Homeowner prosecuted after wall collapse injures builder
- Published
Steven Tyson suffered life-changing injuries and said he could no longer work in the construction industry
A Derbyshire property owner has been prosecuted after a builder sustained life-changing injuries when a wall collapsed on top of him.
Steven Tyson suffered a bleed on the brain, a fractured skull and 11 broken ribs while working on a barn conversion in Melbourne on 8 October 2021.
Nigel Edwards failed to have a structural assessment as part of his planning for the project at his home.
He was handed a community order and told to pay more than £4,000 in costs.
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court heard the outbuildings Mr Tyson was working on were in the process of being converted into holiday accommodation when the external face of the stone gable wall collapsed on the 40-year-old.
'Still in pain'
Mr Tyson, a father of two, was rushed to hospital, where he spent the next 18 days in "immense pain".
He has been left blind in one eye as well as losing hearing in his right ear.
"I am still in pain today and struggle to put weight on my right ankle," he said.
"Due to the traumatic head injury, I was unable to drive for six months.
"I have also had therapy sessions to try and come to terms with the physical and psychological impacts of what happened."
The building site where the wall collapsed on top of Mr Tyson
The court heard how the building, in Woodhouses, had undergone significant structural alterations.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Edwards had "failed to have a structural assessment" of the outbuildings prior to the work starting.
As a result, "no measures had been identified or implemented to stabilise the building", the HSE added.
In addition, there was "no plan in place" for dismantling parts of the building safely, exposing workers and members of the public to risk of injury or death.
Edwards, of Tutholme, Woodhouses, Melbourne, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 19(1) and 20(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.
He was handed a 12-month community order and told to complete 80 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay costs of £4,097.94.
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