Building firms fined £20,000 after worker falls

Two building firms have been fined £20,000 after a worker fell down a concrete staircase and suffered head injuries that have kept him in hospital for 18 months.

Principal contractor Trak Build, from Hemel Hempstead, and subcontractor Midland Steel Structures, from Coventry, were both fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £8,278 each by the Aylesbury Magistrate’s Court.

The firms were building a series of industrial units at Chesham when, on 11 October 2006, a worker fell down a concrete staircase while it was being installed.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the man had remained in hospital since the fall and would require 24-hour care for the rest of his life.

HSE inspector Trevor Tollervey said: “This is a very tragic case. The worker suffered extremely serious injuries that will affect him and his family for the rest of his life.

“The companies involved failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the installation of the concrete stairways on the building site. They also failed to ensure that work involving lifting equipment was carried out safely. Had this been done properly this incident should never have happened.”

Both companies were found guilty of breaches under the Health and Safety At Work Act.