§ 29. Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many fatal or serious accidents have been reported involving the collapse of scaffolding in the last 12 months; and 166W what surveys he has instigated into this problem.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithIn 1970, the latest period of 12 months for which figures are available, there were 31 reported accidents, of which one was fatal, resulting from 22 scaffolding collapses. These figures include all accidents which caused absence from work for more than three days and so include some relatively minor ones.
The Factory Inspectorate is reporting all scaffold collapses that come to its notice, whether or not injury is sustained, in order to keep a close watch on the problem.