Legal news

Builder fined after client breaks spine in fall

Jonathan Winston Jonathan Winston
1 min read
This blog is more than 14 years old

A builder who left a staircase in a dangerous state has been fined at Sheffield Magistrates Court after his client fell and broke his spine.

The court heard that Michael Hall was lucky to be alive after the fall which took place at his house in Sheffield where a new staircase had been installed. However the work was not completed and it had been left without a handrail and Mr Hall fell 10ft, breaking his spine and suffering broken ribs and massive head injuries. He spent time in intensive care and has subsequently had to learn to walk and talk again, though he has made a 90% recovery.

The builder, Robin Atherton, who traded as Mack Construction, reported the incident to the HSE whose inspectors brought the prosecution. Atherton pleaded guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £4,000 costs.

HSE inspector Medani Close said that Mr Hall was lucky to be alive although his injuries have had a terrible effect on him, his family and his business. She added: “This tragic fall could so easily have been avoided. The simplest of measures – a temporary handrail fitted to the open side of the new staircase in his home – could have prevented his fall and saved a huge amount of suffering.”

Client feedback

Sidraa and Paulo were extremely good dealing with our house sale and purchase. We were kept updated at each stage of the process and found it easy to contact them when we wanted a to have a chat. Thank you for making everything run smoothly.
Brian
As executors of my Mum’s estate we needed to apply for Probate. We met with Monika Volsing to discuss Probate and she talked us through the process and was very friendly and helpful. Any questions we had were always answered promptly. The whole process was very quick and we cannot fault anything.
Tracy
I have found Winston’s excellent in dealing with our conveyance. This firm totally deserve 5 stars and industry awards received. They are professional, friendly and respond to all docs in an extremely straightforward way. Their pricing is also extremely reasonable. I would have no hesitation in recommending this firm and would use them again should the need arise. I would like to give a special mention to The legal representative Michelle Ayres, who dealt with the sale of mum’s house in an extremely efficient and safe manner.
Melanie
have used Winston Solicitors many times when buying and selling houses wnd would use them again if the need arose.
Tony
Extremely responsive and helpful. Always knew what stage of the process I was at
Zoe
Winston Solicitors helped me with the purchase of my first ever property. I worked directly with Leasa Foster and Julie Smith. From start to finish they were very efficient and offered detailed information for each step of the way. As a first-time buyer, I wasn’t familiar with the process or what to expect, so having everything explained clearly and receiving detailed guidance at every stage was very helpful. Whenever I had a question or needed to discuss something, there was always someone available to assist, even when Leasa was not there. I always felt well supported and guided throughout the process, which made everything feel straightforward and ensured the purchase went as smoothly as possible. I’m very happy that I chose Winston Solicitors and would highly recommend them.
Anonymous
Great service the team at Winston’s solicitors are amazing at what they do! Thank again guys
Anonymous
Winston Solicitors represented me excellently and we're in frequent contact me throughout the process. The staff are very helpful and communicate exceptionally well. I am very thankful for there assistance during a very stressful period of my life.
Nathan
Contact us