Laing O'Rourke fined £135k over worker death

Construction giant Laing O'Rourke was fined £135,000 today after pleading guilty to health and safety breaches which lead to the death of worker.

Twenty-five year-old Keiron Deeney had been married for just 13 weeks when he was killed in August 2004 after falling over 9m down a hole in a floor which had not been covered. He had been working on the £55m Discovery Dock scheme in east London.

Judge Richard Hone said the firm should feel “ashamed” and warned Laing O'Rourke to eliminate its casual attitude to risk on its worksites.

The Old Bailey heard a similar incident happened at one of the firm's Welsh sites just months before.

The company was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of over £18,000.

An HSE investigation found risk assessments and method statements had been carried out on site, but weekly and monthly checks that were identified as necessary by these assessments were not being adequately carried out.

The hole in the core was inadequately covered with poor-quality plywood, and managers on site were unaware of this.

In addition, the HSE said the systems in place failed to ensure that there was sufficient edge protection within the jumpform to prevent falls and that the area was kept free from hazards.

A prohibition notice was served following the incident.

HSE inspector Dominic Elliss said the case highlighted the need for “robust systems for the covering of voids together with regular effective site inspections to prevent such unacceptable loss of life."