Construction company fined after worker crushed by wall

A large wood manufacturer has been fined £100,000 after a worker was seriously injured when a block wall fell on top of them. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 13(1) and 19(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.

The block wall fell as it had been back-filled too soon and crushed the worker against the concrete floor whilst he was working at the lower-level of the excavation causing him to suffer life-changing injuries. The use of an unstable ladder to access the excavation delayed rescue attempts.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had failed to adequately assess the risks involved with the temporary works on the site and that there was no temporary work design for the block wall or any other temporary structures on the site. They had further failed to appoint either a temporary works coordinator or a temporary works supervisor, despite this being highlighted as a serious concern in a safety report constructed eight days before the incident.