Two NI builders have faced court action over poor health and safety site practices that led to a worker being seriously injured.

Gerald Quinn, trading as QFix, has been fined a total of £3,000 after pleading guilty to two breaches of health and safety legislation.

Tully & Sons Limited was also fined £15,000 after they also pleaded guilty to two breaches of health and safety legislation arising from the same accident.

The incident occurred at the Springbank Industrial Estate, Belfast, on 22nd February 2007, during the lifting of a hollow core concrete floor slab into one of the industrial units under construction.

The heavy concrete floor slab shattered in mid air causing a 19-year-old worker to fall four metres and suffer serious injuries. The concrete slab was being lifted at an angle to allow it to be placed through an opening in the steel work which was less than the length of the slab.

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To achieve this, the lifting beam and clamps were arranged so that a section of the slab was unsupported i.e. it formed a cantilever. Slabs should not be lifted in this manner and are not designed to act as a cantilever; it was therefore foreseeable that the slab could fail.

Tully & Sons Limited, located at Suffolk Crescent, Belfast, was the Principal Contractor and was fined £15,000 at an earlier hearing on 25th May 2011.

Gerald Quinn, trading as QFix, acted as the sub-contractor to the flooring manufacturer and was responsible for the lifting and fitting of the concrete floor slab. This company was fined £3,000.

After the hearing Miss Denise Donaghy, an Inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team said: “This accident happened due to an absence of planning and co-ordination between the principal contractor and the sub contractor responsible for the placing of the slabs.

"When lifting and fitting pre-cast concrete flooring units, it is important that the lifting operation is properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner. It is also important that suitable and sufficient steps are taken to prevent falls.

"A double guard-rail and toe board must be provided as edge protection along the perimeter of the building and a passive fall arrest system, for example Air Bags, must be in place.

"There must also be a safe working platform provided adjacent to where the first concrete flooring unit is to be installed for the construction workers to work from safely."

(GK/KMcA)