Hoarding overturns onto 2 year old boy

A major construction company’s public liability insurance has been severely affected after carrying out defective work that left a family injured.

Wates Construction Ltd was recently named contractor of the year by Building Magazine. The firm had commissioned Dean Lotwick, who trades as Hammerwich Construction to erect hoarding outside a shop which was being newly fitted out at a popular shopping centre.

The 17 metre wide hoarding, which ran outside a new shop at the Racecourse Retail Park, had collapsed on top of a two year old boy, his father and grandparents leaving them with cuts and bruises.

An investigation by the health and safety executive (HSE) discovered that the hoardings used had not been designed properly which meant they could not withstand the wind which caused them to blow over, unfortunately at the time that the family walked past.

Wates Ltd and Dean Lotwick pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 28 (2) of the Construction (Design and Management) regulations 2007 by failing to ensure that the hoarding was properly designed and built.

Wates Ltd was fined £4,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £5,273, while Dean Lotwick was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £6,963 in costs.

HSE inspector, Kevin Jones said:

“What should have been a pleasurable day out turned into an unpleasant and frightening experience for this family. Not only did they sustain injuries, but I can imagine that the panic they experienced when their baby disappeared under the hoarding would have been considerable.”

It is important that those involved in construction recognise that temporary works such as hoardings are properly designed by competent people and built to the agreed design.

This incident could have been prevented but in the case of any similar accidents public liability insurance will undoubtedly be the most beneficial purchase to a company.