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A labourer suffered life-changing injuries after being pulled from scaffolding during an unplanned lifting operation on a London refurbishment project. Two companies have been fined a combined £800,000 for safety failings.
The incident happened on 15 April 2024 at Cathcart Hill, where Premier Property and Construction Limited was carrying out work for principal contractor Axis Europe Limited.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the load became trapped during a lifting task. When the labourer attempted to free it, the load released suddenly and dragged him over the edge of the scaffold.
HSE found that Premier Property and Construction Limited failed to plan, manage and monitor lifting operations. The company also allowed the use of unsuitable lifting equipment.
Axis Europe Limited was found to have insufficient oversight of its subcontractor’s work. Investigators said the principal contractor did not challenge missing detail on lifting procedures and failed to prevent the use of untested lifting accessories on site.
Axis Europe Limited pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £640,000, plus £4,787.59 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge, at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court.
Premier Property and Construction Limited also pleaded guilty. The firm was fined £160,000 and ordered to pay the same costs and surcharge.
HSE inspector Andrew Pipe said the incident was “wholly avoidable” and highlighted the ongoing risks linked to poorly planned lifting operations.
He added that the fines should make clear that regulators and the courts “take failures to follow the regulations extremely seriously”.
