Sunday 22 November 2009

Scaffold Boss Fined For Skylight Plunge

The boss of a Hemel Hempstead scaffolding firm was fined £5,000 after an employee crashed 10m through a Mothercare skylight – shattering his leg on the shop floor below.

Mark Wilson, owner of MWS Scaffolding Services, of Barberry Road, appeared at City of London Magistrates’ Court on a summons brought by the Health and Safety Executive.

Scaffolder Russell Cope was off work for three months and still suffers pain following the incident at The Mothercare World Store, Argon Road, Edmonton, on November 21, last year.

Wilson admitted failing to ensure the safety at work of all his employees during work near unprotected fragile skylights and was also ordered to pay £2,581 costs.

Mr. Dominic Elliss, representing the Executive told the court MWS Scaffolding Services was sub-contracted by a roofing firm working at the superstore.

Wilson himself was on-site with two scaffolders, one of which was Mr. Cope, who was asked to secure the final tube to an A-frame on the roof.

Wilson claims he believed Mr. Cope would perform the task from a safer inside area, but on the exposed roof he stepped onto a flimsy plastic skylight and plunged to the shop floor below.

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