Incident 'Highlights Dangers Of Such Work'

A church council in South Kensington has admitted breaching health and safety legislation in relation to a work accident in which a man was paralysed after a fall from height.

Holy Trinity Brompton parish council was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs in relation to the incident in March 2010, in which an unnamed worker fell three metres from a poorly guarded balcony during refurbishment work at St Paul’s Church in Onslow Square.

He suffered a broken back, as well as three broken ribs and a broken shoulder, and is now paralysed from the waist down.

It was revealed in court that, during work to install an adjustable floor, there was a failure to put a temporary high barrier in place to prevent falls from height.

Sally Rissbrook, an associate solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, specialises in helping those left with serious injuries as a result of accidents at work to gain vital funds for rehabilitation and care services.

She said: “Time and time again both our cases and prosecutions by the Health and Safety Executive highlight the terrible consequences that falls from height have on so many people, often leading them to suffer serious and even fatal injuries.

“It is hugely important that employers and other bodies recognise just how important it is for them to meet their safety responsibilities in relation to working at height by offering training and the best possible equipment to protect workers.

“There is a very real need for an improvement in this area we hope that a terrible case like this one will lead others to realise that there is plenty of work to be done to improve safety standards in this area.”