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HSE targets Manchester’s dangerous scaffolding

24 Nov 10 Health and safety inspectors will be out in force in Manchester tomorrow (Thursday 25 November) in a crackdown on dangerous scaffolding.

HSE inspectors will spend the day making unannounced visits to construction sites across the city as part of an ongoing initiative tackling the issue.

Polly Tomlinson, a principal inspector for HSE in Greater Manchester, said: "We are concerned that companies may be trying to cut down on costs or to undercut competitors by not using suitable scaffolding or other safety equipment. Quite simply, they are putting their own and other people's lives at risk as a result. HSE will not tolerate poor health and safety standards on construction sites. When it is necessary to safeguard workers or the public, inspectors will not hesitate to take strong enforcement action."

Both construction workers and members of the public can be put at risk of being seriously injured or even killed if scaffolding collapses. Injuries can also occur when building materials fall through gaps where there are no safety boards or netting.

Falls from height are the biggest single cause of workplace deaths in the UK, with two deaths and 563 serious injuries in Manchester alone last year.

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MPU
MPU

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