Consultancy Services

As well as being disqualified from serving as a director for four years after a 23-year old worker fell more than nine metres, leaving him paralysed from the chest down.

The Health and Safety Executive also prosecuted two other companies for their part in the accident. The employee was employed by the Director’s firm, was helping to install a semi automatic hanging garment system in a newly built warehouse when he fell over nine metres to a concrete floor. He has been unable to return to work since the accident and may have to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life and still relies upon family and friends for assistance and support.

He was not wearing any fall arrest equipment and the method of working employed, which was to work from the top down, meant that he fell a greater distance than he would have if the walkways below had been finished.

Inspectors had previously warned the director about the work at height problems and had served his firm a number of enforcement notices, as well as two prohibition notices in the last five years.

The director pleaded guilty to breaching section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (which applies where an offence is proved to have been committed with a director’s consent. He was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000. He was also disqualified as a director for four years.

The principle contractor for the site, as well as its contractor both admitted to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of its contractors.

The principle contractor was fined £80,000 with £20,000 costs, whilst the contractor was fined £50,000 with £22,000 costs.