Construction firm fined £25,000 over worker’s death
11:49 - 28/10/2010
Construction firm fined £25,000 over...
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted two Lancashire companies following an accident at a site near Accrington which killed 55-year-old construction worker Peter Walton.
Mr Walton, who lived in Anchorsholme, near Blackpool, had been working on a project to build new office blocks when he fell five metres to the ground after an unsecured board on the scaffolding gave way. He was critically injured by the fall and died five weeks later in hospital.
Howorth Scaffolding Services Ltd and Glenhill Group (Developments) Ltd both pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Preston Crown Court.
Howorth Scaffolding, based in Hapton, was fined £25,000 for the incident which occurred on 10th May 2006. They were also ordered to pay court costs of £13,793. Glenhill Group, based in Nelson, was ordered to pay a nominal fine of £1 plus a further £13,793 towards costs. The judge decided on the fines based on the two firm’s current financial situations.
Mr Walton’s widow, Christine, said: “I know that the conclusion of this prosecution won’t bring him back but it will help to give me some sort of closure, and to bring this type of incident to the forefront. Sadly Peter’s death is just one of many needless deaths that occur in the construction industry due to slack adherence to health and safety regulations.
“Hopefully what happened to Peter, and is still happening on construction sites, will make people realise that health and safety laws are there to protect us and are not be scorned and scoffed at.”
HSE Inspector Ian Connor echoed this sentiment: “This is an extremely sad case which once again shows how important it is to follow health and safety regulations. It’s vital that construction companies do more to prevent deaths and injuries in the future.”
First Response Training offers a wide range of health and safety training courses, including specialist construction safety training such as the IOSH-accredited course Managing Safely in Construction. Topics such as working at height are also covered by our e-learning titles.
E-learning and Business Development Manager, Pete Stock explains: “Falls from height are still one of the biggest causes of fatalities and serious injuries in the construction industry. Tragic accidents like this one serve to highlight the importance of proper safety management and maintaining a sufficiently trained workforce. Our Working at Height online course is short, interactive and informative and can be completed by anyone with internet access.
“E-learning is a great tool for induction or refresher training but we also have a wide range of practical health and safety courses, which can prove invaluable for somewhere as dangerous as a construction site. Call or e-mail us today to find out more.”
Mr Walton, who lived in Anchorsholme, near Blackpool, had been working on a project to build new office blocks when he fell five metres to the ground after an unsecured board on the scaffolding gave way. He was critically injured by the fall and died five weeks later in hospital.
Howorth Scaffolding Services Ltd and Glenhill Group (Developments) Ltd both pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Preston Crown Court.
Howorth Scaffolding, based in Hapton, was fined £25,000 for the incident which occurred on 10th May 2006. They were also ordered to pay court costs of £13,793. Glenhill Group, based in Nelson, was ordered to pay a nominal fine of £1 plus a further £13,793 towards costs. The judge decided on the fines based on the two firm’s current financial situations.
Mr Walton’s widow, Christine, said: “I know that the conclusion of this prosecution won’t bring him back but it will help to give me some sort of closure, and to bring this type of incident to the forefront. Sadly Peter’s death is just one of many needless deaths that occur in the construction industry due to slack adherence to health and safety regulations.
“Hopefully what happened to Peter, and is still happening on construction sites, will make people realise that health and safety laws are there to protect us and are not be scorned and scoffed at.”
HSE Inspector Ian Connor echoed this sentiment: “This is an extremely sad case which once again shows how important it is to follow health and safety regulations. It’s vital that construction companies do more to prevent deaths and injuries in the future.”
First Response Training offers a wide range of health and safety training courses, including specialist construction safety training such as the IOSH-accredited course Managing Safely in Construction. Topics such as working at height are also covered by our e-learning titles.
E-learning and Business Development Manager, Pete Stock explains: “Falls from height are still one of the biggest causes of fatalities and serious injuries in the construction industry. Tragic accidents like this one serve to highlight the importance of proper safety management and maintaining a sufficiently trained workforce. Our Working at Height online course is short, interactive and informative and can be completed by anyone with internet access.
“E-learning is a great tool for induction or refresher training but we also have a wide range of practical health and safety courses, which can prove invaluable for somewhere as dangerous as a construction site. Call or e-mail us today to find out more.”
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