Construction firm fined over fall
23/03/2010
A construction company has been fined £4,000 after an 17-year-old joiner fell from the first floor of a development, injuring his head and legs.
Stonehaven Sheriff Court heard that the apprentice, who was working at the firm's Kirkside construction site in Laurencekirk, slipped through an unguarded stairwell, dropping almost 9ft on to a concrete floor.
Scotia Homes, which pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches, was fined £4,000 for the incident.
Health and Safety Executive officer Alan MacKinnon said: "This incident could have been avoided. The fall protection measure in place was completely inadequate as a means of preventing anyone falling from height.
"Risks from working at height are entirely preventable. Employers working at height need to ensure that risks are fully assessed and that open edged areas of work are suitably guarded."
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