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UCATT has called for an urgent revision of safety laws after an Aberdeen construction site was found to have repeatedly breached safety rules.
The construction union said the site broke safety rules on four separate occasions.
Last week, MK Builders, in Co Durham, were fined £4k for breaching working at height regulations. This was the result of an anonymous tip off in June 2010 when the company was converting the former Grampian Hotel in Carmelite Street, Aberdeen.
The same site has had a history of safety issues concerning its failure to comply with the working at height regulations. In September 2009, 63-year-old Malcolm Doughty fell to his death from scaffolding.
In July 2007, the original developer Inveresk Developments was issued with a prohibition notice due to the risk of falling from scaffolding, while in October 2008, a further inspection led to an immediate halt on all work at the site until there was a "competent safety manager in place".
On each occasion after work had been stopped, the site changed hands to a new contractor.
Under the existing Construction Design and Management Regulations (CDM) the responsibility for the site operating safely is with the dutyholder of the site. This means the Health and Safety Executive places prohibition notices on a company and not on a site, therefore once the site has changed hands the existing prohibition notices are wiped off, even if the problems had not been rectified.
Harry Frew, Regional Secretary for UCATT Scotland, said: "It is disgraceful that for the fourth time serious safety failings concerning working at height have been identified on this site. It is incredible that given the sites safety history and the tragic accident that occurred here that the HSE had to rely on an anonymous tip off in order to take action.
"There will be many similar sites which have been mothballed due to a combination of safety problems and the recession. When these sites are re-started workers must be assured they are not entering a death trap. Clearly the existing regulations need to be amended if this is not currently the case."
(JP/CD)
