Prosecution of Andrew Best Construction Ltd. and Mr Andrew Maze

Andrew Best Construction Limited and Mr Andrew Maze (sole trader) were sentenced t at Downpatrick Crown Court for breaches of health and safety legislation after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing. The case was taken by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland.

The case arose out of an incident on 12 October 2010 at a disused farmyard at Ardmillan Road Killinchy. A 22 year old male employee of Mr Andrew Maze was removing tin roofing sheets on a cattle shed when he fell at least 4 metres through the roof onto a concrete floor below. He suffered multiple severe head and body injuries which require long term medical rehabilitation.

Andrew Best Construction Limited, the Principal Contractor of the site, was fined £10,000 after pleading guilty to a breach of Article 5(1) of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 and a breach of Regulation 13(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007.

Mr Andrew Maze was fined £7,500 after pleading guilty to Article 4(1) of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.

After the hearing Anne Cassidy, an Inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team said, “This incident highlights the well recognised dangers of working at height. This work was not properly planned, managed, or supervised. We would remind everyone who either works at height or who organises this type of work, that they must be meticulous in preventing people from falling. The steps needed to prevent this incident were very basic indeed”.

Article from HSENI press release