Site fall costs building company large compensation fees

Posted on March 02^nd 2009

£10,000 has been fined to a house building company for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act after an electrical contractor fell 2.5m in a metal cage.

The company had failed to ensure that the contractor was not exposed to any risks after he was placed in a special cage to be lifted up by a forklift to carry out some electrical work. The driver of the forklift, who had not been provided with any training of the cage failed to secure it to the forks correctly using a safety pin.

Whilst the cage was being lifted, it toppled off causing the worker to fall two and half meters to the ground, leaving him with a broken wrist, severe bruising and concussion. The electrician was also unable to work for more than eight months.

The company was also fined an additional £3,362 in costs on top of the £10,000.

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