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Principal contractor not competent to provide design and build service
A principal contractor has been fined after a worker suffered serious head injuries when he fell through a loading platform in September 2006.
Kevin Cleightonhills, 21, of Bembridge, Isle of Wight, was pushing a boat on to a purpose-designed loading platform, at Bembridge Marine. A panel in the floor of the platform moved creating a gap through which he fell nearly 3.5m causing severe head injuries.
HSE investigatators found that clips used to hold the floor panels in place were fewer in number than that recommended by the British Standard on walkways and stair treads and that there was no other means of preventing the panels from moving sideways.
Incompetence contributed to ’sorry series of events’
The principal contractor, Malcolm Ely, formerly from Osborne Heights, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, at Portsmouth Crown Court. He was fined £2,250 and ordered to pay costs of £1,000.
After the hearing HSE Inspector Tracey Cartwright said:
“This incident has left Mr Cleightonhills with life-changing injuries.
As the design and build contractor for this project Mr Ely should have ensured effective co-ordination and communication by all those involved in this project.
The judge was correct when he said Mr Ely was not competent to provide a design and build service to Bembridge Marine, his incompetence contributed to the sorry series of events which led to the catastrophic injures of Mr Cleightonhills.”