Scaffold equipment failure at Waterloo Station
Issued to: Network Rail line managers, safety professionals and accredited contractors
Date of issue: 25/06/2025
Ref: NRA25-05
Location: London Waterloo Station
Contact: Paolo Baroni, Health & Safety Manager - Southern Region.
Overview
Glazing works above the main concourse at Waterloo Station are currently underway and are scheduled for completion in 2027.
On Monday, 9 June, a passenger reported an object falling onto the concourse floor. The object was confirmed to be a locking clip from an aluminium plank used in the HAKI suspended scaffold system.
The clip measures approximately 13.5cm and had the potential to cause serious injury or a fatality.
Fortunately, no harm occurred in this instance.
The affected component is assembled by HAKI using a locking nut intended to remain secure under normal conditions. The locking nut, supplied by another manufacturer, should have been crimped or pressed. However, in this instance it hadn’t been.
It is believed that vibration and/or thermal expansion and contraction caused the assembly to loosen, resulting in the clip and its connecting bolt falling. The locking nut remained in place on the underside of the deck.
A properly compressed nut should feature an oval-shaped hole. The failed component (pictured) was found to have a round hole. HAKI has raised a non- conformance report regarding this issue.
All work was halted immediately. The scaffolding contractor is now conducting a full inspection of the nut-and-bolt assemblies on every plank before works resume.
No additional loose nuts have been identified during inspections following the incident.
Ongoing Investigation: HAKI is conducting a full investigation into this reported failure of a decking locking device. Based on current information, the root cause has not yet been established. This is the first reported incident of its kind since the product's introduction in 2017 and is currently believed to be an isolated case.
Structural Integrity: It is important to note that the incident did not affect the load-bearing capacity of the plank.