£1million Light bulb spend

How much does it cost to change a few light bulbs? £1m more now, after elf n' safety make workers use scaffolding instead of ladders

Stoke-on-Trent Councillor Dave Conway has hit out at rules requiring scaffolding for simple maintenance jobs.

At its most tricky, changing a light bulb might require a step ladder and a little bit of patience. But for workers at one council, it is a hazardous mission not to be attempted without the aid of a full scaffolding tower.A maintenance firm contracted by city officials in Stoke has allegedly banned ladders from being used for even the most menial jobs because of safety concerns.

Councillors yesterday criticised the move as an ‘incredible’ waste of money.
Kier Stoke, which repairs and maintains council houses and public buildings, puts up scaffolding at a cost of at least £35 a day. It remains for an average of eight days.

This means that the amount the firm charges the cash-strapped council for scaffolding has soared from £423,000 in 2008/2009 to £1.4million last year, the first year in which the rule was in force.

It comes as Stoke City Council is seeking to make 700 staff redundant to help plug a funding gap of £36million over the next year.
Tenants and councillors said the lengthy process of putting up and taking down scaffolding was creating a backlog of repair work lasting months.

Mike Barnes, a councillor from the opposition Community Voice party, said he had been contacted by one elderly couple who had waited six months for the bulb in a security light at the rear of their council bungalow to be changed.

‘The job was delayed because they were told scaffolding would have to be used as there was a ban on ladders,’ he said. ‘Eventually, three men turned up and put up scaffolding before the job was finally done.
'One of the men held the rigging, another changed the bulb and the third stood supervising.
‘The people of Stoke-on-Trent are paying for this incredible waste through their taxes.’

David Burton gave up waiting for Kier to change the bulb on the security light outside his home and did it himself, standing on his tip-toes. He said: ‘I phoned the council and they said there was a ladder ban so they would have to use scaffolding.’
It is thought the scaffolding rule was introduced after a Kier worker in Hull fell from a ladder and died in December 2009.
Labour is the biggest party in Stoke City Council, but no party is in overall control.

The council is now trying to reduce the cost by persuading Kier to use cheaper platform towers instead.
A council spokesman said much of the £1.4million bill was down to major renovations to housing stock which needed scaffolding.

Councillor Brian Ward, Stoke-on-Trent City Council cabinet member for housing, added:
‘We understand Kier changed its health and safety procedures to protect its workforce. These changes were paid for by Kier, not the council.’

A spokesman for Kier Stoke denied there was a blanket ban on using ladders. He added:
‘Ladders will be used where the risk assessment justifies their use for short duration work of a light nature.
‘When a security light that requires attention is more than 8ft above the ground, a two-man team attends and erects a mobile tower to ensure the safety of our employees.’

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Item sourced from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1352516/1m-light-bulb-change-cost-health-safety-force-workers-erect-scaffolding.html