Terrified workers down tools

After deathtrap alert on Scottish Parliament roof

 

PARLIAMENT chiefs could be hit with their biggest ever repair bill after potentially lethal faults were found on the roof of the £414million building.

Emergency site visits were arranged on Friday after contractors refused to carry out maintenance work on the roof claiming it is dangerous for them and the public.

Meanwhile, our astonishing pictures show a loosened 100lb granite block on the side of the Holyrood building being held in place by makeshift wooden wedges just yards above the Royal Mile.

The crisis emerged after one of the 150 anchor points – used to attach roofers’ harnesses so they can work safely – was found to be badly corroded.

Holyrood sources have admitted the damage is “real life or death stuff”.

On Friday, TRAC International, the specialist firm who have a £6.9million contract to maintain the seven-year-old parliament building, banned their staff from continuing work.

Senior sources fear the developments could even force the closure of the entire complex while repairs, costing millions of pounds, are carried out.

The controversial parliament building, designed by the late Spanish architect Enric Miralles, has been plagued with construction problems since it was officially opened by the Queen seven years ago today.

A senior Holyrood source said: “This came to light when one of the TRAC workers hooked his safety harness on to the anchor point and it moved.

“Then they discovered the point was only held in place by a rusty metal fixing. They were absolutely staggered.

“The extent of the problem is still being assessed but, in the worst case, it could mean the parliament may have to close for a period of time.”

One parliament insider said: “These anchor points harness the roof workers when they are working on top or being lowered down the sides.

“They are meant to be bolted into the steel structure and carry far more than the weight of a man.

“But this one was moving about and seemed to be held on with a rusty screw.”

Our source told us: “Another specialist firm was brought in on Friday to look at the anchor points and they agreed they were potentially unsafe and shouldn’t be used.That means the very pressing problem of loose granite panels cannot be properly addressed. It’s a shambles.

“This is really life or death stuff. There needs to be a full investigation into how this happened.”

Our photographs show the condemned anchor point covered with a black bag and red tape.

Bosses at Aberdeen-based TRAC have refused to use any of the anchors and any building work will need to be done with the help of cherry picker lifts.

It means workers cannot tackle the loose granite panels used to clad the side of the Holyrood building. Yesterday, experts described the problems at the parliament as “massively worrying”.

Andy Salter, a partner in Gloucestershire-based industry leaders Park Lane Abseiling, said: “The fact the anchor point has moved is massively worrying.

“I would have thought if these anchors were attached by pins, then they would have been stainless steel ones.

“And if there is rust then this also begs the question why there is so much damp in the roof.

“These anchors are meant to be tested every six months, so any problems should have shown up if this was happening. I think the only option is to open up a least a cross section of the roof and get structural
engineers to look at what is causing the problems.”

Mr Salter, whose company carries out major projects across the UK, added: “I wouldn’t let my guys go up on that roof until an investigation had taken place and the anchor points had been tested.”

The Holyrood building is clad with around 1000 granite panels.

A granite block came loose in May and was left hanging 20ft above the glass roof of the MSPs’ bar and restaurant. The area was closed as a precaution and contractors were brought in to remove the piece of stone safely but engineers estimate that around 50 granite blocks on the parliament building are loose.

They are supposed to be securely attached with four stainless steel bolts, but they too are showing signs of rust.

One of the dodgy panels is located above Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, which thousands of members of the public and tourists walk under each day.

Last night experts said the faults may have been the result of the rush to complete the building in time for the official royal opening in October 2004. Architect Miralles died before the building was opened but the final work was overseen by his widow, Benedetta Tagliabue.

By the time the Queen officially opened the building, it was three years late and vastly over budget.

Last night a Scottish parliament spokeswoman was handed a detailed list of questions by the Sunday Mail.

She declined to comment on the loose granite or the safety concerns of the contractors.

She instead issued a one-line statement which said: “The building is subject to regular detailed inspection and as part of these inspections an anchorage post on the roof was identified as requiring further attention which we are attending to.”

Too clever, awkward and costly

ARCHITECTURE experts yesterday claimed the latest problems to hit the parliament were inevitable – because the building is too complicated.

Architectural writer and long standing critic David Black said: “Loosened granite panels are a major public safety issue and simply not acceptable.

“Because it was built in such a hurry and is such a quirky building, it has unresolved engineering issues and it will be the taxpayer who will be saddled with the cost of the repairs.

“The building has been completely overdesigned.”

Architectural expert Peter Wilson, of Edinburgh’s Napier University, said: “A building like that is always going to be a challenge and a costly business. Awkward buildings are likely to come apart in places.”

Despite its £414million price tag, the building has been hit by a series of problems.

In 2006 the debating chamber was closed for two months after a 12ft-long wooden roof beam swung loose during a debate.

Last year the Sunday Mail revealed that new bollards in front of the parliament to prevent terrorist attacks were faulty.

And in May this year, a granite block came loose on a wall and was left hanging above the glass roof of the MSPs’ restaurant.

Leaks have also seen MSPs use buckets to collect water dripping into their offices.

An inquiry by Lord Fraser into the spiralling cost found that no one person was to blame.

Independent Lothian MSP Margo MacDonald is one of the most outspoken critics of the Holyrood building.

She said: “When you have large granite panels like this on a building used by schoolchildren and overseas visitors among others, there has to be an element of danger.”