Concrete slab accident leaves worker disabled

A developer and a contractor from north London have been fined a total of £110,000 after a Polish worker was left permanently disabled.

Pawel Szczotka, 33, was working on a site by the North Circular in Brent building a warehouse for local developer Gargreen Ltd and its associated contractor Euro's (London).

The father-of-three suffered major injuries to his pelvis and legs after a two-tonne concrete slab fell on him, and more than two years on, he is still severely disabled.

At Croydon Crown Court, Gargreen Ltd was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 costs after pleading guilty to breaching regulation 6 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994.

Euro's (London) Ltd, was found guilty of breaching health and safety regulations. The court imposed a total fine of £100, and ordered no costs to be paid.

Vijay Kara, a director of both Euro's (London) Ltd and Gargreen Ltd, and who played a direct role in managing the construction work on the site, was convicted of breaking Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and was fined £99,900 and ordered to pay £150,000 costs.

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