A fine has been handed to Balfour Beatty for health and safety failings after a floor collapsed at a housing development site, injuring a worker
A worker who was injured after a floor collapsed was the victim of health and safety failings. The case was brought before Newcastle Crown Court against Balfour Beatty Regional Construction Ltd and revealed how the incident occurred.
According to the hearing, the incident happened on the first floor of a new build domestic property at a Balfour housing development in Richmond Park, Sheffield. The worker who was hurt formed part of a three-man bricklaying team working on an incomplete property.
Investigation
The investigation from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in March 2015 revealed the floor gave way and the worker slid vertically to the ground. The fall also caused some 70 building blocks to slide 2.4 metres.
As a result of this the worker sustained fractures to the bones in his foot.
Evidence collected by the HSE found the structure was unstable because the supporting joists of the first floor had not been installed correctly. There was a failure to follow the house designer’s instructions.
Balfour Beatty Regional Construction Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching CDM regulations. The firm was handed a fine of £230,000 and ordered to pay costs of £11,915.
HSE Inspector Alan Sheldon said: “It is vital that companies following design instructions and ensure that structures are stable.
“This incident could have been much more serious for a number of workers and should act as a reminder to everyone within construction that protecting workers’ health and safety is vital in such a potentially dangerous industry.”
