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Personal Injury Solicitors
£26,000 penalty after collapsing wall kills worker (2 August 2017)
Date: 02/08/2017
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a northeast-based company, after the collapse of a wall caused the death of an employee.
Steven Ratcliffe, 43 – an employee at Mike Neesam & Son Limited – was working on a toilet refurbishment project on Hall Hill Farm in County Durham. As he attempted to walk out of a shallow trench, he was struck and crushed by a collapsing wall weighing approximately 2.2 tonnes and died as a result of crush injuries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the circumstances of the incident found that the company had failed to take the appropriate measures to prevent structure from collapsing – the wall was left unsupported at the time of the incident and put employees at risk of harm.
At Peterlee Magistrates’ Court, Mike Neesam & Son Limited of Coundon Industrial Estate in Bishop Auckland pleaded guilty of breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The company was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,928.28 with a victim surcharge of £120.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Andrew Woodhall said:
“The company failed to identify the risks associated with free standing walls – and as a result this ultimately cost Mr Ratcliffe his life.
“This tragic case should act as a reminder to all duty holders that appropriate safety measures need to be taken to protect employees at all times.”
Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors
Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors offer supportive legal advice to bereaved families whose loved one has lost their life as a result of negligence, and who wish to make a no win no fee claim for compensation – including claims relating to:
Fatal injury claims have to be made within three years of death or the date when negligence became evident – for example, following an inquest or criminal conviction of the perpetrator.
Duncan Lewis is a specialist claims firm able to advise on high-value personal injury claims, including claims for catastrophic or life changing injuries.
For expert legal advice on no win no fee Fatal Injury Claims, call Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 0333 772 0409.