Construction firm fined £15,000 after worker is seriously injured in fall

A CONSTRUCTION firm has been fined £15,000 and order to pay more than £6,000 in costs after a worker suffered serious injuries while working on the refurbishment of a former curtain shop.Sheffield-based MacDonald Joinery and Construction Ltd admitted charges brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident in which an employee fell more than three metres. A court heard that Carl Major, 31, of Retford, Notts, had been stripping out fixtures and fittings when he was hit on the head by a falling lighting pelmet. He was knocked off the step ladder he was using and fell around three metres onto a concrete floor. Mr Major suffered serious head injuries and was in a coma for two months. He later developed epilepsy and still requires medical treatment. He has been unable to return to work.An HSE investigation revealed that prior to him beginning refurbishment work at the store, in Stockton, on Teeside, MacDonald Joinery and Construction had failed to provide Mr Major with the necessary information and instruction to enable him to carry out his work safely.The firm of Westthorpe Fields Business Park, Sheffield, pleaded guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6228.75 at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.After the case, HSE Principal Inspector Rob Hirst, said: “Mr Major has suffered long term injuries as a result of this serious incident, yet it could have easily been prevented if suitable and sufficient safety measures had been provided.”

Sheffield-based MacDonald Joinery and Construction Ltd admitted charges brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident in which an employee fell more than three metres.

A court heard that Carl Major, 31, of Retford, Notts, had been stripping out fixtures and fittings when he was hit on the head by a falling lighting pelmet.

He was knocked off the step ladder he was using and fell around three metres onto a concrete floor. Mr Major suffered serious head injuries and was in a coma for two months.

He later developed epilepsy and still requires medical treatment. He has been unable to return to work.

An HSE investigation revealed that prior to him beginning refurbishment work at the store, in Stockton, on Teeside, MacDonald Joinery and Construction had failed to provide Mr Major with the necessary information and instruction to enable him to carry out his work safely.

The firm of Westthorpe Fields Business Park, Sheffield, pleaded guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6228.75 at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

After the case, HSE Principal Inspector Rob Hirst, said: “Mr Major has suffered long term injuries as a result of this serious incident, yet it could have easily been prevented if suitable and sufficient safety measures had been provided.”