A demolition company has appeared in court for failing to provide its employees with a safe system of work during the bulldozing of a block of garages.
H. Cope and Sons Ltd was contracted to demolish around 1100 council-owned garages across Lincolnshire. The garages, which were used by council-house tenants, were deemed structurally unsafe and were being knocked down in order for new garages to be built.
On 13 January 2009, two contractors from H. Cope and Sons were demolishing a block of 21 garages at Walmsgate Place in Grimsby, when one of the workers fell through a garage roof. The garages, which were situated on a slope, were split into groups of three with a step on the roof joining each set with the next group.
One of the men removed the asbestos flashing, which covered the steps, and leant over the edge of the building to drop the sheets into a skip. But he lost his balance and fell backwards through the remaining roof sheets, landing on the ground seven feet below. He broke his right leg and wrist, which has required him to undergo several operations to insert pins and plates into the limbs. He has been unable to return to work owing to his injuries.
HSE inspector, Dave Bradley, told SHP that the firm had prepared a method statement, which indicated that the work should be done from a tower scaffold. However this had not been communicated to the men, who subsequently created their own method of work without any supervision.
Inspector Bradley said: “This incident has had a devastating and long-term impact on the man involved. Sadly, it was also totally avoidable. Demolition work needs to be properly planned and supervised, regardless of the size.”
H. Cope and Sons appeared at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court on 19 January and pleaded guilty to breaching s2(1) of the HSWA 1974. It was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £3571 in costs.
In mitigation, the firm said it had no previous convictions and it fully cooperated with the HSE’s investigation. It has also hired a new health and safety consultant, who has reviewed the company’s systems of work and communications of these methods.
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