�The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned employers and senior managers that they must dominance the risks of working at tallness in the workplace. The warning follows the prosecution of the manager of a construction company after an incident led to an employee at a site in Mansfield suffering severe injuries and for failing to control the risks from falls from height at another internet site in Wollaton.
Simon John Ludgate, of Oakfield Avenue, Warsop, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, was fined �1,500* at Nottingham Crown Court today after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) and 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and contravening Regulation 3 (1) (b) (ii) of the Reporting Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 for an incident at the construction site at 82 Sheepwalk Lane, Ravenshead, Mansfield, during his role as managing director for Real Estate (Midlands) Ltd.
He also pleaded guilty to Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for an incident at the construction site on Trowell Road, Wollaton, Nottingham.
Ronald Leslie Cordon, aged 63, from Quarndon, Derby, suffered major injuries when he fell deuce metres from an unprotected wall on 6 November 2006 patch doing bricklaying work on a housing construction site in Mansfield.
He fell onto the floor within the house striking his head on some steelwork. Mr Corden was knocked unconscious and suffered cuts to his head with severe bruising and puffiness, a fracture to his left thumb, which has resulted in permanent loss of movement, and gravely bruised legs. He also suffered from nerve damage to his right temple and now suffers short-run memory loss.
Simon John Ludgate, Manager of Real Estate (Midlands) Ltd, failed to report card the incident to the HSE.
At a second construction website at 52 Trowell Road, Wollaton, Nottingham, the HSE found iI employees were at risk of falling from the front edge of a loading laurus nobilis as there was insufficient protection in place. There was likewise a risk to members of the public from falling tiles due to the deficiency of edge protection.
HSE inspector for Nottinghamshire, Angus Robbins said:
"A series of errors resulted in a tragic incident causation permanent legal injury to a man's health, but given the fortune this could easily have resulted in a human death. Throughout the work at the two construction sites there was a complete failure to plan the work, exert the necessary protection at height or acknowledge the consequence of falls.
"Falls from height remain the most vulgar cause of fatal injuries. Latest figures show that 45 multitude died from a fall from tiptop at work in 2006/07, with 3,750 suffering major harm. More than half of all fatalities from falls occur in construction. Companies involved in building, refurbishment or sustainment should secure that the work is planned by rights and sensitive measures taken so that workers are not exposed to danger.
"This case illustrates that risks should be by rights assessed and the results acted upon to guarantee that decisions can be taken on appropriate equipment and working practices to be secondhand so employees are safe."
Notes
*Due to Mr Ludgate's fiscal status, the judge did not monastic order any costs to be paid
1. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states, "It shall be the duty of every employer to see to it, so far as is reasonable practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."
2. Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states, "It shall be the tariff of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to check, so far as is reasonably operable, that persons not in his exercise who may be stirred thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their wellness or safety"
3. Regulation 3 (1) (b) (ii) of the Reporting Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 states that an incident moldiness be reported if "whatsoever person at work suffers a major injury as a consequence of an accident arising out of or in connection with work."
4. Further information around preventing falls from height can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls
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