Balfour Beatty has been prosecuted after a worker was injured when flooring at a new build property gave away during construction work.

The company, of Wilton Road, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 28 (1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. It was fined £230,000 with £11,915 in costs.

Newcastle Crown Court heard heard how a worker was on the first floor of a new build domestic property at Richmond Park, Croft, Sheffield on 02 March 2015.

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The employee was part of a three-man brick laying team instructed to work on the first floor of an incomplete property.

While working on the property, the floor gave way at one side, causing approximately 70 building blocks to slide 2.4 metres vertically to the ground. He suffered fractures to bones in his foot.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the supporting joists of the first floor had not been fully installed as per the house designer's instructions, leaving it unstable.

HSE Inspector Alan Sheldon, said: "It is vital that companies following design instructions and ensure that structures are stable. This incident could have been much more serious for a number of workers and should act as a reminder to everyone within construction–that protecting workers' health and safety is vital in such a potentially dangerous industry."

(LM/CD)