industrynews
BUILDER FINED AFTER WORKER
SUFFERS LIFE-CHANGING INJURIES
A Leicestershire builder has been fined after
a worker suffered multiple injuries when he
plunged six metres while repairing a second
floor window.
The 50-year-old worker from Leicester, had
been sub-contracted to repair wooden window
frames at a house in Hazel Grove, Hallaton, near
Market Harborough in Leicestershire.
He was working from a ladder extended to just
under the window when he dropped a piece of
window bead. As he started to climb down the
ladder to retrieve it, he fell to the patio below,
smashing his workbench on the way.
He was airlifted to hospital with head injuries,
five fractures to his spine and a fractured pelvis
and wrist. The Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) investigated the incident and prosecuted
Peter Steans for safety failings at Leicester
Magistrates’ Court.
HSE’s investigation found a suitable tower
scaffold was on site that could have been used to
remove the risk of working from a ladder.
Peter William Steans, 61, pleaded guilty to
breaching Regulation 4(1)(c) of the Work at
Height Regulations 2005. He was fined £4,000
and ordered to pay costs of £353.
HSE Inspector Tony Mitchell said: “The
injured man will never be able to return to
his normal job, yet the incident and the lifechanging injuries it caused could have been
prevented.”
“Builders should not think that just because
they use casual workers, they are not responsible
for their safety. If you are in control of the work
then you will be held accountable should things
go wrong.”
Further information go online at
www.hse.gov.uk/falls
CLADDING FEATURES ON
CHANNEL 4 TV SHOW
Freefoam Building Products is delighted to
announce that the new Fortex Clic Cladding
was featured on prime time TV show
‘Double your house for half the money’
with well know TV presenter and property
guru Sarah Beeny.
Homeowner Ben Barratt came across
Freefoam and the Fortex Clic cladding at
consumer home improvement show ‘Build It
Live’ and instantly saw the potential for the
exterior of his home extension. The existing
1970’s property in Maidstone, Kent featured
hanging tiles on the first floor elevation and
Ben was looking for a more contemporary
replacement that was easy to fit and easy to
maintain.
Ben Barratt explained, “With a young
family and a busy life we needed to make this
property renovation work for us. We wanted
low maintenance products that would last,
maximising our investment. We like the
‘New England’ American style weatherboard
cladding, which is becoming very popular,
particularly here in the South of England,
so were really pleased when we came across
the PVC Freefoam Fortex Clic cladding. It
not only looks good, but means we will have
minimal maintenance and is guaranteed for
10 years!”
Call 01604 591110, email sales@freefoam.
com or visit www.freefoam.com
TAKE OVER SAFEGUARDS SKILLED
MANUFACTURING JOBS
LDG Group Ltd, one of the North West’s
largest window companies, has just
completed the purchase of Formes Alutek
Limited, safeguarding over 50 skilled
manufacturing jobs at Ellesmere Port in the
process.
Formes Alutek Limited, privately owned and
originally formed in 1978, is a multi-systems
fabricator providing a complete supply, fix and
glaze package for Aluminium Curtain Walling,
Windows and Doors to the Construction and
associated industries, specialising in curved
aluminium to both the Trade, Architects/
To read more, visit www.clearview-uk.com
Councils and other major Construction
clients nationwide. At its peak, Formes Alutek
had a turnover of over £7.5m and has been
involved with many prestigious projects,
including the M&S retail store at Cheshire
Oaks, Manchester Airports Terminal 2, Royal
Preston Hospital and Great Ormond Street
Hospital in London.
LDG Group is already investing and
supporting the business and Formes Alutek
is fulfilling existing orders, with more orders
being placed from both new and existing
customers, comprising a mixture of supply
only projects and supply and installation
projects. It is reassuring for LDG that Formes
Alutek’s existing customers are continuing to
have confidence in the new ownership with
the backing of LDG.
OCT 2013
5