The ILP has reiterated its warning that attaching flags to lighting columns brings with it “a significant risk” of injury or even death, following the tragic death of a member of the public in precisely this way.
Paul Lumber suffered fatal injuries after falling from a ladder propped up against a lamppost while hanging up a Union Jack flag near his home in Bristol in November.
The 60-year-old painter and decorator was rushed to hospital after the accident but never woke from an induced coma.
While expressing its condolences to Mr Lumbar and his family, the ILP highlighted its guidance, published in August in conjunction with its Technical Committee and the Lighting Column Technical Forum, about the health and safety dangers of attaching flags, or any unofficial attachments, to lighting infrastructure.
While a flag “may seem like an insignificant item on a column”, it warned, “during periods of high winds, the flag will apply wind loads and vibrations from its flapping onto the lighting column that are much more significant than the flag weight.”
“The addition of a flag or banner – irrespective of its style, logo or design – puts an additional loading on the column for which it was not designed,” it said.
“Lighting columns have a limited life span, and the additional loading of unexpected attachment loads (e.g., flags) puts additional stresses on the lighting columns and their foundations, which could lead to early failure in some cases.
“To avoid this additional stress, all non-authorised attachments should be removed by competent personnel using a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP), which is used when lighting columns are maintained and inspected – lighting columns are not designed to be strong enough for direct climbing or to support ladders,” the statement added.
In addition, the attachment of flags by members of the public, either by climbing the column or by resting a ladder against the column, “will put significant loads onto the lighting column that can cause bending or buckling of the column shaft and/or loosening of the foundations,” the ILP warned.
“It can also cause cracks to form at welds which, while unnoticed at the time, could lead to early failure of the lighting column and a potential injury due to the unexpected collapse.
“There is clearly a significant risk to members of the public putting up flags on lighting columns due to the column failing while climbing it, due to falling from the column or ladder or from being hit by a moving vehicle, all of which have a real chance of resulting in serious injury or death,” the ILP added.
The Institution has also condemned reports of council workers being abused by, or even suffering violence from, members of the public while working to remove unofficial attachments.
Image: An unofficial flag attached to column, courtesy of Rob Baines
