Sign falls and kills man…….

[Warren Beard]

I was just coming on to post this, very sad news and is always something I’ve thought of, if I worry a sign might not be safe I would never sleep. I have a new employee who is fitting most of my work and always tell him to make sure it’s safe or don’t do it.

Would hate to think about what would happen if this happened?

fit safe everyone.

[Jack Hendrie]

might dot be all down to the fitter. it said the sign had been hanging for some time the store should be fixing it asap after all people always hang about out side bookmaker.

sad to hear about any death never mind one that could have been prevented by proper fitting or maintenance.

[Phill Fenton]

We shouldn’t jump to conclusions and automatically blame the sign maker. I’m sure H&S will conduct a thorough investigation and the root cause will be determined.

[Jack Hendrie]

It was the wind seen loads of stuff getting blew over it happens but when the shop sign was already hanging of for weeks then its store negligence.

[Robert Lambie]

looking at the clearest picture at the bottom.
the centre trim looks to have fallen. its also where the tent is and the heaviest area of the sign as its doubled up by the centre logo area.

the sign will be fabricated from aluminium, and aluminium trim used to fix all round. so the sign will be manufactured well. but look at what it is fixed onto.
its all sheeted and strapped in warped and soaked timber.

If…
the sign company fixed the sign to the existing wood then they will be responsible as the pulped wood, dry at time or not, cannot hold such a weight long term.

If…
the sign company constructed the timber frame new, then fitted. it might be that there was no lead flashing over the top of the sign and water has continually run down the back of the sign soaking the wood creating it to pulp, expand and break up under the weight.

all guess work i know, but to me, that wood looks old. if the case, the sign shouldn’t have been fitted to it.

such a terrible loss of life regardless. hopefully an eye opener for the cowboys out there!

[Kevin Flowers]

I don’t think anyone is blaming the fitter, this shop as a betting shop as been there for 10 years even if the sign as been there for half of that its probably had very little maintenance to its fixings etc. I hate seeing signs fitted to this type of open shop front where an old solid sign has been removed and hasn’t had a structural backing board fitted and water proofed, to stop the wood rotting.
I know most of the time its down to cost but unless sign companies start to fit flashing to sign trays & light boxes etc to stop water ingress behind them i can see more and more accidents like this happening because companies etc have stopped changing their signage so often.
It’s a case of changing the way that its always been done, now we know the catastrophic results of doing it that way

Kev

[Warren Beard]

nothing lasts forever, so would would be a reasonable length of time that a store owner should be checking integrity of their signs? How long does the responsibly sit with the sign fitter?

interesting

[Kevin Flowers]

In my opinion maintenance checks should start after 6 months with the customer having the option to come back to the fitter for up to 2 years if a problem is found with the construction or the fitting. After this amount of time wear & tear has got to be taken in to consideration and appropriate fees charged.

Kev

[Jack Hendrie]

some companys do a standard check after 6 month.

[Harry Cleary]

This just happened here the other day,
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre … ing52.html
Seems that the cause may have been a strong wind that was blowing at the time and large doors at the back of the building being open.
I think we all underestimate the power of the wind at our peril.
I have more or less opted out of fitting large heavy signage at height now becuase I am just not qualified to assess what is required to keep them up there.

[John Singh]

quote Warren Beard:

nothing lasts forever, so would would be a reasonable length of time that a store owner should be checking integrity of their signs? How long does the responsibly sit with the sign fitter?

interesting

The owners/shopkeepers etc have a responsibility to periodically check all of their property for signs of wear and tear. It should be an annual check of external fittings such as guttering, cappings, lead flashings and roofing etc. Had they done so in this instance they may have spotted the first signs of deterioration and been able to rectify