A company which makes modular timber buildings has been fined after an employee suffered multiple injuries falling from a canopy at a Shropshire school, Vigilance can report.
The canopy through which Mr Phillips fell
Vigilance learnt that RG Stones (Buildings) Ltd had been contracted to replace the canopy between two temporary buildings at Lakelands School on Oswestry Road in Ellesmere when the incident happened on 8 August 2011.
William Phillips, 52, of Weston Rhyn, was said to be standing on the canopy with two colleagues when he fell three metres between the timber joists onto the concrete floor below, fracturing his back, breastbone, six ribs and right wrist and unable to go to work since then.
The canopy through which Mr Phillips fell
Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court heard last Friday (10 August) that an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company had not installed any edge protection to prevent a fall. Although it had put two soft landing bags on the floor to mitigate the effect of any fall, but neither was in the area where the work was being carried out.
Vigilance gathered that RG Stones (Buildings) ltd, of Grosvenor Road, Wrexham, Clwyd, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for failing to protect Mr Phillips, so fined £6,500 and ordered to pay costs of £3,105.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Mr Guy Dale said: "This incident was entirely preventable. The company had obviously appreciated the risks of a fall, as shown by the provision of the landing bags, but it's a shame they didn't think to put them under the area it was most needed.”
Dale added: "Work at height is a high risk activity and needs to be properly planned. Had that happened, a man would not have been left with debilitating injuries.”