Conder fined £100,000

Burton-based Conder Structures has been fined a total of £100,000 at Leicester Crown Court for its part in a fatal accident involving the death of a 16-year-old youth.
The accident occurred on 28 November 2000 during the erection of a steel-framed building designed by Conder Structures and erected by its subcontractor at the Project Arrow construction site at Magna Park in Leicestershire.
Christopher Kesterton, employed by the groundwork firm, was killed after being struck by a falling 17m-tall steel column, weighing almost 2t.
Health & Safety Executive inspector Mark Hatfield said: "This tragic accident occurred because a subcontractor had not been informed by the designer of: the maximum wind speed in which the columns could be safely erected free standing; the number and arrangement of the wedges required; or the importance of the base wedging. As a consequence, the steel erectors failed to appreciate the consequences of leaving these particular structural steel columns unwedged and freestanding in wind conditions that were normal for the time of year."
Conder Structures managing director Gordon Ridley said: "On this occasion our subcontractor did not follow our instructions. This accident would not have happened if our procedures had been followed."