A contractor has been prosecuted after an employee fell through an unprotected hole during refurbishment work and suffered serious head injuries.

James Gibson of Brent Street, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6 (3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. He was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, with £8,442 in costs.

Southwark Crown Court heard how Mr Gibson was carrying out refurbishment work at a property on 11 November 2016 when a worker fell through an unprotected hole in the ground floor.

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The employee fell through the hole, which measured approximately 1.5 metres by 3 metres, into a basement below and suffered serious head injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found failures in health and safety management had led to a number of fall from height issues on site, including a lack of sufficient edge protection to prevent workers from falling through the opening in the floor.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Matt Raine said: "Falls from height remain one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries. Had the employer in this case, James Gibson, implemented adequate control measures to protect the health and safety of his workers, this incident could have been prevented."

(LM)