Firm fined £4,000 after employee accident
Construction
10th September 2008
A Gloucestershire company has been fined £4,000 after an employee fell from an unprotected edge and broke his ankle, wrist and pelvis.
Construction firm J Guest was issued the fine by Market Drayton Magistrates, Construction News reported.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) criticised the company for not taking sufficient preventative measures and did not notify the HSE within the required timescale.
HSE inspector Martin Overstall commented: "It was clearly evident that workers were at risk of falling from a height which was very likely to cause substantial injuries or death [...] Incidents like these could be avoided if companies ensured that they had assessed the risks of working at height."
Firms with construction insurance could also see their premiums affected by not implementing proper safety precautions.
J Guest pleaded guilty to a breach of the Work at Height Regulations and was also ordered to pay a further £1,880 in costs.
