Builders fined over hangar death
14/04/2010
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector has criticised a building firm for "failing in its duty" to protect a worker who fell to his death from an aircraft hangar.
Rubb Buildings was fined £100,000 by Bristol Crown Court for breaking health and safety laws which led to the death of Steven Watson, 30.
Mr Watson was helping to dismantle a hangar at Bristol International Airport when he fell 30ft from its roof.
An inquest had earlier heard he had alcohol in his system and was not wearing a safety harness when the accident happened in December 2006.
He died from multiple injuries after falling to a concrete floor through a gap he had cut previously.
The company was ordered to pay the fine and costs of £48,795.36, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said.
It admitted one breach under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in relation to the incident.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Steve Frain said: "Steven Watson should have been properly protected by Rubb Buildings Ltd; instead, he lost his life.
"The company failed in its duty to ensure there was a properly planned and supervised means of working - there should have been no need to work directly on the roof.
"Falls from height can be extremely serious risks and adequate safety measures must be in place to protect all workers in order to prevent tragic incidents such as this."
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