A Sheffield construction company has been sentenced for safety breaches after a self-employed general builder fell seven metres onto a concrete floor at a site in Sheffield.
Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 11 April 2018, the builder was working for and under the control of Clear Property Solutions (SY) Limited. He had just finished installing a flat rubber roof on a dormer extension at the rear of the domestic property in Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire. He was exiting the flat roof onto a scaffold using an untied unsecured folding ladder when the ladder slipped, and he fell onto the concrete floor below.
The 34-year-old builder sustained shattered heels and a fractured skull resulting in swelling and bleeding on the brain following this incident.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Clear Property Solutions (SY) Ltd had not completed any risk assessments or method statements or construction phase plan for this works. Operatives on the site were also not trained in work at height.
Clear Property Solutions (SY) Limited of John Street, Sheffield pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 6 (3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company has been fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £1302.60 in costs.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Stuart Whitesmith commented: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.
“In this case the builder suffered life-threatening injuries which could have been avoided by installing guardrails around the perimeter of the flat roof, with a gate and secured ladder access.”
Notes to Editors:
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk[1]
- More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ [2]Please see the link to the page on HSE’s website that is the best guide to doing it the right way :www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg33.htm www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg284.pdf
- HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk[3]
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