MS3 Networks – community concerns about the working practices of their contractors
MS3.Net claim in their literature that “ultrafast full fibre is coming to your street. In some cases, this may require us to dig a trench or in most places install a telegraph pole. All works are completed to Council Regulation and HAUC specifications and will last 2 to 3 days”.
This all sounds official and legitimate. But within days of coming to Hedon, the Going Underground campaign group requests and challenges those with actual supervisory knowledge of Council Regulation and HAUC specifications, to come to the town and monitor and inspect their live works.
The Going Underground campaign has catalogued incidents where working practices show little or no regard for health and safety issues, Council Regulations and HAUC specifications.
This page will catalogue these incidents in the hope that those actually responsible for maintaining council regulations and HAUC specifications will act against those who misuse their accreditation.
The following incidents were recorded during actual live work being carried out by MS3 contractors under instruction from their supervisors or MS3 Network supervisors. Workers said they were “doing as they were told”. Are contract staff fully trained and certified to be on-site?
Tony Jopling, Chief Operating Officer at MS3 Networks was informed personally of some of the site issues of concern at Hedon Town Hall on the morning of 11 October.
| Date | Incident | Evidence |
| 11 Oct | A number of holes dug down the Shields Rd estate BUT the barriers, signage and substitute walkways have been inadequately provided. | Photos |
| 11 Oct | The holes have been left covered but without pinning to the ground so they can dislodge and become more hazardous. Campaign group monitors offered advice to the workers on the need for pinning. They seemed unconcerned. | Photos |
| 10/11 October | The holes have so far struck a water main, grazed a gas main and have been dug without checking underground services with a scanner. | Photos and video |
| 11 October | The male driver of the telegraph poles (TP) lorry (3.5 tonnes) must have CPC (Certification of Proficiency Card) on him at all times. He refused to show it on two occasions when requested by members of the public. Police were called to check that the driver was suitably proficient, but did not arrive and the lorry drove away. | video |
| 11 Oct | The driver has to do a vehicle check sheet twice daily at the start and finish of work. But the rear number plate of the vehicle was hanging off, it was not secured properly. | |
| 11 Oct | The TP lorry was parked as an obstruction (and even though the driver may allege he was initially blocked in by people crossing the road, the driver should have displayed signing, lighting and guarding to show he was an obstruction. The vehicle should have carried appropriate signing, lighting and guarding. | photos |
| 11 Oct | Another MS3 vehicle WY6B MHE that pulled up beside the lorry had a faulty left side rear brake light. | photos |
| 10 Oct | The driver of a black, pick-up Mitsubishi (registration plate obscured) (a plain-clothed supervisor acting for or on behalf of MS3) caused a particularly dangerous traffic situation for over an hour on the corner of Shields Rd and Hull Rd. He refused to move out of the way and sat behind the telegraph pole lorry, then another MS3 employee pulled up behind him. This caused lengthy queues down towards Hedon Centre and meant that traffic had to pull over on the other side of the road, past a traffic island to pass him. | photos. Police officers attending will have recorded the traffic situation and actions they took |