This photo was taken on Saturday morning at 09.20 by a Dagbladet tipster. It shows how a scaffolding company from Eastern Norway erects a scaffold outside Pilestredet 75 in Oslo.
The building is owned by Boligbygg Oslo KF, and the scaffolding was erected on behalf of the municipal property company.
The picture makes Lars Mamen, general manager of Fair Play Bygg Oslo and Omegn, shudder. He is completely clear in his speech:
– This looks dangerous!
Stands on the travel agency
In the photo, you can see at least twelve employees standing on different levels above each other in the scaffolding. The Dagbladet tipster who took the picture says that the employees threw material and equipment upwards in this way.
Several of the employees do not have a floor under their feet, and are standing on the scaffolding itself. It is clear from the photo that several of the employees are secured with seat belts. The company’s general manager, who says that he himself was present at Pilestredet 75 on Saturday, tells Dagbladet that all the employees were secured with seat belts.
Erna’s iron grip
– Do you think this looks safe, Dagbladet asks the daily manager, after sending him the picture.
– I don’t want to answer that question now, says the daily manager, after asking if Dagbladet can call again another time.
– But do you usually do it this way?
– We work in different ways.
– Why didn’t you use a crane or pulley, which could have lifted the equipment without twelve men having to lift?
– We used it on the other side, but… yes, I see they don’t use it, yes.
Clear call
Mamen, who is a carpenter herself and has extensive experience in the construction industry, believes that there is a great risk that those standing on the scaffolding could injure themselves.
– If one falls, or loses something, the colleagues below can also be injured. This does not look good, he says.
“Use crane!” is his clear call.
Boligbygg Oslo KF owns Pilestredet 75, which consists of municipal apartments. Because they are the client, they are the so-called builder, and thus have a responsibility to ensure that contractors follow the construction industry’s strict safety legislation.
See Boligbygg Oslo KF’s response further down in the matter.
Explains this
When Dagbladet interviews the general manager of the scaffolding company, he repeatedly asks the newspaper to call back another day. But every time Dagbladet asks a new question, the daily manager continues to answer anyway.
– Do you think it could have been dangerous if one of the employees had fallen and dropped objects on those below them?
– Of course it is dangerous if something falls, but nothing should fall if someone holds on to it. Then the object is not loose.
– But if there was a sudden strong gust of wind, for example, and someone slipped. Then it is difficult to hold on to something, and if you slip…
– … but it wasn’t windy. It was windless. We always check the weather forecast. If a lot of wind has been reported, we do not work at height.
The person claims that a risk analysis was carried out beforehand, but will not go into detail about what it concluded. He asks us to get in touch on Monday.
When Dagbladet calls the following day, the daily manager refers to Boligbygg Oslo KF.
Stopped work
Communications manager at Boligbygg Oslo KF, Harald Wisløff, states that they have used a contractor to repair a roof leak in the building in question. The scaffolding firm is a subcontractor of them again. Both companies are approved by Boligbygg Oslo KF.
Wisløff says that Boligbygg Oslo KF contacted the contractor after Dagbladet made contact, and that the work has now been stopped.
– Boligbygg Oslo KF has 11,600 homes, and we cannot be on every construction site at all times. From what we can interpret from the picture, it may look like some workers are not adequately secured, or that materials are not secured as required by Boligbygg according to the regulations, he says.
– If there has been a lack of security in Pilestredet, we apologize for this. We have already followed up the matter with our subcontractors and will ensure that the work proceeds safely. But we have no doubts about our responsibility, and are happy that someone is speaking up, adds Wisløff.
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He emphasizes that Boligbygg Oslo KF has used the same supplier many times in the past, and has no reason to doubt that they comply with all safety legislation.
– Our HSE advisers follow up internally with our supplier. A construction site with Boligbygg Oslo KF as the client must of course be a safe and secure area for both workers and the public.
Dagbladet has also been in contact with the general manager of the contracting company. He refers to Boligbygg Oslo KF’s answer above.
