the delight of crowds in the ... more
On Sunday morning everything fell in to place - We've been planning a day time Panorama shot of Nelson's view over London for a few months now and on Sunday it all came together, great weather, only a slight breeze. During routine infrastructure inspection of Nelsons Column we were able to take a quick visit to Nelsons eye level and with the camera and gigapan all set up were able to capture a 360 ... more
