Carl Harris, 49, is managing director of Harris Brick Safety Systems and the inventor of The Brick Bud, a patented A-Frame wall bracing system designed to stop collapses in high winds and cut site accidents.

The Middlesbrough man spent almost three decades in the trade before a wall collapse in 2018 left him with life-changing leg injuries.

Unable to work, he nearly lost his car, his home and his family – and his mental health suffered.

“I was addicted to painkillers,” he said. “I did try to go back into the bricklaying game, but I lasted about a week – I had to think about changing my career.”

He studied and secured health and safety qualifications but struggled to find work. After completing his site management safety training scheme, he became a senior site manager with major house builders.

But when the pandemic struck he was once again struggling to pay the bills.

“I’d always had my idea of a Brick Bud but I’d put it on the backburner because I was very busy. Covid hit and I had a lot of time on my hands,” said Harris.

His lightweight frame braces walls against winds of up to 73mph and can be installed in 90 seconds. He said it reduces accidents, carbon and programme delays while keeping sites compliant.

Backed by Innovate UK’s Innovation Net Zero scheme, Harris quit his job to go full-time on the invention. With prototypes built, he started showing house builders and training students at FE colleges.

Award nominations and prizes have come for Carl Harris and the Brick Bud

A real breakthrough came through Tees Valley Labs – a Combined Authority-funded accelerator delivered by Middlesbrough consultancy Alt Labs.

Harris said: “We were already talking to a contact in Australia and had contracts going back and forth. The programme helped us look at those contracts and spotted some things that needed sorting. Without them, there may well not be a Harris Brick Safety Systems today.”

He added that mentorship and funding support for patent costs, stock and legal bills proved a “turning point”. He’s now finalising international deals and planning to hand the business down to his son.