The worker was stood on a platform with unguarded rails, preparing to take down the top level of a unit at a construction site in Westferry Road, London. He slipped and fell over the side of the platform, hitting the concrete floor 5.9 m down.
He is no longer able to work having sustained internal bleeding, a collapsed lung and fractures to his pelvis and right arm.
Beck and Pollitzer Engineering pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 of the Working at Height Regulations 2005 for failing to ensure that work at height is well planned, supervised and carried out safely. It was fined £54,000, in addition to £14,000 in costs.
Goss Graphic Systems admitted breaching Regulation 13(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) 2007, under which contractors are obligated to plan, manage and monitor construction work to ensure it poses no risks, and Regulation 4 of the Working at Height Regulations. It was fined £27,000 with costs of £7,000.
The project's principle contractor Meta Management Services (trading as Aktrion) was fined £9,000 and ordered to pay £1,942 in costs. The company pleaded guilty to an offence under Regulation 22(1)(c) of the CDM 2007, which states that principal contractors "must ensure that welfare facilities sufficient to comply with the requirements of Schedule 2 are provided throughout the construction phase".
