Date of article: 28/05/2007
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HSE advises good communication between firms after serious injury at Cambridge construction site.
The Health and Safety Executive is warning homebuilders in the East of England to make sure they communicate effectively with each other and that the correct precautions are in place before working at height. This warning follows the prosecution of three construction companies after an employee was very seriously injured.
Three contractors involved in the construction of timber-framed dwellings in Cambridge were prosecuted today at Cambridge Magistrates Court for breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. C.J Murfitt Ltd were fined £14,000, Potton Ltd £7,000 and Shenley Carpentry Contractors Ltd £4,000. They were also ordered to pay a total of £8588 in costs between them.
The prosecutions arose following an incident on 12th January 2006 at Barnwell Road Cambridge when workman Darius Griskevicius suffered seriouis injury after falling five metres into an unguarded stairwell in the block of flats under construction. The risk presented by the work had been identified but the three companies failed to communicate and coordinate their activities effectively so as to ensure that the simple precautions needed were in place at all times.
Investigating HSE Inspector Sheena MacKinnon said:
"Falling from height is a significant cause of death and serious injury on cobnstruction sites. The precautions required are not difficult or costly. A great number of the incidents investigated by HSE show that where multiple contractors are involved it is failure to properly manage and coordinate their actions, which underpin them. Good communications between the Principal Contractor and Specialists contractors is the key to success."
HSE issuews a free Homebuilder Infonet every three months, which provides short, straightforward infromation by email to help homebuilders understand the dangers and precautions required on their projects. Sheena Mackinnon addes:
"The response from those receiving this information has been very positive and I would encourage all homebuilders and developers to take the information. HSE wants to help homebuilders get it right first time and thereby avoid pain and suffering caused by workplace injuries and the financial loss and delay arising from not taking the right precautions."
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