A worker injured his spine when he fell from height at work and hasn't worked since - 25th May 2010

A construction firm and building owner has been fined following an employee's accident at work in which he damaged his spine.

Hartog Hutton Ltd was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay just over £7,000 costs at St Albans Crown Court after admitting breaching health and safety regulations.

The accident happened on Christmas Eve 2008 when Danny Langdon fell from a height seven metres, through a factory roof light and onto machinery below.

He suffered a fractured vertebrae and has been off work ever since. Flurocarbon Company Ltd, which had contracted Hartog Hutton to carry out repairs to its roof was also fined as a result of the workplace accident.

HSE Inspector John Berezansky said: “Mr Langdon is lucky to be alive. More than 4,000 employees suffered serious injury after falling from height last year and 15 were killed. Employers need to plan ahead and assess potential risks before carrying out any work at height. HSE will continue to prosecute companies that fail to carry out their duties, which includes both employers and firms hiring contractors to do specialist work for them." http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2010/coi-e-06.htm