ERECTION OF SCAFFOLDING

Putaruru Press, Volume XXI, Issue 1240, 24 July 1947, Page 5

ERECTION OF SCAFFOLDING

NO NOTIFICATION GIVEN A lengthy Court case was heard in Putaruru last week before Mr. S- L. Paterson, S.M., when the inspector of scaffolding charged Wesley R. Etchells, Ltd., of Hamilton, for at Putaruru on February Bth, 1047, beginning building work and the erection of scaffolding which during the course-’of such work did mean the risk of a fall of 12 feet or more, and of failing to notify the inspector of the time when it was intended to begin the work. Mr. R. J. Powell, inspector of scaffolding, Hamilton, prosecuted, and Mr. A. £. Tompkins appeared for the defendant company, (which pleaded not guilty. The charge arose out of an accident which occurred at' the Putaruru Timberyards, Ltd., in February, when It. Garrett, sheet metal worker, an employee of W. R Etchells, Ltd., fell from some scaffolding which Svas •10 feet above the ground. He was at the time working on some fluming, which together with a hopper and cycloe was being installed at the mill for the disposal of shavings and sawdust. After the accident was reported it was found that no notification had been made of the erection of the scaffoldings, and proceedings were commenced. In a lengthy hearing evidence was given by A- L. Mason, managing director of Putaruru Timberyards, Ltd., It. Garrett, It. J. Powell, inspector of scaffolding, and W. It. Etehell. The magistrate outlined the facts of the case and stated that he was satisfied that defendant was the company or person responsible for the erection of the work. However, he did not think it was a case for a lieavy penalty, and convicted and fined the defendant company £2 with 30s costs.