Fatal Fall Highlights the Critical Importance of Scaffold Training and Inspection
A recent HSE prosecution has highlighted the devastating consequences of inadequate scaffold safety.
A worker died after a six-foot fall from an unguarded tower scaffold. This preventable tragedy underlines why competent scaffold training and rigorous inspection are essential on every project.
A tragic reminder of the risks of working at height
On 22 November 2022, Mr Iftikhar Ahmed Mughal, aged 64, fell from a scaffolding tower while installing a shop sign in Darwen, Lancashire.
He was standing on a platform without edge protection and fell to the pavement below. Despite emergency care, he sadly passed away four days later from serious head injuries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that WH Metals Limited and its director, who was present at the time, failed to prevent the risk of a fall from height. At Bolton Magistrates’ Court on 23 September 2025,
WH Metals Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £45,000 plus costs.
The director, Mr Waqas Hanif, pleaded guilty under Section 37 and received a 26-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay costs.
A preventable death
HSE guidance makes clear that the preferred method of fall prevention on tower scaffolds is the fitting of suitable guardrails around the platform.
This simple, long-established control measure was not in place.
“Work at height remains one of the leading causes of workplace injury and death. In this case, a fall of six feet was enough to cause a death.”
— HSE Inspector David Hobbs
Guidance on tower scaffold protection is readily available via the HSE. If appropriate edge protection had been fitted, it is highly likely this fatality would have been avoided.
The role of competent scaffolders and inspectors
Competence and inspection are the foundations of scaffold safety. Even low platforms can be lethal when built or used incorrectly.
Typical deficiencies identified during inspections include:
- Missing or inadequate guardrails and toe boards
- Poorly secured components and unstable foundations
- Unsafe access gates or incomplete working platforms
- Lack of statutory inspections in line with the Work at Height Regulations (2005)
These issues are preventable when operatives and supervisors are properly trained to recognise hazards and implement controls before anyone steps onto the structure.
How training prevents tragedies
Through CISRS-accredited programmes, Safety & Access helps scaffolders, supervisors and inspectors understand legal duties and practical controls for safe work at height.
Our courses develop the skills to assemble, inspect and dismantle tower and tube-and-fitting scaffolds safely, in line with HSE and NASC guidance.
Scaffold inspections: the final line of defence
Regular inspections are a legal requirement and a lifesaving habit. Competent inspections identify missing edge protection, unsecured components and signs of overloading before they pose a danger.
Our qualified inspectors provide independent verification of scaffold integrity across projects of every size, supporting compliance and protecting workers and the public.
Key lessons from this case
- Falls from even low heights can be fatal.
- Edge protection and formal inspection are proven safeguards.
- Competence saves lives, and competence comes from proper training.
Protect your workforce with Safety & Access
Do not wait for an incident to expose gaps in your controls. Strengthen your management of work at height now with CISRS training and independent inspections.
