Firm fined £16,000 over worker's death (From Blackpool Citizen)

Firm fined £16,000 over worker's death

4:39pm Wednesday 14th March 2007

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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned construction companies to ensure a proper risk assessment is carried out, updated and maintained, during building work.

It comes after Blackpool firm R P Tyson Construction Ltd was fined £16,000 over a fatal works incident during building work at a school.

Bricklayer Anthony Isherwood, 61, died after being struck by falling steel decking while the gym was being converted into classrooms at Hutton Grammar School, Preston.

The main contractors, Tyson Construction Ltd, of Mitcham Road, Blackpool, admitted a breach of health and safety regulations, and were also ordered to pay nearly £6,500 costs.

HSE Inspector Roger Jamson said: "In common with many accidents the death of Mr Isherwood had a number of underlying causes, the identification of any one of these factors would have prevented this tragic incident.

"It is important that anyone in control of a construction site assesses the particular risks involved at their specific site of work and that this is kept up to date as circumstances change."

The death happened in November 2004. Mr Isherwood, from Blackpool, was stood nearby when a steel beam was hit by the mast of a fork lift truck, and the steel decking was dislodged.

According to the Health and Safety Inspectorate, the use of a fork lift truck was inappropriate in such a confined area.

Also, the company should have created a safety exclusion zone, until all building works on the beams had been completed.

Counsel for the company, which has 140 employees, said a risk assessment had been done less than a month before.

The margin for error had been minute, the company had an excellent health and safety record and what happened had been a one off incident.

At Preston Crown Court on March 13, Judge Robert Brown said it had been an isolated incident.

He was satisfied it was not the consequence of health and safety issues being sacrificed by the company for the sake of profit.

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