INQUEST: FALL FROM MEWP REMAINS MYSTERY

Coroner hears how builder fell to his death on Lancs building site

It has been reported by the Lancashire Telegraph that an inquest has heard how a builder fell to his death while working on a “site which had no safety regulations in place”.

Father-of-two Ivars Bahamis suffered fatal head injuries when he fell some 10m from a platform at a former Blackburn mill. The Blackburn Coroner heard Mr Bahamis used a scissor lift when he fell from the platform and was pronounced dead at the scene. It was unclear what caused him to fall.

HSE is said to be “now set to consider the verdict when deciding whether to take any further action against the contractor Tameem Shafi”. Reading out the jury’s judgement, coroner Michael Singleton said:

“Ivars Bahamis fell from the mill roof while working onto the mill floor and to his death. He was working without any risk assessment, method statements, safety equipment or safe method of working.”

Summing up Mr Singleton said there were two possible explanations as to how My Bahamis fell. He said:

“The one thing that everybody is agreed upon is that the support legs on the scissor lift were engaged. In which case, there was no limit as to how high the platform could go and it is highly illogical that if you could take the platform higher, you would then choose to get greater elevation by standing on the rail.

That being the case, it seems to me that essentially there are only two explanations – that Mr Bahamis is stood on top of the wall and it is from that he falls or he is trying to go from the scissor lift itself onto the wall or the other way around.”

This article was posted on 5th December 2013 in ALL LATEST NEWS, INCIDENTS, MEWPS.
PP Construction Safety H&S Assistance and Consultancy service.

Construction Health & Safety News, Advice and Information from PP Construction Safety

INQUEST: FALL FROM MEWP REMAINS MYSTERY

Coroner hears how builder fell to his death on Lancs building site

Latest Construction Health and Safety News

BULK BAG COLLAPSE CAUSED BY UNSAFE STACKING

Bulk bag collapsed onto workman when struck by fork lift

INTERLOCKED GUARD NOT WORKING TO ISOLATE POWER

Two workmen seriously injured when plant started unexpectedly

STREET FURNITURE RISK TO PUBLIC FINED £1.4M

Council prosecuted following injury to child playing on hinged bollard

WORKMEN SUFFER SERIOUS BURNS FROM CABLE STRIKE

Assessment and system of work failed to appreciate electrical risk

LADDERS WERE INAPPROPRIATE FOR WORK ON ROOF

Workman paralysed after falling whilst installing roof ladder

FIRM FAILED TO MANAGE EXHAUST VENTILATION

HSE enforcement notices on wood dust and welding fume ignored

RECALCITRANT DIRECTOR BARRED FROM OFFICE

Dangerous telehandler used despite earlier fatality and enforcement

DIRECTOR HID UNSAFE WORKING PRACTICES FROM HSE

Workers exposed to sprayed paints containing asthma causing isocyantes

JAIL TERM FOR CONTRACTOR CAUSING GAS RISK

Roofer sentenced after work caused carbon monoxide release

UNSTABLE STAIRCASE COLLAPSE DURING REFURB WORK

Workman not informed of staircase hazard suffered serious injury

UNUSED SEAT BELT WAS “COMMON PRACTICE” ON SITE

Overturning dumper truck caused death of operators at spoil heap

SELECTED NEWS POSTED RECENTLY ON TWITTER

Links to other construction health and safety related news reports

HSE LOOK TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR CDM SUPPORT

Council Inspectors focus on CDM client duties – asbestos, fragility and RCS

VERBAL WARNING OF DANGER IS NO DEFENCE

Hand of female worker entangled in modified metal drilling rig

UNDERGROUND CABLE STRIKE CAUSES 50% BURNS

Workman seriously injured using hand-held breaker to excavate post holes

HSE WELDING FUME REVISED GUIDANCE PUBLISHED

New research evidence on cancer link prompts revision on welding fume

VIBRATION MANAGEMENT FAILINGS FINED £600,000

Vital health surveillance, tool replacement and management found wanting

HSE ENFORCEMENT DATABASE LATEST UPDATE

View current online register of HSE prosecutions and enforcement notices

DEVELOPER AND DIRECTOR PUT PUBLIC AT RISK

Demolition undertaken without surveys and effective safety precautions

BY-PASSING MACHINE INTERLOCK FINED £1.275 MILLION

Trapped key safety system failed to prevent access to conveyor danger

HSE LOSES PATIENCE WITH ERRANT CONTRACTOR

Roofing firm fined £30,000 over failure to manage work at height risks

TRUSS ERECTION LACKED INTERNAL FALL PROTECTION

Carpenter fell and injured whilst falling with roof truss

WORKMAN FELL HEAD FIRST THROUGH ROOFLIGHT

Fragile roof dangers not assessed and properly controlled

STRUCTURAL SAFETY BODY LATEST NEWSLETTER

CROSS publishes reports and expert comment on a range of issues

HSE RISK REDUCTION THROUGH DESIGN AWARD

Regulator seeks to promote hazard avoidance and risk minimisation

News Archives