Firm fined over work accident

An incident in which an employee suffered an accident injury in the workplace has resulted in a construction company being fined.

Brighton Construction Ltd, of Millers Road, Brighton, was fined £25,000 by Lewes Crown Court, which also instructed the company to pay £15,000 in costs.

On November 3rd 2009 one of the business's employees, David Homewood, was helping a colleague carry a unit up a flight of stairs in a block of flats in the city's Roedean Road.

The 53-year-old fell down an unguarded lift shaft after reaching a landing and stumbling. As a result the Health and Safety Executive issued accident advice to the firm, saying that it had not adequately managed the construction site.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Amanda Huff said: "Mr Homewood has suffered life-changing injuries because simple measures were not taken to ensure the lift shaft was guarded at all times."

According to the HSE, 3,433 employees suffered major injuries in the workplace in south-east England in 2009/10. Many of these people may have hired injury lawyers to launch a claim against their employer.

Published by Hannah Carr