Kier fined £18k after worker falls from height

Kier Regional Limited and Whybrow Scaffolding have been fined a total of £28,000 at Southwark Crown Court after a scaffolder fell through a temporary corrugated iron roof a year ago.

Gary Samson, 34, from Stevenage, suffered suspected broken ribs and heavy bruising after falling approximately 7m through the roof at Stanford House, Covent Garden on 20 November 2003. 

Samson worked for the principal contractor Whybrow Scaffolding Limited, which is a trading division of Kier Regional Limited.

Kier pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in that it failed to protect non-employees from being exposed to risks to their health and safety. It was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay £1343.21 costs.

Rotherhithe-based Whybrow pleaded guilty under the same act for failing to prevent employees being exposed to risks to their health and safety. Whybrow was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £1343.21 costs.

HSE Inspector, Lisa Chappell, who led the HSE investigation, said: "These prosecutions highlight the need for contractors to take suitable precautions to prevent workers falling.

"The provision of a properly guarded work platform should always be considered the first line of defence. Only where this is not reasonably practicable should contractors rely on other measures such as harnesses and instructions to employees."