Information bite 228: Fit Out Contractor Fined After Scaffold Fall

A fit out contractor has been fined after an employee suffered multiple fractures after falling fifteen feet from scaffolding.

Manchester Magistrates Court heard on the 24 October 2019, an employee of the contractor was working from a tower scaffold when it moved, throwing him off balance.

He fell backwards against the safety rail of the scaffold, which gave way and he fell fifteen feet to the ground. The employee suffered ten fractured ribs, a fractured shoulder and a collapsed lung.

An HSE investigation found that the safety rail had not been fixed in place correctly, causing it to give way when the employee fell against it.

It also found that the tower scaffold had not been erected by somebody with the appropriate skills, knowledge and training. If the edge protection been suitable and sufficient and the tower constructed by somebody competent to erect tower scaffolds, the incident could have been prevented.

The contractor pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,623.

Speaking after the hearing an HSE inspector said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities and severe injuries in this country. The risks associated with work at height are well known.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided by ensuring that suitable and sufficient edge protection had been used and qualified people had been on site to erect a tower scaffold.”

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