After one of its employees fell through a skylight and suffered a work accident claim, an East London building firm has been slapped with a hefty fine.
While he had been working on an extension for a first storey Mark Ammass he stepped on to some insulating board that had been covering a skylight. Mr Ammass’ injury claims occurred when the board gave way and sent him plummeting down three metres to the concrete floor below.
The incident left Mr Amass with a broken back. Normally active and fit, the forty one year old man is now left with life changing injuries that may severely inhibit his mobility and greatly reduce his quality of life.
The accident claim occurred on the watch of James Thompson, who owns Wallington-based James Thompson Carpentry and Building. Mr Thompson was slapped with a £10,000 fine after he admitted to being in breach of Health and Safety regulations. Additionally he has been ordered to be responsible for legal costs amounting to an additional £7,000.
The Health and Safety Executive investigated the incident. Their investigation concluded that if Mr Thompson had undertaken necessary measures, the accident would have been an easy one to ultimately avoid.
One HSE spokesperson commented on the accident by stating that there had been an immeasurable impact on Mr Amass’ life. The spokesperson also stated that even on the smallest of construction sites there should be no room for complacency in regards to the health and safety of workers.
It is a major safety hazard to work at height on any given building site. While Mr Amass’ plans were not shared with the media, many workers injured in similar falls will ultimately decide to file a personal injury compensation claim against their employers.