Unite union calls for full investigation into accident that injured three.
In the immediate aftermath of last week’s major scaffold collapse in Reading, the demolition industry rumour mill switched ito hyperdrive. The names of various demolition contractors were bandied about as the main contractor on the site, and even more reasons for the collapse were put forward by some in the know, and some that were merely guessing.
While the cause remains clouded in mystery, the name of the main demolition contractor has been confirmed as McGee. And it appears that McGee will likely face the full force of an investigation that is being called for by the UK’s largest union, Unite.
The union, which represents construction workers, said an inquiry into the incident at a demolition site in Reading town centre was “essential” in order to learn lessons.
Unite national officer Jerry Swain said: “A full inquiry must not just include the immediate reasons for the scaffolding collapse but also examine whether the work had been sub-let, were all the workers on site properly employed, and did they all have the appropriate skills and training. It is essential that we learn the lessons from this accident to prevent similar serious incidents in the future.”
A McGee spokesperson told industry website Construction Inquirer: “We can confirm there has been an incident today at one of our sites in Reading. We are investigating and will provide further updates when facts are available.”
