A demolition boss has been prosecuted after a
worker was left paralysed following a fall from the roof of a Sunderland pub.
The 67-year-old worker was working for the
demolition company, when the incident happened on 29 June 2010.
The demolition company was demolishing a pub and
had chosen to remove the slates and timbers of the pitched roof by hand. A
mobile access platform was used to provide access for the workers and act as a
barrier to prevent falls from the roof edge.
However, as the platform did not cover the whole
length of the roof, the demolition company should have implemented additional
controls to provide a safe system of work but many of these controls were
lacking, or where provided, not effective.
While working on the roof the worker fell
two-storeys, around 18-20 feet to the ground below. He suffered serious
injuries including several fractures to three vertebrae, his right elbow and
both bones of his lower right leg. He also suffered a dislocated right hip and
his right lung collapsed.
As a result of the terrible injuries to his spine,
all his limbs are now paralysed and he requires permanent care in a nursing
home.
The owner of the demolition company was fined a
total of £20,000 and ordered to pay £7,434 in costs after pleading guilty to
breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and
Regulation 6(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
HSE Inspector Keith Partington, said:
"The building could have been safely demolished
by remote mechanical means using the excavator that was on the site - without
the risks to the public, which the defendant claimed was the reason for
manually dismantling the roof.
"In choosing to undertake the work at height
the system the defendant used was not sufficiently robust enough to prevent one
of his employees falling from the roof level to the ground which resulted in
injuries that have left this worker in a condition whereby he now needs
permanent care to assist him in his daily living.
Falls from height are one of the largest causes of
death and serious injury in the construction industry and thus work at height
should be planned for carefully, with suitable and sufficient instruction and
supervision when executed.
If you or a member of your family has been involved in an accident which
has resulted in you sustaining injury and would like a free and confidential
discussion with one of our specialised Solicitors, please do not hesitate to
contact us on 0800 389 1978 or visit our website at www.forsterdean.co.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter (@ForsterDeanLtd) and find Forster Dean Solicitors on Facebook
Mofozzul Hussain LLB (Hons) -Office Manager (Birkenhead) and Personal
Injury Solicitor
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