A 19-year-old worker has died after falling into a ventilation shaft in an accident that has been described as "entirely avoidable" at a construction site in Acton, London.
The young man, Renols Lleshi, was helping to dismantle scaffolding on the roof garden on the 12th floor of a residential building under construction, in the Ark Soane Academy area, on Mill Hill Road, on July 5, 2023.
According to investigations, the cover over the ventilation shaft collapsed the moment he stepped on it, causing the young man to fall from a height of six stories and lose his life.
The Health and Safety at Work Authority (HSE) found that the ventilation space was covered only with a sheet of plasterboard and insulation foam, insufficient measures for safety.
It was also found that the lack of regular checks in the roof area and the scaffolding team's failure to inform them of the danger contributed to this tragedy.
Construction company Jerram Falkus Construction Limited pleaded guilty to breaching working at heights regulations and was fined £42,200. It was also ordered to pay £5,000 in court costs and a £2,000 surcharge.
HSE Inspector Natalie Prince stated that falls from height are among the leading causes of death and serious injury in the workplace, stressing that this was a case that could have been prevented.
The deceased's family said that the fact that his death was completely avoidable makes the pain even more severe for them. His father thanked the authorities for investigating and prosecuting those responsible, but stressed that nothing can bring their son back or ease the pain.
The Jerram Falkus Construction company has meanwhile ceased its activity and entered the administration process.
