Demolition contractor fined after fall

Stoke-based demolition contractor G Baskerville has been fined £8,000 at Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates’ Court after a worker fell from the first floor of a building under construction.

The man was using a power saw at Barnfields Industrial Estate in Leek, Staffordshire, when he fell off the side of the building. The accident occured on 30 October 2008.

An investigation showed the walls of the building had been removed but without adequate edge protection being installed.

HSE inspector Guy Dale said: “Although there was a horizontal steel girder around the sides of the building, there were still substantial gaps and there was a significant risk that other workers could also have fallen four metres to the ground below.

“The injured party sustained serious injuries from the fall. He had to be sedated for three weeks and spent a further three weeks in hospital. At one stage his injuries were believed to be life threatening.

“It is vital that if workers have to work at height that there are adequate barriers erected to prevent them from falling.”

G Baskerville was also ordered to pay £6,000 in costs.