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A Lancashire company has recently been fined following an incident that took place on a construction site in Edinburgh.

An employee of Technic Concrete Floors Limited was working at Fort Kinnaird Retail Park when he fell through the floor, sustaining serious back injuries and a broken foot. The company, a contractor dealing with specialist flooring, pleaded guilty to a breach of the working at height regulations, incurring a fine of £3,300. The company also admitted to being in breach of the health and safety regulations.

The incident occurred in May 2014, when self-employed contractor Steven Stewart walked along a floor that was being worked on. He tripped when his boot became caught, dislodging a wooden panel that had been covering a void in the floor. After falling around 4.5 metres, Stewart landed on grids made of steel mesh. The Health and Safety Executive conducted an investigation and concluded that a risk assessment would have highlighted the potential risk and safety measures could have been put in place. Supervision and planning by the company may have prevented the accident from occurring.

According to the head of health and safety division, Gary Aitken, the accident has changed the life of Stewart, and could have been avoided. He added that falls while working at height are one of the greatest causes of serious injuries and death to workers in the construction sector.

The use of PPE and workwear can help to reduce the risk of injury, along with the use of risk assessments, training and supervision.

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