Firm fined over employee fall
June 18, 2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning bosses they must do everything in their power to protect workers from falls when working at height.
It comes after Darlington magistrates' court fined building firm Bussey and Armstrong £15,000 and ordered it to pay costs of £3,193 for a breach of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 when a member of staff suffered serious injuries.
On March 29th 2007 an employee fell into a stairwell and 5.4 metres to a concrete ground floor when he lost his balance carrying out joinery work.
The worker was using a saw horse to reach some roof joists and was working next to the stairwell, which was unguarded, and he suffered crushed vertebrae and a fractured pelvis.
HSE inspector Jonathan Wills said the case illustrated why risk assessments are a necessity for work which is to take place at height.
"All companies must assess the risks from work that they are undertaking at height, ensuring that the work is planned properly and appropriate measures are taken so that workers are not exposed to risk of falling," he stated.
Tasks which may involve a risk of falling from height include cleaning gutters, roof work and window cleaning, according to the HSE.
It comes after Darlington magistrates' court fined building firm Bussey and Armstrong £15,000 and ordered it to pay costs of £3,193 for a breach of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 when a member of staff suffered serious injuries.
On March 29th 2007 an employee fell into a stairwell and 5.4 metres to a concrete ground floor when he lost his balance carrying out joinery work.
The worker was using a saw horse to reach some roof joists and was working next to the stairwell, which was unguarded, and he suffered crushed vertebrae and a fractured pelvis.
HSE inspector Jonathan Wills said the case illustrated why risk assessments are a necessity for work which is to take place at height.
"All companies must assess the risks from work that they are undertaking at height, ensuring that the work is planned properly and appropriate measures are taken so that workers are not exposed to risk of falling," he stated.
Tasks which may involve a risk of falling from height include cleaning gutters, roof work and window cleaning, according to the HSE.
More Working at Height news:
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British Gas pays £4,700 after accident - November 28, 2008
Offshore firms pay GBP 400,000 over accident - November 27, 2008
75% of firms inspected served prohibition notices - November 25, 2008
