The man was working for Premier Property and Construction Limited, on a project managed by Axis Europe Limited, in London on 15 April 2024.

During an unplanned lifting operation, the load became trapped. When the worker attempted to free it, the released load caused him to be pulled over the edge of the scaffold.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Premier Property and Construction failed to adequately plan, manage and monitor the work, particularly regarding routine lifting operations and the use of appropriate lifting equipment and accessories.

HSE also found that Axis Europe failed to properly manage and monitor the works being carried out by Premier Property and Construction on its site. The principal contractor did not recognise insufficient detail on lifting operations and did not adequately challenge or prevent the use of untested lifting accessories on site.

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Axis Europe pleaded guilty to breaching the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £640,000 and ordered to pay £4,787.59 in costs as well as a £2,000 victim surcharge.

Premier Property and Construction also pleaded guilty to breaching the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 — albeit for different subclauses.

The company was fined £160,000 and also ordered to pay £4,787.59 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

“Every year, a significant proportion of construction-related accidents, many of them serious and sometimes fatal, occur as a result of inadequately planned, managed or monitored work,” said Andrew Pipe, HSE inspector.

“This was a wholly avoidable incident.

“Had both companies taken appropriate measures to ensure workers’ health and safety, the life-changing injuries would not have occurred.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Arfaq Nabi and paralegal officer Mellisa Wardle.

Development Finance Today has approached both Premier Property and Construction and Axis Europe for comment.