Ad
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
14.1 C
London

U.K. Edition

Scaffolding firm admits responsibility for death of dad

- Advertisement -

A Merseyside scaffolding firm has admitted responsibility for the death of a Liverpool dad who fell while working on the roof of the companies yard.

Kings Scaffolding of Netherley, Liverpool pleaded guilty to the corporate manslaughter of Adrian Smith on September 13, 2012.

The 43-year-old died after an incident at the firm’s headquarters at Wheathill Industrial Estate in Holt Lane.

Police said he was found lying on the ground with serious head, neck and upper body injuries at around 9.45am.

The dad-of-three was taken to Whiston hospital in a critical condition but died overnight.

A director from J&P Scaffolding, trading as Kings Scaffolding, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday 28th April 2015.

The business admitted unlawfully killing Mr Smith “in gross breach of its duty to take reasonable care for his safety at work”.

The charge said that Kings “exposed Mr Smith to a risk of death from carrying out repairs to the roof of the company premises and thereby caused his death”.

It said the way the company was managed and organised led to Mr Smith’s death, in that it:

– Instructed or permitted employees to work at height on an unsafe roof without proper safety measures being in place

– Failed to put in place appropriate safety measures for working at height

– Failed to perform a risk assessment for the carrying out of the repairs

– Failed to instruct specialist contractors to carry out the repairs to the roof

Judge Clement Goldstone, QC, said Kings would be sentenced by Mr Justice Turner on June 18 2015.

David King, a manager at the firm, told local media everyone at the company was “devastated” by Mr Smith’s death.

He said: “We accept this occurred and we wanted to do what was right and plead guilty to it. We didn’t want his family having to go through a trial.

“This is a sad set of circumstances and we are all devastated that it happened as a family. Adrian was a good friend of ours.

“We work with blue chip companies up and down the country. We are number one approved by Liverpool City Council.

“Our safety record is excellent but something has occurred on our premises when he has gone to look at a skylight and fell through it. It is tragic.”

The firm was previously fined £75,000 and told to pay £58,920 in costs over an accident in 2002, when three labourers were seriously injured when its scaffolding collapsed.

Kings admitted health and safety breaches in 2005 relating to the 2002 incident, which involved work at a shop in Lower House Lane, West Derby.

Mr King said the business was operating under different management at that time.

Scaffolding was secured to brickwork on the building that was to be removed, and only four ties, rather than the recommended seven, were used.

John Ollerhead, Leonard Davies and John McCabe, who were not Kings employees, were using the scaffold to repair the gable wall of the shop when it collapsed on October 26, 2002.

Mr Ollerhead suffered permanent brain damage, Mr Davies was left unable to walk without assistance and Mr McCabe suffered hand injuries and a broken cheek bone.

- Advertisement -

Popular this week >

NASC and SAA Unite to Boost Global Scaffolding Standards

In a landmark move for the global scaffolding industry,...

TRAD UK Hits £30,000 in Annual Fundraising Challenge

The company raised target three times as employees and...

Doka Unveils Cutting-Edge Innovations Ahead of Bauma 2025

Austrian formwork and scaffolding giant Doka is preparing to...

Service and Support: The Values Driving Commercial Success for Layher Customers

Businesses overlook good customer relationships at their peril. It...

Layher Set to Showcase New Era of Scaffolding at Bauma 2025

Layher, the global scaffolding innovator, is preparing to make...
- Advertisements -

Related Articles >

Scaffolding Worker Falls to Death at Hong Kong Factory Building

In a tragic incident in Hong Kong, a scaffolding worker fell to his death earlier today while dismantling bamboo scaffolding on an industrial building in To Kwa Wan. The 44-year-old man was found...

Latest Topics

Avontus Employee to Run London Half Marathon in Honour of Loved Ones

An employee at scaffolding software company Avontus is preparing...

Pilosio to Unveil Pioneering Scaffolding and Formwork Solutions at Bauma 2025

Italian construction solutions specialist Pilosio will unveil an extensive...

New Scheme Aims to Transform Apprenticeship Experience in Construction

A new initiative designed to reward and support apprentices...

Mark Parkin Joins Scaffolding Association as Strategic Director

The Scaffolding Association has appointed seasoned industry leader Mark...
- Advertisement -

Popular Categories