Plasterer breaks back in fall

This post has already been read 2247 times!

A  contractor from Cheshire has been fined after a plasterer fell and broke his back while fitting plasterboard in a six bedroomd house.

The main contractor CB Homes Ltd was prosecuted by the HSE after an investigation found the company had failed to make sure adequate guard rails were in place on the first floor landing to prevent falls while workers were working on the site.

The Court at Trafford Magistrates heard that the 58 year old who was injuered was form Wrexham, had been fitting plasterboard when he fell from the landing on 22 May 2013 in the fall he suffered two cracked vertebrae along with damage to his spine,  legs and hips .

The court was told CB Homes had been managing a project to build seven new homes at Mondrem Green on Chester Road.

The company had hired a plastering firm to plaster the inside of the houses but failed to make sure this work could be carried out safely and were not aware of the significant risk posed by not having sufficent gaurd rails.

He was carrying a piece of plasterboard when he lost his footing and fell to the ground floor below through the gap

CB Homes Ltd, were fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £1,376 in prosecution costs after pleading guilty to two safety breaches.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Laura Moran commented: “A plasterer suffered serious injuries in the fall which could, and should, have been prevented.

“As the principal contractor on the site, CB Homes was responsible for making sure work at height could be carried out safely.

“If the company had planned and supervised the work properly then it could have made sure guard rails were in place.

“Companies who take on big construction projects have a legal duty to make sure the tradesmen they bring onto the site can do their job safely. CB Homes fell well below that legal requirement on this occasion.”