The company said the reports were “totally unfounded”.
The £1.4m figure was for scaffolding for a planned roofing repairs programme.
Kier Building Maintenance managing director Peter Brynes said: “Recently published reports of a ladder ban at Kier Building Maintenance are totally unfounded and have been completely distorted.”
However, he admitted that there had been a review of the company’s work at height policy and practices following the death of an employee in 2009 who fell off a ladder.
“The safety of our workforce and the general public has to take priority,” Mr Byrnes said. “Every job that involves working at height is risk assessed and the appropriate access equipment is selected and deployed for specific circumstances. Where the use of a ladder is considered inappropriate, an alternative such as a mobile tower or podium is provided for reasons of safety and that has to come before cost.
“To clarify other misinformation about the costs of scaffolding for our Stoke City Council contract, the specific sum of £1.4m is not a regular annual outlay and was for scaffolding to a planned roofing repairs programme. We are not responsible for the maintenance of internal domestic lighting although maintenance of exterior lighting may fall within our working at height restrictions.
“The additional costs associated with Kier’s revision of its working at height policy are of a minimal nature and will deliver cost savings to the client going forward.”
According to the Health & Safety Executive, an average of 12 people a year die after falling from ladders in UK workplace, and more than 1,200 suffer major injuries.
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