Falls see builder fined
March 24th 09:22 Health and Safety
Falls from height continue to be a persistent safety issue in the construction sector, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The organisation recently published data which revealed that such falls accounted for 4,000 major injuries and 21 deaths in the sector last year.
It comes after a Salisbury-based builder was prosecuted by the HSE when two employees were injured falling from the upstairs floor of a building where a temporary platform had been put in place above a collapsed stairwell.
HSE principal inspector Andrew Kingscott said: "Falls from height remain the largest cause of fatal and serious injuries in the construction industry. These two workers could have been much more seriously injured than they were.
"All employers need to know that they have a duty to protect their employees. If you are responsible for a project … then you must ensure that you plan the work properly, take into account all the probable risks, and manage them correctly."
The comments followed a court case which saw Salisbury magistrates fine Malcolm Shaun Foyle £2,000 after the builder admitted breaching regulation 4 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Mr Foyle was also ordered to pay £1,000 in court costs.
