A carpentry contractor, KM Carpentry Contractors Limited, has faced significant penalties after a 22-year-old man tragically lost his life in a construction site accident.
Niall McCormack, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, was fatally injured on 30th October 2019 while working for KM Carpentry Contractors Limited at a new build site in Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire. McCormack was part of a team installing roof trusses when the incident occurred.
According to reports, roof truss packs and a party wall spandrel panel had been lifted onto the semi-detached properties the day before the accident, temporarily secured by timber restraints. McCormack, alongside another carpenter, was in the process of spreading the trusses for installation when a sudden gust of wind caused the spandrel panel to shift, leading to the collapse of the truss pack. Tragically, McCormack was struck by the falling materials, resulting in a fatal head injury.
A subsequent investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that KM Carpentry Contractors Limited had failed to identify the risk of wind loading on the spandrel panel and its potential impact on stability. The method statement for the panel’s installation specified that it should only be lifted onto the roof after the trusses had been installed and secured permanently, a procedure that was not followed in this case.
At Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 25th April 2024, KM Carpentry Contractors Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act. The company was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £6,974 in costs.
In a poignant family statement, McCormack’s loved ones expressed the profound impact of his loss, highlighting the void left by his absence and the missed opportunities for his future. They emphasized that no one should go to work and not return home, underscoring the devastating consequences of workplace accidents.
HSE Inspector Jenny Morris extended sympathies to McCormack’s family, stressing the importance of identifying and mitigating risks in work activities to ensure a safe working environment. The prosecution was led by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells and paralegal officer Lucy Gallagher.
This tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of the critical need for robust risk assessment and safety protocols in the construction industry to prevent further loss of life and ensure the well-being of workers.
