Logic : What is the higher risk – Insurance for a Painter Decorator or Insurance for a Scaffolder?
Painter decorator 90% of the time will be indoors with his main weapon of destruction being a paintbrush. Yes deadly indeed! But I suppose there is a small element of risk, if health and safety is not followed to a T. A ladder which is not properly erected could cause injury to an employee, or there is the case where the decorator could cause a spillage onto some prestige wooden flooring.
With a decorator the damage should be minimal. As a comparison we have a look at a Scaffold Erector – 90 % of work is done outside, 90% of work is carried out in a public place. Metal scaffolding which carries some serious weight, being installed at heights up to 20 metres and above. Employees having to erect scaffold towers at height.
Just imagine the sort of claim that is a potential here. A scaffolder 15 metres up a scaffold tower, if he slips or falls off and a few steels from the scaffolding go flying with him. Scaffolder seriously injured, member of public struck over the head by a steel from a height! Not worth thinking about.
Yes this is the worst case scenario but it shows the extreme differences between the 2 risks. A painter decorator will get away with paying £100.00 for an annual insurance where a sole trade scaffolder will have to pay in excess of £600.00. The bottom line is public liability insurance for scaffolders comes in the high risk liability category, sitting next to the likes of piling/asbestos removal/roofers/demolition contractors.
