Design company prosecuted following accident at workRSS Feed

An interior design firm has been fined after two men were injured in an accident at work while refurbishing a retail unit.

Staffordshire-based Bridgford Interiors Limited was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the accident, which occurred at a TK Maxx outlet in Hounslow in 2006.

The two men and one other colleague were pouring concrete into an opening that had been left by the removal of a staircase and escalator.

Shortly after starting to pour the concrete, the temporary decking they were working on collapsed, causing them to fall nearly five metres to the floor below

One worker suffered a dislocated shoulder, while another had a broken bone in his elbow and fractured pelvis. The third man was unhurt.

HSE inspector Viv Neaverson said Bridgford failed in its duty as the company responsible for the temporary work.

"Whilst they had appointed a structural engineering company to execute the permanent works, they had not appointed a temporary works engineer and, as such, this duty fell to them," she added.

Bridgford Interiors Limited of Staffordshire pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations and was fined £25,000.

In 2008/2009, over 4,000 major injuries were caused by falls from height at work, according to HSE figures.

Accident claims advice from Serious Law

Posted by T B Walters 

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