Falls are still the biggest cause of serious and fatal accidents in the construction industry...
ECH Ltd has recently been fined a total of £16,000 after a worker fell five metres at a construction site in Tunbridge Wells and suffered severe injuries, including multiple fractures and a fractured skull.
The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted ECH Ltd - which was trading as Maple Timber Frames - after the incident which occurred in November 2008. In this incident, a self-employed timber frame erector who was subcontracted to the company, was working at height on a self-build project at Warwick Park, Tunbridge Wells, when he fell about five metres to the bottom of an inadequately covered stairwell. As a result, he suffered multiple fractures, including his skull.
At the trial at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court, ECH Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (see below). The company was fined £16,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 towards the HSE investigation costs.
Melvyn Stancliffe, Inspector of Health and Safety, said:
"I would echo the magistrates' statement that these were reckless breaches of the law. The injured man is extremely lucky - despite the severity of his injuries. This sort of fall could easily have killed him. It is all the sadder because it should have been prevented if ECH Ltd had heeded simple safety advice."
"Falls are the biggest cause of serious and fatal accidents in the construction industry and there is considerable advice, much of it free, available to dutyholders to help them ensure their employees and sub-contractors are provided with a safe working environment."
Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees".
Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety".