Subscribe to our Construction Newsfeed
UK Construction Directory
Search our 157,533 companies....

Construction News

31/10/2013

Building Firm Fined After Worker Suffers Leg Fractures

A Leyton building firm has been fined after a labourer suffered multiple leg fractures in a fall when a newly-built first floor collapsed under the weight of concrete blocks weighing some 1.6 tonnes.The 48 year-old casual labourer fell three metres to the ground at the site in Harpers Yard, Ruskin Road, Tottenham, on 14th September 2012, with the concrete blocks falling around him.

He sustained serious breaks in the lower leg bones and needed a major operation and a skin graft. He still cannot walk properly and is unable to return to work.

A colleague at ground level narrowly escaped being hit.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which investigated the incident, found Cosmos Builders 88 Ltd had allowed the load capacity of the floor to be exceeded by seven times.
-- Advertisement --
hss



HSE prosecuted the building firm at Westminster Magistrates' Court after finding a series of flaws in the construction work and numerous risks of falling from height faced by workers at the site.

The court heard that instead of laying three courses of blocks onto joist hangers, the first floor had been loaded with two piles, each of 88 concrete blocks weighing 1.6 tonnes. The labourer was piling up the blocks on the first floor and without the vital strengthening block work, the collapse was inevitable.

Cosmos Builders was aware of the correct construction method, as eight previous houses on site had been properly completed, but had gone ahead regardless to 'keep the workers busy'.

HSE inspectors also found poor management had led to builders had been put in unnecessary danger by being told to work at height in areas where there were no safety measures in place. When questioned at the time, the company said they wanted to keep the workers busy while awaiting for scaffolders to arrive.

Cosmos Builders 88 Ltd, of Elm Park Road, Leyton, Waltham Forest, London, was fined a total of £6,000 and ordered to pay £4,000 in costs after pleading guilty to a breach of the Work at Height Regulations and a separate breach of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations.

(CD/MH)

Latest Construction News

25/07/2025
Preparatory works are underway for the construction of a new world-class higher education campus in Blackpool town centre, as part of a major investment into the area's regeneration. The Multiversity campus for Blackpool and The Fylde College will bring up to 3,000 students and staff to a purpose-b
25/07/2025
InstaVolt has signed a 40-year lease to develop a new 30-bay ultra-rapid charger superhub on the A303 in Wiltshire, complete with a large café and farm shop provided by one of the UK's leading operators. The new facility aims to serve both long-distance travellers and the local community with prem
25/07/2025
Balfour Beatty has announced the appointment of Richard Watts who will join the Group later this year, becoming Managing Director of its UK Rail business in January 2026. Richard has 20 years' experience in the rail sector, providing transformative and innovative solutions to longstanding industry
25/07/2025
Major improvement works are set to begin this summer at Longport railway station in Stoke-on-Trent, as Network Rail invests £1.4 million to upgrade the station’s footbridge and staircases. The footbridge will be closed from Monday 4 August to Friday 10 October, allowing engineers to carry out essen
25/07/2025
Galliford Try's Building North East and Yorkshire division has successfully handed over the newly built Great Park Academy, a 1,200-place secondary school in Newcastle Great Park. Delivered on behalf of the Department for Education, the state-of-the-art facility will officially open its doors in Se
25/07/2025
VolkerFitzpatrick has been named the principal contractor for Arrow Point Bolton, a landmark 327,000 sq ft speculative logistics development by Arrow Capital Partners, situated just north of Manchester. The scheme, which secured planning approval in January 2025, will feature two state-of-the-art l
25/07/2025
The construction industry is under renewed scrutiny as efforts ramp up to tackle one of its most sobering challenges: mental health and suicide prevention. A new British Standard (BS 30480), the
25/07/2025
A £6.9 million transformation of a derelict historic building into Bradford College's state-of-the-art Garden Mills facility has earned recognition across the UK property and construction sectors, with the project named a finalist in three prestigious awards. The extensive refurbishment of the five
25/07/2025
A major new housing development in Ashtead has been granted planning permission by Mole Valley District Council (MVDC). The scheme, brought forward in partnership by Wates Developments and Vistry Group, will deliver up to 270 net-zero carbon ready homes alongside extensive green space and communit
25/07/2025
Beard is reinforcing its commitment to workforce development with the launch of its business-wide expertise building initiative, Skills to Build. As building projects and procurement routes become more complex and the construction sector increasingly regulated, the expectations for project teams an
This web site uses cookies to improve your experience and by viewing our content you accept their use. Click here to remove this notice.
Lakeside HireAqua Direct LtdEfco UK LtdAqua Direct LtdNew Clad LtdASHBROOK LtdAdvantex Cleaning & RestorationGates and Fences UkChemique Adhesives & Sealants LimitedTrade Insulations