Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told how, on 4 November 2015, a Formation Construction Limited employee was using a concrete breaker at Tech West House, Warple Way in Acton to make an opening for a stairwell when he fell 7.5 metres. He sustained fatal head injuries.
Investigating, the HSE found that the work was not properly planned, adequately supervised or carried out in a safe manner when the incident occurred.
Formation Construction Limited of Oakwood House, Hackney Road, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £17,528 in costs.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Kevin Smith commented: “This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to implement suitable and sufficient measures to prevent falls.
“The risks associated with work at height are well known throughout the construction industry. While, on paper, Formation Construction Limited had identified control measures which could have prevented this incident from occurring; in practise, these safeguards were virtually absent.
“Ultimately, the company failed to control the risk on site and as a result one of its workers fell to his death.”
A round -up of the biggest health and safety court cases from December 2018.
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