HSE fine Scottish company

Posted on March 29^th 2010

A construction company from Scotland has been fined £4,000 after the Health and Safety Executive found them guilty of breaching current laws. Scotia Homes Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 after an apprentice fell through an unguarded stairwell causing injuries to his head and legs.

After further investigation from the HSE it was discovered that the stairwell that the trainee joiner fell through has no guarding or edging leaving it as a high risk to workers.

Alan MacKinnon from the HSE said: "This incident could have been avoided. The fall protection measure in place was completely inadequate as a means of preventing anyone falling from height. Risks from working at height are entirely preventable. Employers working at height need to ensure that risks are fully assessed and that open edged areas of work are suitably guarded."

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