Elgin company fined after worker injured in fall on building site - 16 April 2007

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today reminded companies of the dangers posed by working at height. The warning follows an incident in which employee Gary Gray suffered serious head injuries after a fall.

The employee was working at the Sun Gardens development in Sun Street, Thornaby-on-Tees, on September 29, 2005, when he fell approximately five metres down an open stairwell while ascending an unsecured ladder. He suffered injuries consisting of a fractured frontal bone, a broken nose and multiple fractures to his left wrist.

HSE Inspector Victoria Wise said:

“Work at height is still the single biggest killer in the construction industry. In 2005/06 there were 24 deaths due to falls from height and many more workers were seriously injured. This incident demonstrates the importance of employers ensuring that work at height is properly planned and that there are safe systems of work in place that can be implemented. Systems for safe work at height should not be left to the employees on site to devise.”

Robertson Homes Ltd, of Perimeter Road, Pinefield, Elgin, Morayshire, were prosecuted by the HSE and admitted three offences under health and safety legislation. One offence related to failing to ensure the safety at work of all their employees and the other two to failure to comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005. They were fined a total of £2,500 and ordered to pay £2,889 costs.

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