David Ashley Construction Limited has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,776 following an incident where a worker fell 13 metres down a service riser shaft.
Leicester Magistrates' Court heard how the 36-year-old Romanian was dismantling falsework in a building under construction in Leicester. He had left the area he was working on to go to a higher part of the site to see his brother. He then began sweeping up debris which had collected on top of the hardwood that was placed over the service shaft. Unfortunately, the wood then gave way, leading to the fall.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that there was an unsafe system of work and inadequate supervision of workers. The worker sustained injuries to his upper arm, as well as bruising and cuts, but is lucky to be alive.
David Ashley Construction Limited, which reportedly fully co-operated with the investigation and has a good safety record, pleaded guilty to offences under the Work at Height Regulations SI 2005/735.
