Add Prop Limited has been fined £20,000 and its sole director, Atif Riaz, an additional £1,730, after a negligently erected scaffold tower seriously injured two members of the public. The incident occurred on 19 July 2023, when the structure toppled onto Putney High Street in south-west London.
The incident, which occurred on a busy high street, saw the scaffold tower assembled by operatives working for Add Prop Limited. Under the direct supervision of the company’s sole director, Atif Riaz, the structure was erected incorrectly. Crucially, it lacked adequate measures to separate it from members of the public, exacerbating the danger. Furthermore, the tower was subsequently covered in sheeting, a critical error that transformed the structure into a large sail, catching the wind and causing it to overturn with devastating consequences.
Add Prop Limited was acting as the principal contractor for a project involving the conversion of a commercial building into residential flats. Mr Riaz held significant responsibility, serving as both the project manager and site supervisor. He was present on site, overseeing the work on the day the scaffold tower collapsed, highlighting his direct involvement and oversight in the hazardous operation.
An extensive investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uncovered multiple failings. The inquiry determined that Add Prop Limited had not ensured the temporary structure was designed, installed, and maintained to withstand foreseeable loads, particularly those generated by wind acting upon the sheeting. This fundamental oversight directly contributed to the tower’s instability and subsequent collapse.
Further compounding the company’s negligence, the HSE investigation revealed that the tower scaffold had neither been assembled nor inspected by adequately trained and competent persons. It was also found that the structure had not been erected in accordance with either the manufacturer’s instructions or established industry guidance. These breaches underscore a systemic failure in adhering to basic safety protocols.
The investigation also highlighted the personal culpability of Atif Riaz. As both sole director and project manager, he was found to have been negligent in his duties. Despite the well-known and documented risks associated with wind loading on scaffold structures within the construction industry, neither the company nor Mr Riaz took appropriate account of these dangers before making the decision to sheet the scaffold. This disregard for established safety knowledge proved to be a critical failing.
It was also noted during the investigation that Add Prop Limited had a prior history of safety breaches, having previously been served with a Prohibition Notice concerning unsafe work involving a tower scaffold at a different site. This history indicated a pattern of non-compliance with essential safety standards. The HSE consistently advises that tower scaffolds must be erected by trained and competent individuals, strictly adhering to manufacturer’s instructions. Dutyholders are also mandated to ensure that all temporary structures remain stable and capable of withstanding foreseeable environmental conditions, including significant wind loading.
Following a comprehensive hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Add Prop Limited was found guilty of breaching Regulation 19(2)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company received a fine of £20,000 and was ordered to pay an additional £7,000 in costs. Atif Riaz, in his capacity as the company’s sole director, was found guilty of an offence under Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was personally fined £1,730 and ordered to pay £1,730 in costs.
HSE Inspector Daniel Burton underscored the public’s right to expect safe scaffolding installations. He emphasised that incidents where scaffold towers overturn, causing serious injuries to passers-by, are entirely preventable. Inspector Burton highlighted that the risks associated with scaffold towers and wind loading are widely understood within the construction sector, making such occurrences unacceptable.
This story was originally published by HSE Media Centre.
