Death Caused By Fall from Height Highlights Health and Safety Needs in the Construction Industry
A worker was tragically killed while working on a fragile roof on a construction site in Penryn. Work was being carried out on an industrial building at the time of the accident. Paul Gibbons fell 8 metres through an asbestos cement roof to the floor. He was immediately taken to hospital where he later died from his injuries.
This case has highlighted the need for strict health and safety policies and procedures on all construction sites. Mr Gibbons was a self-employed contractor who had been hired by Acryglor Ltd, now trading under the name of Onyx Europe Ltd. The company was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive who discovered many failings. The firm had not put in place adequate safety measures, even though their employees were working at height.
Poor Planning and Inadequate Safety Measures
The work performed by Mr Gibbons had not been properly planned. There were no nets in place to prevent falls and not a single crash deck platform had been put in place. The company was criticised for not having a planning coordinator who could have helped to develop a strong construction plan, taking in all of the risks involved and coming up with a plan to prevent accidents and reduce the hazards that come with working at height.
The director of Acryglor Ltd, Mr Peter Williams has debts to a value of £1.5 million and earns £15,000 per year. He was fined for breaching Section 37 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. He was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £2,500 in court costs.
Receive the Best Training to Reduce the Risks
Health and safety training can prevent such tragic accidents like this one from occurring. Working at height is responsible for one in five deaths in the construction industry. Careful planning, the introduction of safety measures and safe methods of work can all help to reduce the fatalities and serious injuries which come from falls. If you would like to provide training to your site managers the SMSTS course is one which can help to save lives. Call 0808 1966 830 and ask about training for site managers and supervisors today.