Rothesay Sheriff Court heard that Thomas Hannen was contracted by Argyll and Bute Council in January 2011 to erect scaffolding around the disused Royal Hotel on Rothesay seafront, on the Isle of Bute.
A 61-year-old woman suffered head injuries after walking into an unguarded scaffold pole in Scotland.
Rothesay Sheriff Court heard that Thomas Hannen was contracted by Argyll and Bute Council in January 2011 to erect scaffolding around the disused Royal Hotel on Rothesay seafront, on the Isle of Bute.
Hannen and two employees began erecting the scaffolding. Members of the public were not excluded or actively discouraged, from using the pavement beneath the work area.
A council surveyor visited the site and drew Hannen’s attention to an upright scaffolding pole that was obstructing the pavement.
As a result, a scaffolding pole was placed horizontally between two of the upright poles at a height of about 1.5 metres above ground level.
No padding or warning tape was wrapped around.
Later that morning, a 61-year-old local woman walking underneath the scaffolding, hit her head on the horizontal pole.
She was taken to hospital with a head injury which required stitches and fractures to her left ankle caused by her falling as a result of her impact with the pole.
An HSE investigation found that Hannen failed to:
Hannen of Rothesay was fined £1,670 after pleading guilty to safety breaches.
After sentencing, HSE Inspector Gerry Muir, said: “This was an awful accident to a member of the public that could easily have been avoided had Mr Hannen taken some simple, readily available precautions.”