Firm fined over boy's death

A construction firm has been fined £40,000 for breaching safety regulations after a boy died at a building site in east London.

Martin Karshak, 12, also known as Martin Williams, fell 30 feet to his death from scaffolding in January 2000 at Alfred House, on the Kingsmead Estate in Homerton.

At a previous hearing, Galliford Hodgson of Rainsford Road, Essex, admitted breaching the Safety at Work Act of 1974.

The company was told it should have used more robust mesh fencing instead of chicken wire to prevent access to the scaffolding.

HSE inquiry

The scaffolding had been erected for Galliford Hodgson at a refurbishment project on the estate where the boy lived.

An inquiry by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that he and three other boys had climbed on to the scaffolding from a balcony when Martin fell over a guard rail.

He was taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards.

Philip White from the HSE said that companies must think carefully how children might be harmed by construction work.

"In situations where there is a risk of children climbing on to scaffolding, suitable barriers such as mesh fencing should be erected to prevent access from balconies and walkways."