Skylight fall nets fines for roofing firms

Open-access content Thursday 30th March 2017

From the archive: Just so you know, this article is more than 3 years old.

Skylight fall nets fines for roofing firms

Coventry Magistrates' Court heard last week that principal contractor JDB Industrial Roofing had brought in ACD Roofing to complete recladding on a fragile roof.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that when the work commenced on 15 December 2015, ACD Roofing did not install nets nor guardrails. The mobile elevating platform (MEWP) which had been provided as an anchor point for the fall arrest equipment did not have enough capacity. Also, when the injured worker fell, his harness was not attached to anything.

JDB Industrial Roofing of Brooklands Court, Kettering, Northamptonshire pleaded guilty to breaching s 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and was fined £112,000 and ordered to pay £2,216.68 in costs.

ACG Roofing of High Street, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire pleaded guilty to breaching s 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was been fined £35,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,721.78.

Worker fell six storeys to his death in lift plunge

Thursday 9th March 2017

Work was underway to decommission the lift shaft in a building that was being converted into luxury apartments, Southwark Crown Court was told. In January 2011 the victims were working on top of the lift car when the chain that was supporting it broke. It plummeted six storeys to the bottom. One of the labourers, who was wearing a harness attached to the top of the lift car, fell in the space between the car and the shaft and survived with serious injuries. The other worker was not wearing a harness and died instantly.

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Unstable joists led to Balfour Beatty’s £230k fine

Wednesday 1st March 2017

Balfour Beatty Regional Construction (BBRC) was managing the site at Richmond Park Croft, Sheffield, when the accident happened, Newcastle Crown Court was told. The victim was part of a three-strong bricklaying team that had been instructed to work on the incomplete development. On 2 March 2015 the floor gave way at one side and he fell 2.4 m, along with around 70 building blocks. He sustained multiple fractures to his foot.

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Road builder fined over machine guard injury

Thursday 30th March 2017

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that Coldmac had failed to ensure that the guarding on the machine was safe.Nuneaton Magistrates’ Court heard this week how the North Lincolnshire construction firm had appointed specialist contractors for a new footway. On 8 April 2015, the worker was using a screwdriver to scrape asphalt residue off a mixer that he had been using. When the screwdriver suddenly slipped, his hand caught the lip of the mixer and lost his middle and index fingers.

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The HSE staged a reconstruction of the accident. Image: HSE

Laing O’Rourke lands £800k fine over Heathrow Airport fatality

Monday 27th March 2017

On 2 October 2014, Laing O’Rourke employees Paul and Philip Griffiths were attempting to tow away a broken down scissor lift on a service road at Heathrow Airport.Paul Griffiths was operating a dump truck under the direction of managers when his foot became stuck between the brake and the accelerator. His brother Philip was standing between the truck and the scissor lift and was fatally crushed when the truck suddenly reversed. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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HSE. The site entrance road with the overhead power lines

BAM and groundworks contractor penalised for overhead line strike

Wednesday 5th April 2017

Network Rail had appointed BAM Construction to construct a new railway operating centre in Basingstoke and the firm had contracted Shoreland Projects for the groundworks.

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