Labourer cheats death in demolition masonry fall

Grant Prior 1 year ago
Share

A Woolwich labourer is ‘lucky to be alive’ after part of a Victorian building fell on him during demolition work in Kilburn, North West London.

Tommy Brooks was carrying out demolition work on this Victorian property in Kliburn
Tommy Brooks was carrying out demolition work on this Victorian property in Kliburn

MAC Demolition Ltd has been fined £60,000 after Tommy Brooks was left with life changing injuries. The 57-year-old had been employed on the site as a labourer for three months before the incident.

The company had been contracted to carry out soft stripping works on the Victorian property on Willesden Lane as well as the demolition of its roof.

On the morning of 2 March 2022, Brooks had been tasked with clearing bricks for reclamation. He was working at the corner of the building when a large piece of masonry fell from the unstable roof, landing on top of him.

He was left with significant long term injuries including a broken shoulder and 12 broken ribs, as well as spinal and internal injuries.

An HSE investigation found MAC Demolition had failed to adequately assess the risk of falling objects during demolition and failed to implement and enforce adequate exclusion zones.

MAC Demolition Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching safety regulations and was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £3,229 costs at a hearing at Willesden Magistrates Court.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Gordon Nixon said: “Tommy’s injuries were life changing and he is lucky to be alive.

“This serious incident and the devastation it caused could have been avoided if basic, industry standard control measures had been put in place.

“Companies need be aware that we will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Latest news

Ridge buys rival consultant Jubb

Acquisition will see 100 new staff join Ridge
5 hours ago

Enabling works to start £130m Huyton town centre regen

Phase one includes a new council HQ, hotel and 72 flats
6 hours ago

Grainger build to rent pipeline rises to £1.4bn

Rental specialist buys sites in Sheffield and Cardiff to build 600 rental homes
6 hours ago

Kier wins Cambridgeshire County council estate upkeep

Firm will provide building and M&E services to 106 buildings across the county
5 hours ago

Louvres and solar shading specialist files for administration

Hampshire based ALPS lodges court notice after 25 years in business
6 hours ago

Speedy Hire posts a loss in latest results

Hire giant confident of better performance in next six months
6 hours ago

Esh to lead next phase of Riverside Sunderland regeneration

Infrastructure work will allow further development of Sheepfolds area
5 hours ago

Green light for £1.3bn Edinburgh coastal town revamp

First phase of Granton Waterfront scheme will see Cruden Homes create a new community
23 hours ago

Vistry chief operating officer steps down

Earl Sibley exits as his COO role axed for more direct reporting to CEO
1 day ago

House builder Camstead goes into administration

Work stopped on three current sites
2 days ago

Death of piling legend Roger Bullivant

Industry innovator dies after long illness aged 85
1 day ago

ESS Modular went down owing suppliers £7m

Modular specialist owned by ISG owner Cathexis
1 day ago

Builders back farmers in inheritance tax protest

"A rethink is desperately needed" say National Federation of Builders
1 day ago

Willmott Dixon wins £36m leisure centre upgrade

Work to start on historic Westminster 1930s Grade II listed Seymour Centre
1 day ago

Graham wins £100m Cardiff Crossrail phase 1

Work on route to Cardiff Bay to start before end of next year
2 days ago

Laing O’Rourke appoints new European MD

Peter Lyons to take-up new role in February
3 days ago

Profits dip at Stepnell ahead of demerger

Turnover and secured workloads up ahead of restructure
3 days ago

HS2 green bridge deck takes shape

100m-wide wildlife bridge to carry hedgerows and country lane over HS2
2 days ago

1,000-home Wolverhampton city centre scheme in for planning

ECF and council advance City Centre West build to rent scheme
3 days ago

Sisk clinches £54m North London council HQ revamp

Haringey's iconic Grade II listed civic centre to be brought back into use
3 days ago

Ofgem approves £2.5bn Eastern Green Link 1

Work to start next Spring on cable project from Scotland to the north of England
3 days ago

Anglian Water hunts for £1bn delivery partner

Programme delivery partner wil integrate with client team over 15-year plan
3 days ago

Hadden collapse costs supply chain £6.7m

"Highly unlikely" subcontractors will receive anything for their unpaid invoices
3 days ago

Management buyout at M&E specialist

£25m turnover Kimpton in second MBO in its 60-year history
3 days ago

BAM finalises £71m deal to replace first major RAAC school

Work to start on new St Leonards Catholic School in Durham
3 days ago

Scaffolder hit by two tonne weight at nuclear plant

Court hands out £633,000 in fines after Dungeness B decommissioning incident
3 days ago

Go-ahead for 860,000 sq ft East London medical campus

Whitechapel Road scheme of six new and repurposed buildings
3 days ago

Site labour rates hit record high as cost inflation returns

Industry's biggest payroll firm says rates rose nearly 5% last month in London
6 days ago

Morris & Spottiswood acquires part of ISG fit-out division

ISG Cathedral acquisition saves 111 jobs and expands presence across England
7 days ago

New work drives Q3 construction output uplift

Third quarter activity up 0.8% despite slowdown in September
6 days ago

Contractor services