Construction firm admits health and safety offences

A major construction firm has been fined £185,000 after admitting health and safety offences over a worker who suffered life-threatening injuries.

Michael Gresty, employed by Carillion JM Ltd, of Birch Street in Wolverhampton, was injured when a Ford Transit truck reversed over him. The firm admitted three offences at Manchester Crown Court on February 12 and was also ordered to pay £9,821 towards the cost of the prosecution.

Mr Gresty, from Oldham, stayed in hospital for four weeks after losing his left kidney and suffering seven broken ribs, a broken left shoulder and right foot, a fractured spine and a dislocated right hip. He also needed a pin through his right knee, lost an inch in height and had four needles in his spine. He has constant back and ribs pain more than a year after the accident.

Neil Martin, an inspector for the Health and Safety Executive which brought the prosecution, said: "It would have been simple to mark out a basic pedestrian walkway, using cones and tape, and have someone responsible for guiding reversing vehicles. If Carillion had done this, Michael Gresty would not have suffered agonising injuries."

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David Urpeth from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: “I welcome the fine imposed following this serious yet avoidable work accident.

“The construction industry is the industrial sector where a worker is most likely be seriously injured or killed following an accident at work.

“On a daily basis, I see the misery caused by injuries sustained following a work accident.”