A Derbyshire company has been fined £6,600 for breaches of the Work at Height Regulation 2005 after a man tripped, dislodged a board covering a hole and fell 4.5m. He suffered serious injuries to his back as well as a broken foot. He was off work for 22 weeks and is now said to experience continuing pain and finds it difficult to walk or sit for long periods.

The incident happened while Bowmer & Kirkland Ltd, of High Edge Court, Church Street, Heage, Belper, Derbyshire, was working in Scotland, so the prosecution was heard by Edinburgh Sheriff's Court. The incident occured while the first floor of a new build at Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, Edinburgh, was being prepared for concrete to be poured on it.

The subsequently injured man was walking across the floor when his boot caught and he tripped. He dislodged an unsecured wooden board that had been placed over a void 2m x 1m. He fell through the hole.

An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on 16 May 2014, found the contractor had failed to take suitable and sufficient measures to protect workers because it had not ensured the wooden panels placed over the void were fixed in place.

Bowmer & Kirkland Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulation 2005 and was fined £6,600.

For further information on work at height visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/workingatheight.htm