The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a construction company after a worker was left paralysed following an accident at a building site.
The injured man was employed by Structural Metal Decks Limited (SMDL), which had been subcontracted to lay metal deck flooring by John Graham Construction Ltd during the building of a new health centre in Kilsyth, north Lanarkshire, Scotland.
On 22 April 2015, a scaffolder was moving scaffolding components when he stood on a section of decking which had been put in place by SMDL – the decking sheet gave way and the worker fell more than four metres to the ground.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found the metal deck sheets on the first level of the building had not been secured properly – and the access to the first level of the decking was not adequately controlled, allowing non-decking workers onto the deck.
At Airdrie Sheriff Court, Structural Metal Decks Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 3 (1) and 33 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £105,000.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Graeme McMinn said:
“This is a tragic incident, which has had a devastating effect on a young man’s life. The accident could have been avoided if the Structural Metal Decks Ltd had taken appropriate safety precautions – and ensured the decking sheets were properly secured.”
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