FEATURE NEWS THE INCOURTS


DEMOLITION FIRM GIVEN £60K FINE AS WORKER SERIOUSLY INJURED


A Woolwich labourer is ‘lucky to be alive’ after part of a Victorian building fell on him during demolition work in Kilburn, north-west London.


MAC Demolition Ltd, the Middlesex firm contracted to carry out the works, has been fined £60,000 after Tommy Brooks was left with life changing injuries. The 57-year-old had been employed on the site as a labourer for three months before the incident.


The company had been contracted to carry out soft stripping works on the Victorian property on Willesden Lane as well as the demolition of its roof.


On the morning of 2 March 2022, Mr Brooks had been tasked with clearing bricks for reclamation. He was working at the corner of the building when a large piece of masonry fell from the unstable roof, landing on top of him.


He was left with significant long-term injuries including a broken shoulder and 12 broken ribs, as well as spinal and internal injuries.


An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found MAC Demolition had failed to adequately assess the risk of falling objects during demolition and failed to implement and enforce adequate exclusion zones.


MAC Demolition Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 20 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. They were fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £3,229 costs at a hearing at Willesden Magistrates Court on 2 November 2023.


After the hearing, HSE inspector Gordon Nixon said: “Tommy’s injuries were life changing and he is lucky to be alive.


“This serious incident and the devastation it caused could have been avoided if basic, industry standard control measures had been put in place.


https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/demolition.htm?utm_source=hse.press.gov.uk&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=prosecution-push Guidance on safe demolition is available here.


SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCE FOR BUILDER OVER GAS SAFETY FAILURES


A builder has avoided an immediate spell behind bars after being convicted of carrying out gas work at a property in Berkshire when he was not qualified to do so.


Thomas Murray, who traded as Kerbgold Design and Construction Ltd, was given an eight-month prison sentence which was suspended for 18 months.


Reading Crown Court heard how Murray had been contracted to manage a large-scale renovation and extension of a property in Maidenhead in July 2018. The project involved significant gas work, including the installation of a gas boiler, relocation of a gas meter and the installation of associated pipework for both.


However, when the householders returned to the property in January 2019, they soon reported the smell of gas. Murray carried out a test which detected no gas leak.


As their concerns persisted, the homeowners contacted a Gas Safe Registered engineer to inspect the installation. The engineer found a gas leak and other faults within the installation. In addition, Cadent Gas, the gas supplier to the property, had never been notified about the relocation of the meter and


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pipework. The pipework leading to the meter was found to have been laid to incorrect depth and fittings suitable only for water pipework had been used throughout the installation.


An investigation by the HSE found that although Murray arranged for a Gas Safe engineer to install the boiler, they had only connected the water plumbing and left the property due to concerns being raised. In a bid to allow the homeowners to access hot water and heating, Murray decided to undertake some of the gas work himself as a temporary fix.


Murray, of Heath End Road, Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(2) of the Health Safety at Work Act 1974 and was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete 250 hours unpaid work.


HSE inspector Karen Morris said: “In this case, Mr Murray was responsible for overseeing the gas work, which was not finished and had left householders and their neighbours at risk from the dangers and effects of leaking gas.


“To make matters worse, he decided to try and finish the job himself, despite not being competent to do so. His failures could have led to catastrophic and tragic consequences. We will not hesitate to prosecute builders who fail to ensure that gas work under their control is conducted safely using Gas Safe Registered engineers.”


www.tomorrowshs.com


“Companies need be aware that we will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”


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