Property Company Fined for Dangerous Procedures At Heights

A property company based in Lancashire has been found guilty of exposing workers to dangerous conditions when working at heights.

Responding to complaints about the working conditions and the safety conditions for workers, the Health and Safety Executive sent officials to investigate the claims. The inspectors found workers stripping slates from a fragile roof without any measures in place to prevent a fall through it. The report from officials stated that the worker was in a life-threatening position and could have easily perished as a result of the lack of health and safety procedures.

As a result of the report and findings of inspectors KML (Properties) Ltd pleaded guilty to a breach of Work at Height Regulations and was fined £10,400 as well as pleading guilty to other breaches of employment law.

Falls From Height

Falls from height are one of the most common injuries to occur on construction sites with 45% of all deaths in the construction industry occurring as a result from falls from height. Due to the severe nature and force of a fall many falls from height are either fatal or life changing with the vast majority of those that survive requiring surgery or being unable to work for a considerable amount of time. Last year 19 of the 42 injuries on construction sites were a result of falling from heights, with 581 people seriously injured as a result of an extreme fall without safety equipment.

One of the largest concerns for many workers in construction sites is a lack of safety equipment with many construction sites last year getting closed down as a result of poor health and safety records. Last week another firm was fined following workers falling from scaffolding without having proper safety procedures. Not only did the workers not have enough safety precautions but the scaffold they were using was not up to health and safety regulations.

HSE inspector Jacqueline Western, who investigated the case, said: “These breaches of health and safety legislation were entirely preventable.

“Falls through fragile roofs are a common cause of work-related death or personal injury. Poor welfare facilities can cause significant health issues for workers – in this case the concern for operatives on site was exposure to biological hazard from bird droppings, rat infestation and contamination of the site.

“Comprehensive guidance and information is available to download free of charge from HSE’s website and it is not unreasonable to expect a company in the business of construction and demolition to be aware of what the law requires.”

Dangers at Construction Sites

Construction sites are still considered to be one of the most dangerous employment sectors to work in with more than 42 deaths and 76,000 cases of work-related illness in construction. In a poll with the trade union, UCATT found that 37% of workers stated that either they or a co-worker had been injured in the construction industry in the last year. Perhaps most worryingly out of those polled over 20% believed that their employer did not take health and safety seriously. 11% of workers believed that their work had become more dangerous in the last year with 55% noting no improvements. According to figures working in construction is one of the most dangerous jobs in the UK.

If you are worried about the health and safety conditions in your workplace, you should either contact officials, trade union delegate or a team of solicitors. While you may not wish to say anything or speak out about the dangers if it saves someone experiencing a horrific accident or losing their life it is worth doing.

Injuries in the Workplace

Sadly, accidents in the workplace are one of the most common ways that people get injured in the UK. Construction workers are often severely injured due to the nature of their work. Use of heavy equipment, poor weather conditions, working at heights and poor health and safety standards make construction sites one of the most common places for injuries. While we deal with all types of injuries, the most common in construction sites are:

• Broken bones
• Severe head injuries
• Fractures
• Loss of limbs
• Severe Lacerations
• Muscle and repetitive injuries

The list above are the most common types of injury, however, the best way to find out if you can make a personal injury claim is by calling our customer service team.

No Win, No Fee Solicitors

Many people are put off taking legal action as a result of the potentially costly legal fees or the idea of taking action against your employer. However, it is your right to pursue justice and get the closure and compensation you deserve. If you have been injured we believe that you have the right to claim compensation, therefore our team of skilled personal injury lawyers work on a no win, no fee basis. This effectively means that if you are injured in an accident you will not have any unexpected bills if you are not successful in obtaining compensation. This ensures that you can take legal action if you are hurt and not risk losing significant amounts of money.

How Much Could My Claim Be Worth?

At Lawford Kidd, we are experts when it comes to making personal injury claims, and we know better than anyone that no case is the same. In order to make a claim, our team will need as much evidence as possible to show that your injuries were a result of negligence or recklessness. Due to the nature of numerous construction accidents it is likely that your claim could be worth a significant amount in terms of damages. It is worth noting that when making a claim you can not only claim for the injuries sustained but also the recuperation or recovery time in which you could not live your life normally. If your injuries were so severe that you were unable to work, you would also be able to make a claim for loss of earnings. To do this however you will need to provide bank statements or proof that you have been unable to work. Our customer service team and personal injury solicitors will inform you of everything needed to make a no win, no fee claim.

Contact Us

To find out more about taking legal action following an accident in the workplace or if you wish to take legal action following a construction accident or slip, trip or fall, contact us today using our online contact form.