A labourer from Moodisburn has suffered an accident at work while carrying items upstairs.
The 38-year old was working on a new build property in Ravelston Dykes, Edinburgh, carrying several doors upstairs to clear space downstairs during the construction work. While the first few doors were carried upstairs without an issue, partway through the task the man concerned stepped off the edge of a half landing, which had been put in while the house was built.
He fell almost three metres to the landing below, and a hospital trip revealed he had bruised kidneys and two fractured ribs. The injuries meant that the labourer was off work for three months and he also required physiotherapy after returning to employment. The discomfort, distress and inconvenience of his injuries could prompt him to make an accident compensation claim.
According to an investigation from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the work taking place on the property had not been properly planned and no adequate risk assessment was found to have taken place.
Alastair Brown, HSE inspector, commented: "The company knew a guardrail had been removed leaving a gap on the stairs. It was clear this wasn't safe and action should have been taken to ensure the gap was closed or protected to eliminate the risk of a fall."