Product category:
Industrialsafetytalk: Health and Safety Legislation
News Release from: HSE Health and Safety Executive
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 15 March 2006
HSE prosecutes following fall from
height fatality
HSE PROSECUTES FOLLOWING FALL FROM HEIGHT FATALITY.
Henderson General Services, a construction company based in Putney, London, was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,296, at the Old Bailey on Monday 13 March 2006 The prosecution, brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), followed its investigation into the death of Mr James Grimes who died when he fell from a ladder while he attempted to access a scaffold
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 1 Jul 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
SMEs need better occupational health support
The work of occupational health physicians is highly rated by organisations, but small and medium-sized businesses have little or no access to their support, according to a new HSE report.
Speaking after the case, HSE investigating inspector Simon Hester, said: "This death could easily have been avoided if the company had ensured safe ladder access to the scaffold".
"A simple and cheap action, such as installing a gantry for example, would have prevented the death of Mr Grimes and the grief suffered by his family and friends".
"Any contractor or site foreman reading about this case should be sure to check that proper ladder access is in place for the scaffold on their site".
Mr Grimes, a 63 year old from Southfields near Wimbledon, was employed to paint the exterior of a building in Queens Gate Terrace, London, SW15, when he fell 4.25 meters.
He had been attempting to climb over a balcony railing from his ladder on the construction site in Queens Gate Terrace, London, SW15.
Henderson General Services pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
• HSE Health and Safety Executive: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
