Beaudecor Ltd pleaded guilty and has been fined after a worker fell from scaffolding.

On 4 October 2016, a contractor fell from the third lift of a scaffold whilst undertaking work on the front of low rise block of flats located in the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

Injuries to the contractor were so severe he was put into an induced coma for three days. The contractor suffered a broken vertebra, several broken ribs, collapsed lung and damage to his liver from the fall.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that Beaudecor Ltd had allowed its contractor to use a scaffold without effective edge protection, no mid rails on the scaffold sides, to prevent a person falling from either side of the scaffold on the first three levels of said scaffold.

At Westminster Magistrates Court Beaudecor Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and has been fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,900.

Speaking after the case, HSE Inspector Ian Shearring said: “The risk associated with working at height is well-known and Beaudecor Ltd failed in its duty to address this.

“Their failure was compounded by the fact that the required protective measures, mid rails, were in place on the very top level of the scaffold but not the others. Beaudecor Ltd has been held to account for failing to take adequate action to protect the health and safety of persons working on their site.”