Builder falls to death from unstable ladder

A Bolton house-building company failed to ensure employee safety when a worker was allowed to use an unsecured ladder and fell to his death.

Ian Smith, 64 was working on a project to build six new semi-detached houses in Bolton. On 19 December 2007 he fell five metres to the ground when he fell from an unstable ladder.

The Health & Safety Executive prosecuted DC Kennedy Homes when they discovered the company had allowed work to be carried out on the first and second floors of a house, before the stairs had been fitted. It was discovered the ladder which was used to access the second floor had not been secured and was missing its rubber feet.

DC Kennedy Homes pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to ensure Mr Smith's safety. It was fined £7500 and ordered to pay an additional £7,500 towards the cost of the prosecution.

HSE Principal Inspector Polly Tomlinson said: "This was a tragic incident that could easily have been prevented if DC Kennedy Homes had put more thought into the safety of its employees.

"The ladder Ian Smith used was dangerous as the rubber feet were missing and it wasn't tied to the wall to stop it slipping. But more importantly, Mr Smith should never have been expected to use a ladder in the first place. If the work had been planned properly, the stairs would have been fitted before work was carried out on the first and second floors of the house.

"Instead Mr Smith had to use a ladder to access the second floor, putting his life at risk. Other employees were also put in danger by the unprotected open edges.

Inspector Tomlinson concluded: "I hope this case will act as a warning to other house building companies to improve their safety standards, to prevent more people dying at work in the future."

Falls from height are the biggest single cause of workplace deaths in the UK.

Find out more about Working at Height