Firms Prosecuted Over 2008 Incident
The massive impact that falls from height can have on those involved has been highlighted by a recent Health and Safety Executive prosecution, according to a work accident expert at Irwin Mitchell.
DB Gibbons of Bristol and CW Pearce of Martock have been fined over an incident in 2008, which saw a construction worker fall six metres through the roof of a farm building in Corston near Bath.
Richard Cooke suffered severe spine and head injuries in the incident, with a subsequent investigation revealing that no safeguards were in place to prevent the worker from falling through the roof or from the edge of the shed.
Discussing the case, David Urpeth, national head of workplace injuries at Irwin Mitchell, said: “This terrible industrial accident highlights just why there are so many regularly calls for health and safety to be treated as a priority in work environments.
“The worker involved in this case, who now requires a wheelchair, has had his life completely transformed by the incident. What is most concerning is that this is a case where the serious injuries could have been avoided if the right measures had been put in place.
“Time and again we see the devastation that falls from height can cause to people’s lives and it is vital that lessons are learnt that will go some way to preventing similar work accidents in the future.”