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December 3, 2013

Two men fined after worker seriously injured in fall

A 27-year-old worker suffered serious injuries when he fell through a fragile warehouse roof in Poole, a court heard last week (29 November). 

Bradley White suffered four broken bones in the bottom of his back, a broken hip and pelvis, a shattered femur, four fractures to his left arm, a fractured right wrist and ligament damage. He was in hospital for three weeks and has had to undergo numerous operations.
 
Mr White had been employed by Michael Davies to replace the roof on a large industrial unit at W & S Recycling on Nuffield Industrial Estate in Poole, which is owned and occupied by Geoff Thompson.
 
Mr Davies and Mr Thompson were both prosecuted by the HSE after an investigation found that they had failed to make sure the work could be carried out safely.
 
Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court heard that Mr White had been walking on the fragile cement roof on 27 March 2012 when his foot went through one of the fragile sheets. He landed on the concrete floor about six metres below.
 
HSE’s investigation found there was no edge protection, safety netting or any other measure in place at the site to stop Mr White falling or to prevent him from being injured.
 
Michael Davies, of Kingston Road in Poole, pleaded guilty to breaching section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 by failing to ensure workers were not put at risk. He was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay costs of £2,000.
 
Geoff Thompson, who trades as W & S Recycling, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 9 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 by failing to ensure the arrangements made for managing the project were suitable. Mr Thompson, of Nuffield Road in Poole, was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000.
 
HSE Inspector James Powell commented on the importance of understanding the hazards associated with working at height, saying : “The dangers of working at height are well known, yet workers undertaking roof work and building maintenance sometimes die or are permanently disabled because of the poor safety standards and lack of safeguards that still exist among some contractors.
 
“It is essential that the hazards associated with working at height are recognised and understood by the client who commissions the work. The client must make sure the individual or company they employ is competent to carry out roof work and is aware of the hazards and precautions that need to be taken for the work to be carried out safely.
 
“Geoff Thompson did not properly asses Mr Davies’ arrangements for health and safety and determine whether he would be able to do the work safely and without risk.
 
“This prosecution should serve as a reminder to all involved in construction projects, including clients, that they have a legal duty to ensure work at height is properly planned and robust safety precautions are put in place.”

 

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Bob Kennedy
Bob Kennedy
11 years ago

If I am issued a FFI PN it will cost potentially more than £1500 quid?

Yet this employer is fortunate not to have killed a man and is fined, (Not a fee) a similar (if not less)amount?

A statutory breach would could £100`s, and this is supposed to reflect the gravity of offence how exactly?

And having applauded the conviction of the Client, again the penalty is derisoury given the abject failure and lack of mitigation offered by all concerned.

WAH Guidance is free, but again not used