Demolition firm fined after ceiling collapse injures worker

Date:

6 July 2011

Release No:

Y&H/96/11

A family-run demolition firm that sent a worker into a partly-demolished building in Grimsby, moments before the ceiling collapsed, has been sentenced.

Grimsby Magistrates' Court heard self-employed labourer Daniel Cope, 36, was part of a team demolishing the Old Fish House in Grimsby Docks, in May 2010. After an excavator was used to pull down some asbestos-containing roof sheets, he and a fellow worker were sent in by a site supervisor from H. Cope and Sons (Demolition) Ltd to remove asbestos debris to reduce contamination of the rest of the rubble.

Shortly after going into the building, the left hand edge of the ceiling collapsed striking Mr Cope on the head and sending him crashing to the ground. He broke his knee and suffered severe bruising to his neck and shoulder. His colleague, who was working at the opposite edge, escaped unhurt.

H. Cope and Sons (Demolition) Ltd. of Moody Lane,Grimsby, pleaded guilty to a breach of safety legislation in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution.

The HSE investigation revealed the company knew the joists supporting the ceiling were rotten and the asbestos sheets had not been removed before demolition as it was too dangerous to walk on the floor to get access. This had not been considered before sending the workers in to retrieve fallen materials.

Principal HSE Inspector Dave Redman said:

"Sending two workers into a partially demolished building to sort roofing material brought down by machine very nearly resulted in a fatal incident. There was a large dent and crack in Daniel's hard hat afterwards - a stark indication of how close he came to severe injury. As it is he suffered a badly broken knee and extensive bruising. His co-worker was fortunate not to have been injured by this collapse.

"Demolition is a dangerous activity that requires careful planning to assess the building structure to ensure a safe way of bringing it down. It's common practice in the industry to prevent anyone entering a building under demolition because of the potential instability and falling debris. This firm disregarded recognised procedures and exposed workers to danger."

Daniel Cope said:

"A year on and the accident still has an impact on my life. I am now concentrating my energy and efforts into my recovery."

Magistrates fined H. Cope and Sons (Demolition) Ltd £7,500 with £5,000 towards costs for a breach of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.

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. Health and safety legislation is currently under the spotlight as part of the Cabinet Office's Red Tape Challenge. To have your say on which regulations should stay and which should be scrapped, visit: http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/home/index/ and the Government will consider your views.
3. Regulation 29 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 states
   1. The demolition or dismantling of a structure, or part of a structure, shall be planned and carried out in such a manner as to prevent danger or, where it is not practicable to prevent it, to reduce danger to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.
   2. The arrangements for carrying out such demolition or dismantling shall be recorded in writing before the demolition or dismantling work begins.

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