Construction company fined after apprentice electrician falls

Bristol Magistrates’ court heard that on 8 February 2018, the apprentice electrician fell from height, causing facial and head injuries. He was in the process of removing the flat roof of Block 2 Lydney CofE Community School in Lyndney when the incident occurred. 

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the Greenway Partnership Limited did not adequately plan for the removal of the flat roof. Operatives had not been trained in working at height or demolition, and there was inadequate supervision of the work. As a result, no measures were put in place at the time to prevent or mitigate a fall. 

Greenway Partnership Limited of Bromsberrow Heath Business Park, Bromsberrow Heath, Ledbury pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Despite being in liquidation the company was fined £21,319 and ordered to pay £6,284 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Stephan Axt-Simmonds said, “Apprentices should not be left unsupervised to plan and undertake work on construction sites – it is those in control of work who have the responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction, training and supervision.

“If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”