Construction Managers Warned To Control Risks Of Working At Height After Worker Falls From An Unprotected Wall, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 12 Aug 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned employers and senior managers that they must control the risks of working at height in the workplace. The warning follows the prosecution of the manager of a construction company after an incident led to an employee at a site in Mansfield suffering severe injuries and for failing to control the risks from falls from height at another site in Wollaton.

Simon John Ludgate, of Oakfield Avenue, Warsop, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, was fined £1,500* at Nottingham Crown Court today after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) and 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and contravening Regulation 3 (1) (b) (ii) of the Reporting Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 for an incident at the construction site at 82 Sheepwalk Lane, Ravenshead, Mansfield, during his role as manager for Real Estate (Midlands) Ltd.

He also pleaded guilty to Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for an incident at the construction site on Trowell Road, Wollaton, Nottingham.

Ronald Leslie Cordon, aged 63, from Quarndon, Derby, suffered major injuries when he fell two metres from an unprotected wall on 6 November 2006 while doing bricklaying work on a housing construction site in Mansfield.

He fell onto the floor within the house striking his head on some steelwork. Mr Corden was knocked unconscious and suffered cuts to his head with severe bruising and swelling, a fracture to his left thumb, which has resulted in permanent loss of movement, and severely bruised legs. He also suffered from nerve damage to his right temple and now suffers short-term memory loss.

Simon John Ludgate, Manager of Real Estate (Midlands) Ltd, failed to report the incident to the HSE.

At a second construction site at 52 Trowell Road, Wollaton, Nottingham, the HSE found two employees were at risk of falling from the front edge of a loading bay as there was insufficient protection in place. There was also a risk to members of the public from falling tiles due to the lack of edge protection.

HSE inspector for Nottinghamshire, Angus Robbins said:

"A series of errors resulted in a tragic incident causing permanent damage to a man's health, but given the circumstances this could easily have resulted in a fatality. Throughout the work at the two construction sites there was a complete failure to plan the work, maintain the necessary protection at height or acknowledge the consequence of falls.

"Falls from height remain the most common cause of fatal injuries. Latest figures show that 45 people died from a fall from height at work in 2006/07, with 3,750 suffering major injury. More than half of all fatalities from falls occur in construction. Companies involved in building, refurbishment or maintenance should ensure that the work is planned properly and sensible measures taken so that workers are not exposed to risk.

"This case illustrates that risks should be properly assessed and the results acted upon to ensure that decisions can be taken on appropriate equipment and working practices to be used so employees are safe."

Notes

*Due to Mr Ludgate's financial status, the judge did not order any costs to be paid

1. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states, "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonable practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."

2. Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states, "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety"

3. Regulation 3 (1) (b) (ii) of the Reporting Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 states that an incident must be reported if "any person at work suffers a major injury as a result of an accident arising out of or in connection with work."

4. Further information about preventing falls from height can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls

http://www.hse.gov.uk