BHG (Stone) Limited and its director Alistair Howells both pleaded guilty to breaching safety regulations regarding the December 2023 incident.

The worker, then aged 26, had placed a ladder over a stairwell opening but fell from this and suffered fractures to his skull and back.

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that the firm had failed to properly plan the work and did not put in place suitable measures to prevent or protect against a fall from height.

It was also found that Howells had been working closely with the injured worker and had allowed them to carry out tasks in an unsafe manner.

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Both the firm and Howells pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at a 1st April hearing at Telford Magistrates.

BHG (Stone) Limited was fined £16,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,000.

Meanwhile, Howells was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,386.

“This incident highlights the importance of undertaking a thorough assessment of the risks associated with all work at height activities and ensuring suitable control measures are in place,” said HSE inspector Sara Andrews.

“Had the work been properly planned and sequenced, and suitable work equipment provided, this incident would not have happened.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Rebecca Withell.