Homeowner fined after leaving listed building shrouded in scaffolding for six years.
The owner of a Grimsby listed building has been ordered to pay £1,500 after leaving the structure shrouded in scaffolding for six years, a court heard.
Home owner Paul Brown of Pelham Terrace off Brighowgate was fined £750 and ordered to pay £750 in costs after he admitted failing to comply with the Listed Buildings Enforcement Notice at Grimsby and Cleethorpes Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard that scaffolding had been left in place at the front of two neighbouring properties at Pelham Terrace since 2007. The property is thought to be one of the finest examples of a historic building in Grimsby which was constructed by the Earl of Yarborough in 1854.
The council spent quite some time negotiating the removal of the scaffolding but when talks failed an enforcement notice was served in August 2011. Another letter was sent in March 2012 and two months later an enforcement officer visited the site. But despite a number of warnings, the scaffolding remained in place.
Magistrates heard that because the property’s listed status and the fact that it is situated on a major route in to the town, the scaffolding was having a negative impact on the character and appearance of the wider conservation area.
During the hearing Mr Brown said that the work had fallen behind because much of the maintenance was very delicate and expensive. He added that he was very proud of the building.
Councillor Peter Wheatley, portfolio holder for regeneration and environment at North East Lincolnshire Council, said that it was important to achieve the right balance between encouraging growth and enforcing legislation. He believed that in Mr Brown’s case there was no option but to prosecute after a number of requests to remove the scaffolding.
“It had blighted the area for six years, but this prosecution should ensure that the scaffolding is now removed and the appearance of the building restored, with benefits for the wider conservation area.”
North East Lincolnshire Council’s head of development, Jason Longhurst said that the council aimed to help and support is offered to owners of listed buildings by offering expert advice to make sure that maintenance is carried out properly so that the appearance and character of the structures are retained. He added that he hoped the scaffolding would now be removed to avoid further action.
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Solar panel firm fined £6,000 after employee plunges four metres
A solar panel firm has been fined £6,000 after a worker fell four metres through a roof of a shed at a farm in East Yorkshire.
The employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, had been working for York company Solar Fit PV Ltd for just a fortnight and had no experience in solar panel installation. While he was on his hands and knees cutting rails for the panels he suddenly heard a crack and the roof gave way, York Magistrates heard.
The man escaped serious injury after he landed, still on all fours, on a layer of animal waste on the concrete below.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Solar Fit PV Ltd after investigating the incident at Rotsea Carr Farm in Cranswick, East Yorkshire, in July 2012.
Three days prior to the incident Solar Fit had measured up and began installing 100 solar panels on the roofs of the two large pig sheds, magistrates were told.
On the morning of the incident the farm owner voiced his concerns to the company director because he was unhappy with the way the men were working on the roof of the shed. He said that the roof was fragile and workers should be using crawl boards, which he made available.
The HSE found that Solar Fit took no action as a result of this advice and both the director and the employee continued working on the roof taking no precautions. The director then left the site and told the employee to level the rail already on the roof and chop rails for the panels.
The man was continuing to work unsupervised, when the roof collapsed. He fractured his left elbow and suffered bruising on his legs. After a full recovery he has now found work elsewhere.
An HSE investigation revealed that no precautions had been taken to stop a worker falling through a fragile roof. There was no edge protection to the left of the roof or on the ridge and the hand rail on the right was only extended part way.
Solar Fit PV Ltd, of Fox Oak Park, Common Road, Dunnington, York, was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £6,585 costs after pleading guilty to two breaches of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Andy Denison said after the hearing that the man was very lucky not to have suffered more serious injuries and that a fall from that height could even have been fatal.
He said that Solar Fit PV Ltd did not assess the risks before starting work and failed to plan it properly and ensure it was carried out safely.
“The company left an inexperienced worker alone to work on the roof without suitable safety measures in place, having told him to walk on the purlins – which is extremely dangerous.”
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Scaffold tower to help graffiti artist reach new heights
It may seem like an unlikely pairing but scaffold equipment from Lakeside hire is to form an important part of the international dance festival at a London theatre.
Lakeside hire has been supplying scaffold towers to the Sadler’s Wells Theatre for more than two years to support set design and lighting for their shows.
And this week the Lakeside hire scaffold towers will be helping a graffiti artist reach new heights as he creates a new masterpiece on the theatre’s giant ‘art wall’.
It comes as part of the theatre’s latest event: the Breakin’ Convention 10th Anniversary International Festival of Hip Hop Dance.
Part of the attraction of Lakeside hire equipment is that the company continually receives spotless stock – essential if you are working in a ‘clean’ theatre environment.
The team at Sadler’s Wells, which is regarded as the UK’s leading dance house, are dedicated to bringing the very best international and UK dance to London.
Audiences enjoy a vast range of dance during year-round performances including; tap, kathak, hip hop, flamenco, tango and contemporary dance.
The company plays a key role in commissioning new work and it has co-produced and commissioned nearly 70 productions within the last five years.
Tickets for the festival are available for entry and workshops. For further information visit http://www.sadlerswells.com/show/Breakin-Convention-10th-Anniversary/booking or call 020 7863 8198.
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Get cracking on all those outdoor jobs
One of the best things about the arrival of warmer weather is being able to catch up on all those outdoor tasks in the sunshine.
But however keen you are to get on with the job, don’t take risks if you are planning to prune or top large trees such as conifers. You can do the work safely, and more comfortably and efficiently, by using a mobile scaffold tower or a scissor lift rather than a risky set-up with ladders or by climbing into the tree.
Hiring a scaffold tower is simple. There’s an easy-to-follow user manual, and even a first-time user can put one together within an hour.
Scissor lifts, a perfect alternative to ladders and steps, are effectively low-level powered access lifts. Self-propelled scissor lift access platforms are great for achieving access at height. They are easy to manoeuvre.
Small and compact, a scissor lift can still shift a heavy load. It can reach a working height of 3.6 metres in only eight seconds and is so simple to use that one person, with no formal training, can operate it easily at the touch of a button. So if you’re working on your own, scissor lifts are ideal.
There are so many different sorts of scissor lift that it’s easy to find the perfect equipment specifically suited to the job. Just ask the experts at any reputable equipment-hire firm and they will help you choose the right model for your job.
The kit comes in one piece and the charger is built in, so you never have the problem of looking for lost bits.
There is no waiting around for batteries to recharge. Most hold a full-day’s charge, so you will be ready to get cracking.
Hiring a scissor lift provides the perfect solution for the property-owner or smaller contractor. Buying the equipment can be costly, but for a one-off job the kit can be hired without worrying about storage or maintenance.
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Don’t forget your roof when you spring-clean!
It’s been a long, hard winter. Not just hard on people, with freezing temperatures, hazardous journeys and bigger fuel bills, but hard on buildings, too. So if you’re a property owner, one of the first things to do when spring finally arrives is check for possible damage by frost, snow and ice.
Checking roofs, gutters, chimneys and the like is essential after extreme weather. Look, too, at downspouts, pointing and window frames.
Calling in an expert can be expensive. But with the right equipment, such as a scaffold tower, any reasonably fit person can do it.
Everyone knows working at height without the right equipment can be dangerous, and even fatal. But there’s no reason to risk your life, or serious injury, when the right kit is readily available for hire at reasonable cost. The correct equipment also makes such work very much easier.
At a competitive price, a good equipment-hire firm will guarantee next-day delivery of ladders, extension ladders, roof ladders, scaffold towers, scissor lifts, cherry pickers etc. In fact there’s an elevated platform to suit almost any job at height.
Hiring a scaffold tower is simple. There’s an easy-to-follow user manual, and even a first-time user can put one together within an hour.
For access to areas obstructed by conservatories or porches, Youngman boards are the perfect solution. They bridge the gap, providing a safe, rigid working space to help you get the job done quickly and safely. You can even use a Youngman board to link two scaffold towers, making almost any job at height easily accessible.
All this equipment is lightweight, easy-to-use and easy to manoeuvre into tight spots.
If you intend to check or work on a sloping roof, hire a roof ladder. It’s perfect with a standard scaffold tower, which provides the ideal stable base from which to position the roof ladder.
Don’t risk a slip or fall. A roof ladder will give you safe access to all sloping roofs. Its fitted wheel assembly allows easy extension to the ridge without damaging tiles. You simply turn it over and hook it over the ridge to secure it. It can be assembled easily by one person. If it’s used with a scaffold tower, a safe platform isn’t too far away if you slip.
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