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Balfour Beatty under fire for keeping safety secrets

May, 24 2012

(UK) -- Balfour Beatty has come under fire from industry commentators for not sharing details of an internal safety alert that could prevent accidents in other companies.

Balfour Beatty, whose safety regime is among the tightest in construction, issued a safety alert after a subcontractor broke a rib from getting his jacket entangled in the controls of a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP).

Balfour Beatty Engineering Services health safety and environment director Allan Shanks issued the alert, highlighting the risk.

However, industry website Vertikal, owned and managed by access industry veteran Leigh Sparrow, has voiced its frustration at Balfour Beatty’s refusal to share details of the alert with other MEWP users. “In spite of all that has been said contractors are still not openly sharing information with the industry as a whole. We formally requested a copy of this Alert two weeks ago and still do not have an official copy or confirmation of what happened from the contractor.”

Mr Sparrow, a former senior vice president of leading manufacturer UpRight, said that any safety concerns should be raised across the industry, with the relevant manufacturer and through an industry organisation such as IPAF, the International Powered Access Federation.

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