A Tyneside construction company has been fined after a worker suffered serious injuries following a fall from unsafe scaffolding.

The company, Ian Allan Building Contractors Ltd, was prosecuted successfully by the Health and Safety Executive following the incident on 1 May 2009.

The employee had been working on the windows of a new building when the scaffolding platform he was standing on became dislodged, causing him to fall to the ground.  He suffered several crushed vertebrae and a fractured left foot.

The Health and Safety Executive investigation found that the company had failed to control alterations to the scaffolding, failed to conduct inspections of the scaffolding, failed to identify and correct unsafe alterations and allowed workers to use unsafe scaffolding.

The company pled guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined on 28 February 2011.Working at height is a dangerous job and it is so important that employers do everything they can to keep their employees safe. If you have been injured while working at height then contact my friends at Thompsons who will take the first steps to enable you to obtain the compensation you deserve.