Horrific workplace accident leaves man with half a head

16:36:00 Tuesday 3rd August 2010

A man who suffered permanent disability following a workplace accident at a Carlisle building site has seen his employers receive hefty fines.

The 28-year old worker was employed by Murray Structures Ltd when the accident happened in 2008. He was sent to work on the roof of a building with no safety equipment or training and fell through the roof, suffering skull fractures and a shattered jaw. He was left with permanent disabilities, including blindness in one eye and partial deafness. His injuries were so serious doctors feared he would not survive.

A judge at Carlisle Crown Court heard this week how the 'cavalier' attitude to safety at the site led to the accident. The owners of the business - two brothers in their sixties – were found to have no concern for the safety of the workers.

Judge Barbara Forrester imposed fines and legal costs of £25,000, convicting the brothers of health and safety breaches. The Judge said that the fines imposed did not reflect the price paid by the workman, who told the court how the accident had changed his life forever, preventing him from working and shattering his confidence.

After the case, Carlisle based Health & Safety Executive official Dave Charnock said, “Unfortunately, circumstances like this are all too common in the construction and agricultural industries where untrained workers can be at a high risk because they work without proper training or equipment.

“But that approach can destroy lives. Hopefully, this sentence sends out the message that this is not acceptable,” he added.

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