A British construction company has been fined after a man fell six meters down a lift shaft at a construction site in Brighton.
David Homewood, 53, from Eastbourne, was delivering a kitchen unit to a new block of luxury flats in Ocean Heights, Roedean Road, Brighton, when the incident happened on Nov. 3, 2009. (WCxKit)
Homewood was walking backwards upstairs while carrying one end of the unit while a colleague supported the other end, but as they reached the second floor landing; he stepped over a roll pack of insulation and fell down the unguarded lift shaft.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted principle contractor Brighton Construction Ltd for failing to manage the construction site properly.
Lewes Crown Court was told Homewood fell about six meters and suffered a fractured spine, bruised lungs and a fractured pelvis. He was in intensive care for six days and was in the hospital for four weeks. His walking is now impaired and he has been unable to return to work since the incident.
The court also heard that advice had been given to Brighton Construction Ltd after a HSE inspection five months before the incident. The inspector wrote to the company requiring that any openings in the floors were protected with guardrails. (WCxKit)
Brighton Construction Ltd, of Maria House, Millers Road, Brighton, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 22(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 at court today (March 3). It was fined a total of $40,405 and ordered to pay costs of $24,238.50.
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