§ Mr. John Stradling Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are taken by the Factory Inspectorate to ensure that scaffolding is secure and not used improperly.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerRoutine inspections of construction sites form a large part of the duties of factory inspectors attached to construction districts. During these inspections inspectors pay particular attention to safety of scaffolding and compliance with the law relating to its use which is contained in the Construction (Working Places) Regulations 1966 (SI 1966 No. 94). Factory inspectors also make special visits to sites to investigate all failures of scaffolds which come to their notice and where appropriate, the accidents arising from the use of scaffolding which are reported to them. In addition, they inspect, as a matter of498W priority, scaffolding to which their attention is specifically drawn as being unsatisfactory.
Where inspectors find defects in scaffolding they give advice on the spot to the specialist erector or the user of the scaffold, as appropriate, to have the matters remedied. This advice, which is often subsequently confirmed in writing, relates both to departures from good practice and apparent breaches of the law. Where the firm ignores legal advice from the Inspectorate or in any case where there are flagrant breaches of the regulations, inspectors take legal proceedings in the magistrates' courts. In 1973 there were 202 prosecutions for breaches of regulations concerned with scaffolding.
In extreme cases, where the condition of a scaffold presents particular risk to persons employed, the inspectors may ask the court to make an order prohibiting its use until the defects are remedied.