Construction company fined £150,000 after worker dies and another is seriously injured at Wembley stadium

HSE/LON/208/2009 9 July 2009

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today warned employers to ensure proper procedures are in place to keep staff safe when working on construction sites.

The warning follows the prosecution of PC Harrington Contractors Ltd today at the Old Bailey, after an employee died and another was seriously injured during construction works carried out at Wembley Stadium.

PC Harrington Contractors Ltd, based in Grays Inn Road, London, pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The court fined the company £150,000 and ordered them to pay full costs of £25,203.

The investigation followed an incident on 15 January 2004, when a platform became dislodged during a lifting operation, causing it to fall and hit two workers. This resulted in the death of one worker, Patrick O' Sullivan and seriously injured another. Both men were working on the building of the concrete superstructure of the stadium at the time.

Giles Meredith, HSE Inspector, said: "There were many thousands of crane movements at Wembley. This incident demonstrates that when things do go wrong during lifting operations, the outcome is often very serious. Our thoughts remain with the family of Patrick O' Sullivan who live with the consequences of this tragic event."

Notes to editors

1. Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR (London and South East)