Joseph Tuck, 24, was working as a temporary labourer for a scaffolding company when the incident happened on a housing development in January 2024.
It was only his second week on the job.
The Health and Safety Executive said Mr Tuck stepped backwards through an opening intended for a staircase and fell one storey onto a concrete floor below.
He suffered serious spinal injuries and was unable to work for several months. HSE said he has not returned to a physical job.
The regulator found that the stairwell opening had not been securely covered and there was no edge protection in place.
HSE said loose scaffold boards had previously been placed over the opening, but they had been removed before the incident.
Hillbeck Homes (Sowerby Bridge) Ltd was prosecuted after HSE found the company had failed to properly plan and supervise the work at height and had not taken suitable measures to prevent a fall.
The company was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £9,284.05 in costs at a hearing on 16 September 2026.
The prosecution was brought against the housebuilder. HSE’s release does not allege that the scaffolding company employing Mr Tuck caused the incident or committed an offence.
The case highlights the importance of clear responsibility for fall protection across construction sites, particularly where scaffold teams and other contractors are working around openings and other work-at-height risks.
