Scaffolding Collapse As Workers Fall Helplessly Under The Ruins Of A Constructed Building

A building that was being constructed suddenly collapsed due to a load-related mishap. The incident was caught on camera and was shared on social media.

Based on the video there was no heavy casualty. The workers immediately stood up and got out of the rubble.

The safety of workers should be the prime concern of the contractor.

The accident could have been prevented if only the contractor or project engineer used stronger materials to support the construction of the second level.

There was also a shuttering failure.

As you can see, there’s only two main solid column on the extreme sides of the working area. There’s no column in the middle that should support the whole span. The beams are not yet constructed during the initial phase.

If you examine carefully, it is noticeable that there was no adequate bracing to provide vertical support on the slab.

The lack of bracing and weak scaffolding made the structures unable to hold the uneven distribution of overloaded weight.

The two vertical columns, which remained standing after the collapse could not sustain the middle load.

One of the serious causes of structural mishaps is vibration.

Notice that the collapse happened after the man with a wheelbarrow started running towards his co-workers to bring the fresh concrete. As he came nearer, the vibration caused by his and the wheelbarrow’s motions triggered the sudden breakdown of the whole formwork.

There are three obvious factors in this structural accident.

First, negligence of the contractor, consultant or the project engineer.

Second is that the contractor was probably inexperienced and the third is poor framework, which obviously could not hold the weight.

Needless to say, safety is still the best way to mitigate workplace accidents like this. It saves limbs and lives.