No toe-boards = non-compliance with Work at Height Regs Schedule 1-3 = additional fall-prevention means required. Or stop the work until toe-boards are fitted! I hope that there's a good exclusion zone around the tower to cater for tools etc coming off the edge? Frank Hallett

Hi Zan. You know it's not right, but your question was, as a bit of a newby, how do you go about actually dealing with this. First: If there is an immediate and serious risk, you should intervene, to protect your own staff or visitors. (then do as below). However, if there is more time . . . Find out who commissioned the contractor, and contact whoever who is 'overseeing' it. Contracts usually include a standard requirement to 'comply with legislation'. Therefore there is a breach of contract, which means the power of NO. Work with the contract administrator, rather than as the independent 'safety police' as this could not only cause agro with the contractor, but upset other people in the business. Find out who 'owns' this work and advise THEM. Maybe talk to the contractor together, or if they ask that you do the 'enforcing', fair enough. Approach in a helpful way; the contractor may have hired the kit and not got toeboards, they may not realise, etc. The contract administrator may not realise either. Yes you are protecting your organisation, but also the contractor.

Time form issue raised to conclusion and a satisfactory outcome = less than 2 hours! Snipey/prickly/unhelpful/unnecessary comments = 0 Helpful comments/advice = 5 All in all a good result for this forum.

Good result zan, small victories like this really give your confidence a boost when new to the game (I say as a relative newby myself), and you've hit on the key to successful safety management - communication. Keep talking with the guys, some will respond positively, some won't, but the majority of issues can be resolved just by talking with the contractors and constructively pointing out what is wrong, but more importantly (in my opinion) offering a solution. If you're seen to be wanting to keep the job moving rather than putting obstacles in the way you've won half the battle :) Al

As an aside, it might be worth checking if they have had sufficient training on assembling mobile towers.

Any equipment used on site must be used as the manufacturer intended. If the manufacturer intended for toeboards to be fitted then toeboards must be fitted. Simples! :-) As far as training goes, the vast majority of sites will ask for PASMA training (as do we) for anybody assembling, adjusting or inspecting scaffold towers and PASMA always teaches you to build the tower in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions so that gives you another potential angle. If all else fails just shout "WORKING AT HEIGHT REGS!" and try to look serious. Usually works.