August 2012 Accidents at Work

BRICKLAYER'S FALL PUTS BERKSHIRE BUILDERS IN COURT

A construction and design company in Berkshire has been prosecuted for safety failings after a bricklayer was seriously injured when he fell three meters through a skylight opening in a flat roof. The worker broke his pelvis and wrist in the fall.

Carpenters had finished putting roof joists in place, but had left two holes for roof lights, which they had covered with blue membrane sheeting and marked with timbers around the edges.

Bascomb and Drew Ltd Clover was fined £13,000 and ordered to pay £4,662 in costs after pleading guilty to a breach of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.

HSE figures for 2010/11 show there were 38 deaths, 4,327 major injuries and a further 5,867 over-three-day injuries because of a fall from height.

CHELTENHAM RETAILER AND CONTRACTOR PRESECUTED AFTER ASBESTOS EXPOSURE

A Cheltenham contractor and a retailer have been prosecuted after a construction worker was exposed to asbestos during a refurbishment project.

Simon Cooper failed to ensure a proper asbestos survey was available before work began. As a result, workers on site removed up to 85m of asbestos insulating board over two days without the necessary controls or adequate protection.

The Court was also told that Hutchinson HiFi and Vision Ltd failed to provide any client information regarding the presence of asbestos within the building.

Hutchinson HiFi & Vision Ltd, pleaded guilty and was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £1,836 in costs. Simon Cooper pleaded guilty and was fined £600 and ordered to pay £800 in costs.

Asbestos-related illnesses are responsible for around 4,000 deaths every year.

Source: www.hse.gov.uk

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