Firm fined £45,000 after heavy slab fell four floors
A CONSTRUCTION firm has been fined 45,000 after a concrete slab weighing several tonnes plunged four floors during building work.
Barr Ltd was in charge of work at a multi-level car park near Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre in 2004 when advised that a part of the structure needed reinforcing. But the required action was not carried out and a large slab eventually gave way.
Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday heard that it was “very fortunate” no-one was killed or injured as a result. Barr Ltd admitted a charge of failing to provide and maintain a system of work under the Health and Safety Act. It was the Ayrshire firm’s fifth criminal conviction in nine years.
Fining it, Sheriff Alistair Noble said the incident arose from “quite an extensive failure to act appropriately”.
The court heard the firm ran the construction of the Q car park in Howard Street when concerns were raised by the slab manufacturers about the building work.
One of the men Barr had in charge on site was the project manager, who was a joiner to trade and had little experience of slab work. He was told that metal cleets would have to be welded on to strengthen the structure.
But at about 6pm on 7 October, 2004, a slab gave way and dropped from the seventh floor to the third.
Stephen Woolman, QC, defending, said Barr accepted responsibility for “a most unfortunate incident” and had since increased its health and safety team.
