Construction company fined following fall

A Cambridgeshire based construction company has been fined after one of its workers fell from height of 3 metres through a temporary roof onto a fixed roof below.

The worker was dismantling scaffolding on site when the accident happened back in February 2016.  The fall left him unconscious, requiring surgery, a short hospital stay and two months off work. The injured scaffolder spent two days in hospital and had to undergo surgery to fit metal pins to his broken thumb.

The investigation by the HSE found that the scaffolding company involved hadn’t planned the work adequately. The investigation also highlighted issues with communication and inadequate training.  The injured scaffolder didn’t have experience of the particular type of scaffolding involved and wasn’t equipped with the PPE required to prevent a fall.

The company was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3621. Following the case at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court a spokesperson for the HSE said, “This case highlights the importance of following industry guidance to plan the safe erection and dismantling of scaffolding.”

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