Salford firm fined £160k after worker fractures skull

Dean Noble said his life had "completely changed"

A construction firm has been fined £160,000 after a worker was injured in a fall which left him struggling to make a cup of tea.

Dean Noble, from Wythenshawe, sustained multiple skull fractures while refurbishing a house in Manchester on 11 December 2020.

The 53-year-old fell through a gap in a balustrade and landed in the basement.

Cubicworks Ltd, based in Salford, admitted breaching health and safety legislation.

The firm was sentenced at Manchester Magistrates' Court following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

'Life completely changed'

Mr Noble, who also fractured his femur and has been unable to return to work since the incident, said his life has "completely changed" and he relies heavily on his wife, Karen.

In a victim impact statement, he said: "Everyday things, like making a cup of tea, requires me to concentrate.

"I can read text messages and letters, but I can't retain that information so I have to rely on Karen to read them and write them down in the diary. I rely on Karen to help me to function on a day-to-day basis."

Mr Noble said he was "very active" before his fall, playing golf and five-a-side football regularly with friends - which he can no longer do.

HSE investigators found Cubicworks, the principal contractor for the refurbishment, had failed to ensure there was adequate protection in place to prevent falls in the ground floor area.

The watchdog found suitable guard rails or barriers should have been in place.

HSE inspector David Norton said: "This was a very serious incident and it is fortunate nobody was killed as a result.

"The incident highlights the importance of undertaking a thorough assessment of the risks for all work at height activities, and the need to ensure suitable and sufficient control measures are implemented to minimise the risk of serious personal injury."