24.03.2006

HSE warns house builders

The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned house builders to ensure that adequate precautions are taken to prevent falls from height The warning came after Mitchell and Son Homes Ltd was fined £4,000 with costs of £1,278 at Hereford Magistrates Court following an accident, which resulted in a subcontractor falling approximately four metres from a roof on 5 April 2005.

The incident occurred during the conversion of old farm buildings - Walford Court Barns at Walford near Ross on Wye. Subcontractor Thomas Macklin was working on the roofing when he slipped from his ladder and fell on to tarmac. The ladder was balanced on scaffolding which was not adequately fitted with toe boards, which might have prevented it from slipping.

Ladders should not in any case be placed against or supported by scaffold platforms. Macklin suffered multiple fractures and permanent damage to his left wrist.

Prosecuting HSE Principal Inspector, Joy Jones said: "Experience shows that falls from height usually occur as a result of poor management control rather than because of equipment failure and it was unfortunate that on this occasion certain measures were not put in place which would have prevented the fall. Building firms need to realise the necessity of implementing appropriate safety measures to provide a safe working environment, preventing falls and avoiding injuries such as these.

"Falls from height are the most common cause of fatal injury and the second most common cause of major injury to employees. Every year, around 80 people are killed and more than 5,500 seriously injured as a result of falling from height."
Mitchell and Son Homes Ltd pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulation 6(1) and 29(1) of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996