Nigel Edwards wanted to convert outbuildings at his home in Woodhouses, Derbyshire into holiday let accommodation.
However, he failed to have a structural assessment of the buildings, resulting in an unsupported stone wall collapsing onto 40-year-old building worker Steven Tyson on 8th October 2021.
Steven Tyson was rushed to hospital, where he spent the next 18 days in “immense pain”. He had suffered a catalogue of injuries, including a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain and multiple broken bones, including 11 ribs. He has also been left blind in one eye.
He said: “The pain was made worse by the fact I was unable to see my daughters in hospital due to the Covid-19 restrictions on visitors. I am still in pain today and struggle to put weight on my right ankle. Due to the traumatic head injury, I was unable to drive for six months.”
Derby Magistrates Court heard how the building had undergone significant structural alterations. It was while Mr Tyson was clearing up outside, that the external face of the stone gable wall collapsed on top of him.
An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that Nigel Edwards had failed to have a structural assessment of the outbuildings undertaken before starting the work. As a result, no measures had been identified or implemented to stabilise the building during the alterations. Similarly, there was no plan in place for dismantling parts of the building safely, thus exposing workers and members of the public to risk of injury or death from the full or partial collapse of the structures.
Nigel Edwards of Tutholme, Woodhouses, Melbourne, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 19(1) and 20(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. He was made the subject of a 12-month community order and told to complete 80 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay costs of £4,097.94.
HSE inspector Robert Gidman said after the hearing: “It is vital that all demolition and dismantling is adequately planned and that a competent structural engineer is engaged by those in control of work where there is the risk of collapse of any structure.
“If this project had been planned effectively, engaging the right people at the right time to ensure a suitable safe system of work was implemented, the life changing injuries sustained by the injured person could have been prevented.”
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