Construction Safety – Fall from Height leads to £400k fine

Construction sites continue to have problems managing work at height. The construction company Kier Construction Limited has recently been fined £400k after a worker fell from height.

The Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how a worker (JM) was installing plywood boards covering holes on the third floor of a building at a construction site in Uxbridge when he fell a distance of just under 4m onto the floor below. The court also heard that no steps had been taken to prevent him falling through the opening as he installed the plywood boards. As a result of the fall, JM suffered fractures in his pelvis and his arm and has not been able to work since the accident.

Construction Safety – Fall from Height

Like in so many previous cases the HSE investigation found that Kier failed to ensure the work was properly planned and carried out in a safe manner.

Kier Construction Limited pleaded guilty to breaching section 4 (1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, has been fined £400,000, along with costs of £1,534.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Owen Rowley said: “This incident could have been a lot worse. The system that Kier Construction Ltd has in place to control the risk from installing the protection for openings was not implemented on

This incident could have been a lot worse. The system that Kier Construction Ltd has in place to control the risk from installing the protection for openings was not implemented on site, ultimately resulting in the accident.

The risks of working at height are widely recognised throughout the construction industry. This case highlights the importance of ensuring that all work at height is properly planned and carried out safely.