Pellikaan fined £45k

Pellikaan (Construction) was fined £45,000 at Stevenage Magistrates Court last week after an incident two years ago in which a labourer was buried beneath falling rubble.

On 13 November 2004, Calum Redman suffered serious injury when he was buried by falling debris as the first floor of a leisure centre Pellikaan was building in Royston, Hertfordshire, collapsed.

London-based Pellikaan pleaded guilty to multiple breaches of health and safety legislation.

Health & Safety Executive investigating inspector Norman Macritchie said: “Contractors working on temporary structures should conduct suitable risk assessments and take steps to prevent danger from their collapse. For example, by ensuring that temporary support is suitably designed and erected under the supervision of a competent person.

“An appropriate assessment of the loading forces, and load-bearing capacity of the supports, is fundamental.”