A painter being left brain damaged after he apparently fell from
a ladder has resulted in two company directors having criminal
records and fines of £1,000 each.
Trevor Dawson, 58, from Ravensthorpe, West Yorkshire, was
helping with a refurbishment job at Ashenhurst Student Village,
Newsom, on 15 August 2007 when he fell from the ladder, although no
witness could confirm this.
The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted Liversedge Decorating
Contractors Ltd, two of its directors, and Foster Turn-Key
Contracts Ltd - the main contractor - for breaking laws governing
safety when working at heights and managing construction sites.
Huddersfield Magistrates' Court heard that the two firms did not
plan or supervise the job properly and did not provide appropriate
equipment to carry out the work.
Dewsbury-based Liversedge Decorating admitted breaking health
and safety law and was fined £2,000. Two of its directors, Paul
Daniel from Brighouse and Clive Dewhirst from Dewsbury, also
admitted offences and were each fined £1,000. Huddersfield-based
Foster Turn-Key admitted breaking health and safety law and was
fined £2,000.
Mr Dawson has no memory of the accident because of the injuries
he sustained in the fall.