Company Fined Over Wall Collapse

Companies involved in renovation work should ensure they plan projects carefully to avoid work accidents, a leading personal injury lawyer has suggested.

The warning came from David Urpeth of Irwin Mitchell after Simon Jones Restoration and Re-design Limited were fined £4,000 with £3,000 costs over an incident in August 2009, in which a young worker was seriously injured when a wall collapsed.

He was working alongside a colleague to create an opening in a lime mortar gable when the incident occurred and suffered a fractured pelvis, ligament damage to his ankle and chipped teeth.

According to Health and Safety Executive, the incident could have been avoided if the project had been carefully planned by those with expertise in the area - a view shared by David Urpeth.

The workplace injury expert said: “The health and safety of workers has to be at the top of the agenda for all employers, and this case highlights exactly why.

“While the victim involved in this incident suffered serious injuries, the outcome could have been a fatal accident. It is vital that lessons are learnt from accidents like this to ensure that no one else involved in renovation work faces the same risks.”