20.11.2003

Construction company fined £8,000 following serious fall

Sunley Turriff Construction has been fined a total of £8,000 following a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution over a fall from height incident. The investigation followed a serious fall from height incident on 7 May 2002 during reconstruction of the Hackney Empire Theatre in Mare Street, London.

Agency worker Lasha Davitaia was clearing debris, including a number of large sheets of plywood, and redundant materials from the surface of a newly-constructed first floor slab. While lifting one of the plywood sheets, Davitaia fell nearly five metres to the ground floor through a service opening concealed underneath. He suffered serious injuries including a broken leg, concussion, loss of teeth and cuts.

The loose plywood had been covering the 1.1 by 0.9 metre hole for several weeks. As it had not been fixed down and was not marked with any warning, Davitaia assumed that the plywood was to be removed with the other debris.

Principal contractor Sunley Turriff Construction, a Northwich based company, was accordingly charged with an offence of breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSW Act).

The hearing took place yesterday before the City of London Magistrates’ Court, Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4.
Sunley Turriff is in administration and was not present in court.

After finding the firm guilty the court heard that they were prosecuted in 1999 following an almost identical accident.
HSE Inspector Andy Beal said: "The loose board was over the hole for several weeks so this was an accident waiting to happen. It is remarkable that Mr Davitaia’s injuries were not more severe – he could well have been killed. The precautions for safeguarding floor openings are well known and include conventional guard-rails and toe boards, the use of properly marked secured covers and the use of robust mesh cast into the concrete. Contractors must make sure they manage this obvious risk.”