A construction company from Crawley in West Sussex has been fined after a self-employed contractor was injured when he fell from scaffolding on one of their building sites.
Paisley Sheriffs Court heard how Alan Wilson; a sole trader contracted to carry out joinery work, had been erecting a timber frame to construct a block of two-storey properties when he fell from scaffolding between the timber panels.
When the HSE investigated the incident, they found that the company had failed to put in place suitable arrangements for the planning, organisation, control and monitoring of the work at height being carried out by a contractor engaged by them. In addition they had failed to sufficiently assess the risks to the safety of workers on their sites.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and was fined £7,500.
This case goes to show that you do not have to be a full time employee of a company for them to have any responsibilities about your safety. Anyone working on, or even visiting a construction site should be made aware of the potential dangers, and procedures and systems should be put in place to minimise the risks to anyone in the vicinity. This includes members of the public who might pass close to the site, visitors to the site, any employees, contractors and sub-contractors.
If you or someone you care for has been injured on a construction site; whether they were working as an employee, a contractor, a sub-contractor or even someone simply visiting the site, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Our solicitors have years of experience in dealing with cases such as these, and will swiftly be able to tell you if you have a case, and if so, how much your claim could be worth. It is free to call and there is no obligation to continue with a case if you chose not to do so. Contact us today and see how we can help you get the pay out you deserve.