Construction firm fined over work accident

A construction firm from Cambridgeshire has been prosecuted after a man suffered a work injury.

Balsham (Buildings) Ltd of Balsham, Cambridge, confessed to two breaches of health and safety legislation at Watford Magistrates Court. The cladding contractor and steel fabricator was fined £7,000 for breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and another £7,000 for breaching Work at Height Regulations 2005 – Regulation 4(1). The firm was also instructed to pay costs of £8832.30.

The prosecution related to a work accident on March 3rd last year when John Ingram, a self-employed builder and fitter fell when he attempted to climb a tower scaffold. He suffered extensive injuries which meant that he could not work for eight months and now only works part time.

"Incidents like Mr Ingram’s fall are entirely avoidable. Falling from height is one of the most obvious and well-known dangers on a construction site," Health and Safety Executive inspector John Berezansky said.

Last month, James Miller (Kelham) Ltd was fiend after a worker was injured when he fell from the roof of a farm building.

Published by Hannah Carr