After suffering serious injuries after falling from a roof six storeys up, one labourer has considered filing a work accident claim for compensation.
According to accident claim specialists, James Richards had been working as a self-employed labourer at the time of the accident in December of 2008. He had been working on a building located in London’s Kensington district that needed its external cast iron fire escape repaired and repainted.
Triton Building Restoration Ltd, the main contractor for the building, had hired specialist firm Fire Escape Ltd as a subcontractor for the work. In order to allow in some natural light, the building had a light well in its centre.
Mr Richards fell down the light well while labouring on the building’s roof. After falling down six storeys, he landed 18 metres below on the floor, suffering serious personal injuries, according to personal injury compensation experts. Mr Richards broke his pelvis, arm, and back in the fall in addition to suffering a damaged spleen and a punctured lung, among other internal injuries. Since he suffered these devastating injuries Mr Richards has been unable to work.
Both Fire Escape Ltd and Triton Building Restoration Ltd were investigated by the Health and Safety Executive for their role in Mr Richards’ injuries. Following a successful prosecution by the HSE, both firms were determined to be in breach of health and safety regulations, leading to a £3,500 fine for Fire Escape Ltd and a £5,000 fine for Triton Building Restoration Ltd.
After the conclusion of the hearing investigators for the HSE declared that the accident could have been prevented from taking place if the edge of the light well had been properly guarded.