Lawrie (Demolition) Restricted admitted breaching protection rules when operating as fundamental contractor at the demolition of a vacant warehouse in Aberdeen.
On 25th Would possibly 2023, 42-year-old Sylwester Zdunczyk was once operating with a crew at the warehouse roof, eliminating aluminium over-sheeting. The sheets have been being carried to pre-cut holes within the roof from the place they have been dropped to the bottom flooring. Those holes have been guarded via metal crowd keep watch over obstacles secured in conjunction with plastic tie wraps – however they weren’t hooked up to the roof floor. No different fall prevention measures have been in position.
Whilst serving to to hold a sheet backwards close to one of the most holes, Mr Zdunczyk misplaced his footing. The burden of the sheet and his personal body weight brought about the unattached obstacles to shift, exposing the threshold of the hole and growing an opening. He fell roughly six metres to the concrete flooring underneath.
Mr Zdunczyk sustained a fractured pelvis and two damaged ribs. He was once not able to paintings for 6 months after being discharged from health facility and has now not totally recovered. In the past are compatible and energetic, he can now not run, cycle or play soccer and now calls for ache medicine.
An investigation via the Well being & Protection Government (HSE) discovered that Lawrie (Demolition) Restricted had failed to correctly plan, supervise, and perform the paintings at top safely. Employees have been despatched onto the roof with out enough instruction, coaching or supervision. The corporate additionally failed to position good enough fall coverage measures in position.
Operating at top stays one of the most main reasons of place of work damage and dying and HSE has detailed steerage on operating safely at top.
Lawrie (Demolition) Restricted, of Rigifa, Cove, Aberdeen, pleaded accountable to breaching Law 4 of the Paintings at Peak Laws 2005 and Phase 33(1)(c) of the Well being and Protection at Paintings and so forth Act 1974. The corporate was once fined £40,562.50 at Aberdeen Sheriff Courtroom on 12th June 2025.
HSE inspector Muhammad Umair Tanvir stated: “This incident may have been have shyed away from via merely enforcing suitable keep watch over measures and protected operating practices.
“Falls from top stay the main reason behind fatalities and severe accidents in UK places of work. In 2023/24, 50 staff died following a fall from top – the best possible reason behind place of work fatalities. This pattern has remained constant over fresh years.”
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