Scaffolding firm fined after worker's fall

A construction company has been fined after a worker suffered life-changing injuries following a fall from scaffolding.

Bristol Magistrates’ Court heard how an employee of R J Scaffolding (Bristol) Limited was in an induced coma for two weeks after falling more than six metres from the scaffolding. The worker suffered several serious injuries, including losing the sight in his right eye and five fractures to the skull.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident, which happened on 2 June last year, and found the employee was untrained, the supervisor unfamiliar with the current expected safety techniques and the appropriate equipment had not been provided to the worker to conduct this work safely.

The scaffolding firm of Central Business Park, Hengrove, Bristol pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations. It was fined £26,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,657.76.

HSE inspector Ian Whittles said: “We want all workers to go home healthy and safe. Those in control of work have a responsibility to ensure safe methods of working are used and to inform, instruct and train their workers in their use.

“If industry recognised safe systems of erecting scaffold had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”