Mansion floor collapse injures three builders

Grant Prior 10 years ago
Share

Two firms have been ordered to pay £72,000 in fines and costs after a floor collapsed injuring three workers during the construction of a £2m mansion in Trafford.

One of the men sustained major injuries when he was struck by a falling concrete beam.

He spent five weeks in hospital and has been unable to return to work following the incident on 11 November 2011.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that property-developer Belmont Homes (Cheshire) Ltd had brought in several contractors, including bricklaying firm Waymac, to help with the construction of the four-storey property on South Downs Road in Bowdon.

During the project, the firms discovered that the frame for the first floor was too high and needed to be lowered.

This meant reducing the height of some of the concrete padstones that the frame rested on by lifting the frame and then lowering it back down.

As the concrete beams for the floor were put in place following this work, the floor collapsed.

Three of the men fell with it, with the beams falling on top of them.

Two workers escaped with minor injuries but one suffered severe injuries when he put up his left arm to protect his head from a falling concrete beam, weighing around half a tonne.

The 47-year-old from Wythenshawe sustained a crushed arm, fractured ribs, punctured lung, broken collar bone and damage to his back.

He has lost the use of his left hand and only has very limited use of his left arm.

The HSE investigation found the work to lower the steel frame had been badly planned, and neither company had considered the potential risk of collapse while the structure was in a temporarily weakened state.

Belmont Homes (Cheshire) Ltd, of Budworth Heath was fined £33,000 and ordered to pay costs of £15,000 after pleading guilty to a safety breach.

Waymac Ltd, of Eastway in Sale, was fined £9,000 and ordered to pay £15,000 in costs after pleading guilty to a breach of the CDM regulations.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Principal Inspector Neil Jamieson said: “One of the workers has suffered devastating injuries as a result of the collapse, and the other two were lucky not to have been more seriously injured or even killed.

“Belmont was responsible for the overall management of the work and the company failed to get a grip of the project.

“Waymac is also an experienced bricklaying firm and it should have been obvious to both companies that lifting and lowering the floor could be dangerous.

“They should have sought the advice of a structural engineer before allowing the work to go ahead. If they had then the injuries the workers suffered could have been avoided.”

Collapsed-floor-photo

Latest news

Carpenter killed by falling timber frame panels

Court fines specialist contractor £8,000 after site tragedy
3 days ago

Road sweeper specialist files administration notice

Go Plant lodges court notice
3 days ago

Anglian Homes rides in to finish crashed Everest contracts

Rival doubled glazed window specialist commits to complete orders
3 days ago

Final work starts to connect super sewer to London system

End in sight with 1.5m thick concrete wall to be demolished to link-up to Lee Tunnel sewer system
3 days ago

Legal challenge launched against £1.5bn A66 dualling

Balfour Beatty, Kier and Keltbray must now await outcome of court challenge
3 days ago

John F Hunt wins 24-storey Battersea tower

Specialist to carry-out demolition, enabling works and RC frame construction
4 days ago

William Hare wins steelwork on £500m Broadgate towers

Specialist to work on 2 Finsbury Avenue with McAlpine
4 days ago

McAlpine appoints MD to grow ventures business

Owain Thomas will build on private rental and healthcare development successes
4 days ago

BAM Co-op Live Arena opening delayed yet again

Another gig cancelled last night amid last minute safety concerns
4 days ago

National Grid unveils winners for £9bn network upgrade

New 'enterprise model' to deliver infrastructure schemes quicker and cheaper
5 days ago

Turkish insulation panel maker to build £45m UK factory

Assan Panel to open first UK plant at Freeport East
4 days ago

Expanding consultant Stantec swoops for Hydrock

Stantec UK business expands by a third as 950 staff join from Bristol-based engineer
5 days ago

Contractors wanted for £800m highways deal

Bids invited for Eastern Highways Alliance Framework 4
4 days ago

Galliford Try names group head of infrastructure

David Lowery promoted to Divisional Managing Director – Infrastructure.
4 days ago

Chigwell Group looks at stock market listing

Essex contractor registers as Public Limited Company
5 days ago

A57 Mottram Bypass clears final legal challenge

Balfour Beatty to get go-ahead to start shortly
5 days ago

100 jobs axed as Geoffrey Osborne confirms administration

Chairman Andrew Osborne calls it a 'sad day' as board loses fight for survival
6 days ago

Midgard set for Notting Hill office tower overhaul

Landmark project edges towards final approval after 10-year planning saga
5 days ago

Cumbrian civils firm clinches £40m Sellafield contract

Civils specialist Stobbarts will support McAlpine on groundworks and concrete
5 days ago

Designers named for London 2000-bed student rooms job

Bouygues will build £400m London School of Economics student scheme next to Tate Modern
5 days ago

£117m-turnover contractor files administration notice

ARJ Construction lodges court notice
6 days ago

£1bn London Blackfriars tower blocks approved

Trio of buildings rising to 45, 40 and 22 storeys approved by Southwark Council
6 days ago

Council decides to end Balfour deal after 13 years

Contractor has been maintaining roads across Herefordshire since 2013
6 days ago

Six civils clients to switch to low carbon concrete and steel

National Highways, Northumbrian Water and Sellafield sign fresh decarbonising pledge
7 days ago

Fortem extends homes repair deal across Birmingham

Willmott Dixon owned firm adds another two years to deal worth £170m
6 days ago

Kier wins £118m civil service Darlington hub

Work is expected to start towards the end of this year
1 week ago

Green light for 34-storey Digbeth apartments tower

480 flats will be delivered for Clarion housing association
6 days ago

LHC starts race for major retrofit and decarb framework

Hunt starts for firms to help with 6.1m social homes upgrade target
1 week ago

Windows giant Everest crashes into administration

Around 350 jobs at risk while hunt starts for a buyer to salvage business
1 week ago

Green light for £500m Newcastle health complex

Mixed use scheme will promote healthy living across all stages of life
1 week ago

Contractor services