A Bolton house-building company has today been fined £7,500 after one of its workers fell to his death.

D C Kennedy Homes Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an employee was killed when he fell from a ladder.

The man was working on a project to build six new semi-detached houses in in Bolton, on 19 December 2007 when he fell five metres to the ground.

The HSE’s investigation found that work was carried out on the first and second floors of the house, before the stairs had been fitted. The ladder, to the second floor, had not been secured and was missing its rubber feet.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were ordered to pay an additional £7,500 costs bringing the total to £15,000.

If the stairs had been in place, a ladder would not have been necessary. However, if a ladder is needed it must be in good condition should be tied-in to prevent slipping

Falling from height is the single biggest cause of death at work. See the HSE’s shattered lives campaign at www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives/