Two companies operating in Bristol have been fined a collective total of £110,000 after an employee suffered brain damage following a workplace accident.
The worker, Richard Chodkiewicz, was working for Hoistway Ltd at a site in Bristol when the incident occurred. He was working along with a colleague at the bottom of a lift shaft, installing a lift for a new hotel being built on the site, when a scaffolding tube fell on him from around fifteen stories up. The wire used to secure it as it was being lifted to a worker on the 18th floor came untied, causing the pipe to fall and hit Mr Chodkiewicz.
Mr Chodkiewicz suffered brain damage as a result of the accident, and now requires round-the-clock care. Bristol Crown Court has recently found two companies – Hoistway Ltd and main contractor Miller Construction Ltd – liable for his injuries. Hoistway Ltd has been fined £70,000 over the incident, whilst Miller Construction Ltd will pay a fine of £40,000.
Both companies will need to rely on their employers’ liability insurance to cover the fines, as well as any associated legal costs.