An entertainment company has been fined £16,000 after a worker fell through the roof of a temporary stage and died.
Russell Bowry, 52, was working as a self-employed rigger for ELP Broadcast and Events Ltd’s Cardington Hangar Studios in Bedfordshire when he fell from a height in 2018.
He was part of a team that was building a temporary rehearsal stage that was to be used for a musical that was due to be performed at the studio. Mr. Bowry was working on the roof of the cube when he fell through the structure and landed 10 metres below. He died from his injuries three days later.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that ELP Broadcast & Events Ltd had failed to plan and implement a safe system of work. The company also failed to implement its own health and safety policy or ensure there was adequate supervision.
ELP Broadcast & Events Ltd, of Bedford Technology Park, Thurleigh, Bedfordshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £16,000 and ordered to pay £2,968.70 in costs at Luton Magistrates’ Court on 22 November 2023.
HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells said: “This tragic incident should not have happened. It is vital the entertainment sector has safe systems of work so when it puts on a good show, the workers behind the scenes are protected at all times.”
This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells and supported by HSE paralegal officers Kirsty Crapper and Imogen Isaac.
Employers have a liability to ensure their workers are safe under The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The regulations set out a number of rules including providing a safe working environment that is properly maintained, where operations within it are conducted safely and adequate welfare provisions for staff at work.
It is a criminal offence to fail to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act. A breach of provisions of regulations can be punishable by fine, imprisonment or both.
Further reading
Accidents at work – Oakwood Solicitors
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Alex Singleton joined Oakwood Solicitors in April 2021 as an experienced Paralegal, having worked in Personal Injury since 2018. Currently, Alex works in the Employers’ Liability and Public Liabilit…
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