Building contractor in court after worker killed by falling load

A building contractor has been fined after a worker was killed when a load fell from a tower crane during a lifting operation in Colchester.

Urban Summit Construction Ltd was the Principal Contractor on a construction site at King Edward Quay, Haven Road, Colchester, where 780 student accommodation apartments were being built.

On 8 January 2014, during a lifting operation using the site’s tower crane, a load become detached from the chains and landed on the Banksman who was in charge of the operation. David Holloway, 35, sustained extensive injuries and died on site.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Urban Summit Construction Ltd at Colchester Magistrates Court after an investigation found the company failed to ensure that lifting operation was carried out in a safe manner.

Urban Summit Construction Ltd of 15 California, Little Downham, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 2UF, were fined ￡15,000 and ordered to pay ￡29,127 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 8 (1)(c) of The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector David King said: “It is essential that lifting operations are carried out in a safe manner, to help ensure the lift is carried out without risk to those in the area. Lifting operations must be properly planed by a competent person, carried out by adequately trained persons, and with appropriate supervision.”

“Guidance on carrying out lifting operations safely is freely available on HSE’s website, if this company had properly planned and supervised this work, this tragic incident could have been avoided”

Further information on how to reduce the risks involved in lifting operations can be found here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/liftindx.htm

Contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence