to dob in or not and who to

[jackiew]

on my morning walk I went passed a single home building site. Builder is "prize winning" company.

The house is 2 stories high and they are doing brickwork to an entrance porch which looks like it is going the full two stories.

At first floor level ( i.e. ceiling height of the ground floor ) they have a scaffold platform set up. The platform is made up of a number of filthy scaffold planks which are not laid flat but overlapping each other both on both the long and the short edges. If anything the surface slopes away from the house towards the drop.

The platform forms the top of the scaffolding - i.e. there are no horizontal rails above the platform. It looked to me ( before work started for the day ) as if the brickies were working off this platform.

I personally wouldn't work off it because the overlaps form a trip hazzard, the surface looks like its covered with crap ( mortar ) and it isn't flat and has nothing to grab onto.

I'll go back and have a look at lunchtime to see if they are actually working off it or if it is fulfilling some other function (?).

a) does it sound like a safe scaffold or am I just being silly

b) if it isn't who should I approach first - the men working there - the building firm - worksafe ?

[Termite]

Its a difficult moral issue. The prevailing sentiment in society these days seems to be "don't get involved". One must balance this with the feeling one would have if one did nothing and then somebody got hurt or killed. I'ts your own judjment call I'm afraid, do what your gut tells you.

[vsquizz]

My nephew was recently injured, (not too badly but was off work for a couple of weeks) working on scaffolding. The findings of the investigation, it was plain as daylight, were that the scaffolding was defective. So then there's compo claims and insurance issues, worksafe investigation and other nauseating issues. These things will cost the builder and the client in time.

Far better to avaoid the injury and the rest by getting it right in the first place. I have no hesitation in such matters but a softly softly approach to the right person is the way to go. If this doesn't work I call the dogs.


Cheers

[jackiew]

Who is the right person to talk ... that's the trouble.

I suppose it depends on whether the Bricklayer is contracted to supply their own scaffolding or whether the Builder is supposed to supply it and the Bricklayers are working with what they've been given.

I guess I'm feeling a bit chicken about approaching the Bricklayer who is probably going to tell me where to go in no uncertain terms. And who is going to know just who to blame if I then have to escalate it.

[Dylan SJ]

I can't visualize the planks but does the scaffold have handrails, kick rails, safe access? Is it tied to the house, have cross bracing and large sole plates? These are just some of the things required for scaffold over 2m high.

If you would like Work Safe to investigate, call 1800 136 089. If the scaffold meets OH&S requirements then the builder has nothing to worry about.

EDIT: It doesn't matter if the contractor supplies the scaffold or not. The builder has ultimate responsibility for health and safety on-site and should not allow subbies to work unsafely.

[TassieKiwi]

Dob-em in to your friendly Workplace officer. All you'd need to tell him is the address. You may save a life.

VICTORIAN WORKCOVER AUTHORITY
		INCLUDING WORKSAFE VICTORIA
		HEAD OFFICE
		Departments & Administrative Calls
		MAIN SWITCH
		222 Exhibition St Melbourne 3000	(03) 9641 1555

[vsquizz]

It doesn't really matter who put the scaffolding up (well it does) but remember the price will be built into the contract and Mr/Mrs Owner will be paying. They probably ensured the builder had the necassary workplace cover in place as well. It is this the prime contractor really needs to protect. Its in his best interest, excluding the human misery which can arise out of unsafe practices.


Cheers

[jackiew]

ta for the advice. Got the phone numbers in my phone. Will take a turn past during my lunch break to confirm the address and do the right thing.

have to say my life would be a lot easier if I could just see these things and not want to do anything about it

[Termite]

have to say my life would be a lot easier if I could just see these things and not want to do anything about it

Easy is not always the right way. Hard choices are what earn good karma.

[Barry_White]

I don't know about in Vic but in NSW if the scaffold is higher than 4 metres it has to be erected by a licensed rigger and if it is unsafe the riggers license is on the line. Most scaffold hire companys will erect it with their own riggers.

[Driver]

have to say my life would be a lot easier if I could just see these things and not want to do anything about it

Jackie

Maybe your life would be easier but you know it wouldn't because your conscience would bother you. How would you feel if some poor sod was injured in a fall caused by the sloppy scaffolding and you hadn't done something about it?

More power to your elbow. The world would be a happier, safer place if everyone had your responsible approach. Keep it up!

Col

[Dylan SJ]

I don't know about in Vic but in NSW if the scaffold is higher than 4 metres it has to be erected by a licensed rigger and if it is unsafe the riggers license is on the line. Most scaffold hire companys will erect it with their own riggers.

That is the case in Victoria too. Over 2m requires handrails, over 4m requires a licensed scaffolder.

For Victorians, there is plenty of information, regulations and codes of practice on the Work Safe site

[jackiew]

well deed is done. Up to WorkSafe people now whether they think its dodgy or whether they think I'm a time wasting member of the public.

When I went back everyone was at lunch. It looked like they'd changed the configuration slightly since this morning ( hard to tell without a good reference point whether it was over the 2m or not ) but it is obviously in use for standing on as access had been provided via a free standing step ladder which would require you to go to the top of the ladder in order to get on the planks.

[Eastie]

A freestanding ladder for scaffold access - the flying monkeys at WorkSafe will be interested. Despite the lack smarts in the housing industry to put up a decent scaffold it's good to see the public is becoming more aware of these issues. A while ago it was nothing see home buyers ripped off by builders who factor scaffolding and guardrail into quotes and then never hire/use either on the job or rip it down before all trades can get use out of it, leaving subbies to either provide their own, improvise or risk their lives and get the job done without it. This still happens and the WorkSafe line is one way of hitting these mongrel builders were it hurts.

As for the dob or don't dob issue - i recon f#k-em. If you had a look at how easy it is for any idiot on the street to register as a licensed builder you'd be shocked - gone are the days of serving as an aprentice before becoming qualified - instead just do one job as an owner builder then put in your papers for registration as a 'building professional'.
There are too many mongrels like this who undercut decent builders/trades who actually give a hoot about the quality of their product and their employees and themselves going home in one piece at the end of each day. New "safety crap" like roof guardrail and scaffold is often touted as an overhead and add on in the housing construction industry - the fact is that things like scaffold and guardrail aren't just safety crap - and they definitely weren't invented yesterday.

Eastie,
Bitter, and a little twisted.

[AlexS]

You did the right thing Jackie