The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted two London demolition companies, after a worker was killed by a falling steel prop.

In July 2005, 29-year-old Rafał Przestrzelski was working as a labourer on the demolition of Telstar House in Paddington, London.

Mr Przestrzelski was instructed to remove a number of steel props (Acrow) that were supporting a slab of concrete. There were 13 props, but as each one was removed, the load increased on the remaining props, until the final ones ended up carrying the entire load. As one prop was removed, the concrete slab fell to the ground and an overloaded prop struck Mr Przestrzelski, causing fatal internal injuries.

The project was managed by John F Hunt Demolition Ltd – acting as principal contractor –

working in association with Bayoak Demo Ltd.

On 27 January, 2010 at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) in London, John F Hunt Demolition Ltd of Europa Park, London Road, Grays in Essex pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974. On Friday (12/02/10), the company was fined £85,000 and ordered to pay £25,000 costs.

On 1 February, 2010, Bayoak Demo Ltd of Clare Gardens, Barking in London, also pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 at the

Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey. On Friday, the company was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £8,000 costs.

A joint Metropolitan Police and HSE investigation had found that a full structural survey of the section of the building being demolished was not carried out.

The investigation discovered that a section of a partially-demolished, link-bridge structure collapsed when the props supporting it were removed by Mr Przestrzelski. The investigators found that the collapse was ‘inevitable’ as the structure was not physically tied onto the building, which the management has assumed was the case.

After the sentencing, HSE Inspector Giles Meredith said that Rafal Przestrzelski had been ‘the innocent victim’ of a basic error of judgement by others, which had cost him his life. 

‘There are lessons to be learned both about the importance of carrying out detailed surveys –and also about making sure that the right people are consulted at the right time.

‘The price of making an ill-informed decision about the structure was enormous,’ Mr Meredith added.

Reviewing lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Howard Cohen, said:

‘This case clearly demonstrates that there will be consequences for companies if they do not uphold the necessary safety standards.

‘The breaches in this case had the most serious and tragic of outcomes.

‘The CPS takes health and safety offences very seriously and will consider prosecution of any company that fails to protect employees and others with whom they come into contact.’

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