Company fined after bricklayer's 2.6m fall
HSEA construction firm has been fined £16,000 after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) say a bricklayer fell more than two metres through a gap in a balustrade.
Nicholas Crow, 65, suffered head trauma and a stroke after the 2.6m (9ft) fall into a basement lightwell at a house on Binswood Street, in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, in July 2024.
He now experiences difficulty writing and holding objects, has mobility issues and speech and memory impairments, the HSE said, and his wife added: "His best years have been taken away".
An investigation by HSE found his employer, Sibbasbridge Limited, failed to put in place suitable and sufficient measures to prevent a fall from height.
His wife, Sarah, said the affect on them both was "deeply painful".
"Nick was quiet, reliable, and the heart of our very close, extended family," she said. "The loss of his steadfast, constant love and support for all of us just cannot be measured.
"I experience living grief for the loss of my Nick every single day and I always will. I know Nick is grieving too - he suffers the same desolation and despair that engulf and overwhelm me on bad days."
HSEThe gap in the balustrade was created the previous day, when railings were removed to allow old steps to be taken out, a spokesperson for the HSE said.
No scaffolding or other protective measures were put in place before employees began work.
HSE inspector Zach Morris said the fall was "entirely preventable", and no specific risk assessments were carried out.
The firm, of Evesham Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, pleaded guilty to breaching regulations. In addition to the fine, they were ordered to pay £7,638 in costs at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 29 June.
"My thoughts remain with Mr Crow and his family, as he continues to live with the lasting effects of the serious injuries he sustained that day," Morris added.
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