A builder from Chesterfield Andrew Clifford, was left paralysed from the chest down after falling through a ceiling during a house renovation in Dronfield, Derbyshire.
The 51-year-old lay on the ground for approximately six hours, unable to move, before being discovered by a delivery driver. The incident occurred on 31 October 2022, while Clifford was installing first-floor joists alone on behalf of Mansfield-based Paul Freeman Limited, a company he had worked with for around two decades.
The Incident
Mr Clifford said, “The first thing I recall after my fall was landing on my head. From that point it was a very strange feeling as from when I landed, I felt no pain and I couldn’t understand why or that I couldn’t get up. My radio was on and I judged the time by the news. After an hour, I tried to move again and this carried on for around three hours. Eventually, I realised this was serious and I thought I’d better stay still as I didn’t want to cause further injuries.
“This wasn’t the type of street where people were walking past and as it started to get dark I was getting really worried. When I was found by the delivery driver I heard him shout out, ‘hello, hello, hello’. I think I fell between 9am and 9.30 and wasn’t found until 3pm.”
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Clifford suffered severe spinal cord injuries in the fall. He spent nearly five months in hospital, and was left paralysed from the chest down, with only limited movement in his hands and arms.
Legal Proceedings
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Paul Freeman Ltd had failed to adequately plan for work at height, and no preventive measures were in place to mitigate the risk of falls during the construction of the first floor. Clifford had not been provided with sufficient instruction on how to carry out the work safely, leaving him to figure it out on his own.
The HSE emphasises that working at height is one of the leading causes of death in the construction industry. Comprehensive guidance is available to help minimise these risks.
Paul Freeman Ltd, based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Derby Magistrates’ Court fined the company £40,000 and ordered it to pay costs of £6,263.
A Lasting Impact
Speaking of the impact the incident had on his life, Mr. Clifford said, “I can’t do anything I used to love doing before. Simple things like doing the gardening, washing the car and jobs around the house. I can’t even wash or dress myself now.
“I haven’t been upstairs in my house since the accident – my wife and three daughters all sleep upstairs and I sleep alone downstairs. Another thing that really upsets me is the thought of not being able to walk my daughters down the aisle when they get married.”
HSE inspector Sara Andrews commented, “My thoughts remain with Andrew and his family, whose lives have changed dramatically as a result of this preventable incident. This case highlights the importance of undertaking a thorough assessment of the risks for all work at height activities and the need to ensure that, where work at height cannot be avoided, suitable control measures are implemented to minimise the risk of serious injury.
“This is even more significant when lone working.”
