Steeplejack firm fined after death of worker

Date:

13 May 2011

Release No:

HSE/EM/187/10

A Nottingham firm has been fined £100,000 after one of its workers was killed and another injured in two separate falls.

Central (High Rise) Ltd, based at Thoresby Avenue, Sneinton, Nottingham, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to protect its employees.

Brian Collins, 52, from Mansfield, was setting up abseiling equipment to paint one of the chimneys with two other workers at Sutton Bridge Power Station, when he fell through an open grating in a platform on the chimney on 13 March 2008. He fell 34 metres and died at the scene.

In a separate incident, on 14 August 2009, two employees were performing maintenance on the rocks below Nottingham Castle. To reach some debris on a ledge, they attempted to abseil down but did not use a safety line. The first worker reached the ledge safely, but the second worker, who has asked not to be named, experienced an uncontrolled descent, falling between eight and ten metres to the ground and breaking a bone in his back.

Leicester Crown Court heard the company had failed to make sure the work at both locations was carried out safely putting several employees at serious risk. At the castle, the company also failed to ensure the work was properly supervised. At the power station, it had also failed to make a proper assessment of the risks and to properly manage and monitor the work.

Central (High Rise) Ltd pleaded guilty to one charge in relation to the death of Mr Collins and one charge in relation to the incident at Nottingham Castle. As well as the fine, the company was ordered to pay £32,000 costs.

HSE inspector Martin Giles said:

"The work at the power station required careful planning and assessment of the risks involved. Tragically, the company failed to make sure the rigging of the ropes was done safely and the result was the needless death of an employee.

"At Nottingham Castle, the two men should not have been allowed to abseil with the ropes they used, but Central failed in its duty to properly supervise the work to make sure it was carried out safely. Luckily the injured man has since made a full recovery but his injuries could easily have been much worse.

"Falls from height are the biggest cause of workplace deaths and it's crucial that employers make sure work is properly planned, appropriately supervised and that sufficient measures are put in place to protect staff from the risks."

Last year more than 4,000 employees suffered major injuries after falling from height at work, and 21 workers in the construction industry died. For more information on HSE's shattered lives campaign go to www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. In relation to the fatal incident at Sutton Bridge Power Station, Central (High Rise) Ltd pleaded guilty to Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
3. In relation to the incident at Nottingham Castle, the company pleaded guilty to Regulation 4(1)(b) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005
4. 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"
5. Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 states: "Every employer shall ensure that work at height is - (a) properly planned; (b) appropriately supervised and (c) carried out in a manner which is so far as is reasonably practicable safe."
6. Visit here: www.hse.gov.uk/falls for more guidance on working at height.

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