Another sign falls and hits a passer-by

The BSGA has been made aware of yet another incident where a sign has detached from its fixings and fell from a height seriously injuring an member of the public. Photographs and full story is available on the Mail on Line website http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2679272/Moment-grandmother-killed-walked-busy-high-street-hit-4st-sign-knocking-unconscious.html

“I hope that the lady injured is able to recover from an incident that shouldn’t have happened in the first place’ said BSGA Director, David Catanach. ‘It is impossible for the BSGA to comment further without access to the facts of the sign construction, installation and maintenance regime however, a competent sign company would have all these details to hand and should be able to demonstrate that they are compliant and meet the standards required’.

David Catanach went on to say ‘As we only have the facts as reported in the Daily Mail, we would like to know more about why the outcome of the sign company agreeing to accept a caution under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 was allowed whereas if it had gone to court and a guilty verdict was reached, the sign company would have faced heavy fines’.

Cornwall Council found that New Life Signs Installations had not fulfilled its basic duty of care to the public, with investigators discovering that the sign had been poorly fitted. They also found the fixings used to attach it to the store’s flimsy MDF (medium-density fibreboard) frontage were inadequate. ‘These two sentences sum up exactly what it is that the BSGA has been fighting against’ says David, ‘If the industry wants to avoid the possibility of compulsory legal measures being imposed in the near future, then sign makers have to implement a much higher standard of business practice throughout. I believe it can be done but in order to achieve that, quite a few sign companies need to accept their responsibilities now rather than pass them off as not applying to them’

BSGA Members are kept up to date with legislation, standards, obligations and legal requirements so that they can offer their customers and clients a professional service and in accordance with BS559 the British Standard for sign making. This service will also include maintenance and inspection advice which if carried out by or on behalf of the sign owner, should help prevent incidents such as this becoming an all too familiar occurrence.