Firms fined over rigger's death

David Mott fell through a ceiling at Earls Court

Two firms responsible for the safety of an Essex man who fell to his death working at Earls Court have been fined £100,000.

David Mott, from Hutton near Brentwood, was working as a rigger 115 feet from the ground when he stepped off a catwalk and on to a false ceiling above arena one at Earls Court.

The ceiling could not take the weight of the 26-year-old, who had not secured his safety harness, and he fell to his death.

At the Old Bailey on Friday a judge said the two companies, Earls Court Ltd in London and Unusual Rigging, of Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire, had a responsibility to ensure workers followed safety codes and had failed to do so.

'Foreseeable and avoidable'

He fined Earls Court £80,000 and Unusual Rigging £20,000 and ordered them both to pay more than £12,000 costs.

Judge Graham Boal heard Mr Mott had been working on a refurbishment contract at the exhibition centre on 23 June 2000 when he fell and died from multiple injuries.

Peter Lennon, from the Health and Safety Executive which brought the prosecution, said: "This was a foreseeable and avoidable incident, the dangers were well known by both companies.

"Simple, practicable steps could have been taken to prevent anyone falling through the tiles."

Deep regret

Judge Boal said he was satisfied there had been no cost cutting by the companies, which both pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Geoffrey Brown, for Earls Court, said the Health and Safety Executive was now satisfied everything has been done to avoid a recurrence.

David Matthias, for Unusual Rigging, added the death came as a "great shock" to his clients and was the first death of a rigger at the firm.

He also expressed "deep regret" on behalf of the company and sent condolences to Mr Mott's family.