Ulster Firm fined After Man Died In Collapse Of Scaffolding (1 Viewer)

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Two firms - including one from Co Tyrone - have been fined a total of £126,000 after a workman died when scaffolding collapsed during construction of an 11-storey hotel.

Judge Nicholas Coleman said there had been previous concerns about the standard of scaffolding at Cookstown company McAleer & Rushe's sites and said the accident was a “disaster waiting to happen”.

John Robinson (49) from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, died after falling around 100 feet when the scaffolding collapsed at the Jurys Inn Hotel in Milton Keynes in April 2006.

McAleer & Rushe, which was the principal contractor on the site, and Lee Smith Carpentry, of Romsey, Hampshire, both admitted breaches of health and safety legislation. Judge Coleman fined McAleer & Rushe £90,000 plus £42,000 costs, and fined Lee Smith Carpentry £36,000 plus £28,000 costs.

The court was told that the firm that erected the scaffolding — NNM Scaffolding of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire — has also been accused of breaching health and safety law.

But the judge was told that the firm has gone into liquidation and its managing director John King is “hiding in Spain”.

The Health and Safety Executive, which prosecuted all three firms, said a warrant has been issued for Mr King's arrest.

Judge Coleman said: “Because of the inadequate scaffolding in place on the site, excessive weight of material combined with an insufficient system of scaffolding caused a collapse of the scaffolding with consequential injuries and death.

“It was, in my judgment, on the facts I have heard, a disaster waiting to happen.

“There had been previous concerns about (McAleer & Rushe's) management of scaffolding issues.

“It may be commercial considerations cut across proper safety arrangements. There must be a lurking doubt.”

Both companies apologised for the accident.

The court heard that Mr Robinson was fitting tiles to the side of the building when the scaffolding collapsed. The HSE said he had been working with his son Mark on the 15th level of 19 levels of scaffolding.

Mark Robinson and electrician's mate Ivan Penkov both suffered serious injuries.

Source: Belfast Telegraph
 
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