For one British employer, not having the proper safety plan in place led to the worst possible outcome.
The decorator suffered severe injuries after falling seven feet from an untied ladder placed in a dangerous manner on a curved section of ironwork.
Alan Beutner, 58, who lived in the Cattedown area, was decorating the exterior of a house in Carlton Terrace, Lipson, Plymouth on June 15, 2011 when the ladder twisted free and he fell onto the concrete path below. He subsequently died of medical complications, leaving a widow and three children.
Beutner’s employer, David Faulkner, a partner in Roofcare Roofing and Building Contractors, appeared before Plymouth Magistrates Court recently (January, 2014) in a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The court heard that no scaffolding had been provided for the job. The ladder was not tied and twisted free from the curved ironwork causing him to fall.
Internal Injuries Lead to Fatality
Although Beutner was taken to hospital in severe pain, he was discharged later the same day with five fractured ribs and surface fractures to his spinal vertebrae. He was readmitted to hospital the next day with severe pain where it was discovered he had internal injuries. Despite two emergency operations he died in the hospital less than two weeks after his fall.
An investigation by HSE found that the ladder was a domestic type with a maximum safe working load of 205 lbs and not a more robust trade ladder which should have been used (Beutner weighed 245lbs).
The work should have been carried out from a scaffold to prevent the risk of falls but failing that Faulkner should have ensured the ladder was securely braced and tied to the building.
David Faulkner, of Cattedown Road, Cattedown, Plymouth pleaded guilty to an offence under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined $3,284 and ordered to pay $8,210 in costs.
Author Kori Shafer-Stack, Editor, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in post-injury response procedures and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: kstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.
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