Crispin & Borst and Myles fined after man paralysed in fall

T J Myles and Crispin Borst have been fined a total of £44,500 for breaching health and safety regulations, following an accident which left a man paralysed from the waist down.

The incident took place in January 2007 on a site in Grosvenor Street in London, where the two firms were involved in converting two buildings into one. A steel structure was being installed to support the building and being lifted into place by a hoist from the ground floor.

Part of the structure became stuck and when it was freed it moved out of place quickly, striking the victim and dragging him through a hole in the floor. He fell 7.3m down two storeys.

T J Myles (Contractors) of Ickenham, Hillingdon, was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £7,339.20 at the City of London Magistrates Court.

Crispin & Borst of Watford was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,155.20.