9 July 2009 - Construction company fined £150,000 after worker dies and another is seriously injured at Wembley stadium

HSE warns employers to ensure proper procedures are in place to keep staff safe when working on construction sites.

The warning follows the prosecution of PC Harrington Contractors Ltd after an employee died and another was seriously injured during construction works carried out at Wembley Stadium. PC Harrington Contractors Ltd, based in Grays Inn Road, London, pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The court fined the company £150,000 and ordered them to pay full costs of £25,203.

The investigation followed an incident on 15 January 2004, when a platform became dislodged during a lifting operation, causing it to fall and hit two workers. This resulted in the death of one worker, Patrick O' Sullivan and seriously injured another. Both men were working on the building of the concrete superstructure of the stadium at the time.

14 July 2009 - 15-year-old labourer crushed to death by wall collapse Builder Colin Holtom and contractor Darren Fowler were convicted at the Old Bailey of offences following the death of Adam Gosling aged 15 years.

The court heard that Adam had been doing some casual work for Colin Holtom, who traded as Maldon Groundworks. Holtom was sub-contracted to Romford-based Soneca Systems Ltd to carry out a large garden landscaping and refurbishment project at a private address in Hadley Wood. The project manager for the site was Darren Fowler. The work centred around an outdoor swimming pool. The existing pool-house had been demolished exposing a 22-foot long wall which was seven-foot high and had a large crack running almost down its centre. The wall was deemed unsafe and required demolition. There was no proper discussion or instruction on how the wall was to be removed before work started and Adam and his brother began demolition with no supervision.

Simon Hester, HSE investigating inspector said: 'The management and set-up of this small construction project was appalling. Adam Gosling should never have been there at all as 15 year olds have been banned from working on construction sites since 1920.'

Holtom, of Latchindon, Essex pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Fowler, of Upminster, Essex, had previously pleaded guilty to working while disqualified from being a company manager and failure to discharge a duty imposed by Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 contrary to Section 33 (1a) of the said Act. They will be sentenced on Monday 20 July 2009.

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