Two companies have been fined a combined £800,000 after a labourer sustained life-changing injuries in a fall from scaffolding at a London building site.
The incident occurred on 15 April 2024 at Cathcart Hill, north London, where the worker had been contracted by Premier Property and Construction Limited to assist on a project managed by Axis Europe Limited. During an unplanned lifting operation, a load became trapped. When the worker attempted to free it, the released load pulled him over the edge of the scaffolding.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that both companies failed to plan and monitor the work adequately, including the use of lifting equipment and accessories. The labourer suffered serious injuries that have permanently affected his health and ability to work.
Failure to Manage Lifting Operations
According to the HSE investigation, Premier Property and Construction Limited failed to properly manage routine lifting operations and did not ensure that the lifting accessories in use were appropriate or tested. Axis Europe Limited, as the principal contractor, failed to oversee and monitor its subcontractor’s work, missing clear signs that lifting operations were being carried out without sufficient planning or safe procedures in place.
The HSE said Axis Europe Limited did not challenge or prevent the use of untested lifting accessories and had not ensured that the method for lifting was adequately detailed in work plans.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 require contractors to plan, manage and monitor work under their control to minimise health and safety risks. The HSE has repeatedly warned that poor planning and supervision of lifting operations remain among the leading causes of serious injury in the construction sector.
Heavy Fines for Both Companies
Axis Europe Limited, based on Tramway Avenue in London, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £640,000 and ordered to pay £4,787.59 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on December 5, 2025.
Premier Property and Construction Limited, registered in Sevenoaks and trading from East Tilbury, Essex, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 15(2) of the same regulations. It was fined £160,000 and ordered to pay £4,787.59 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.
HSE inspector Andrew Pipe said the case illustrated how preventable most serious construction accidents are when work is properly managed. “Every year, a significant proportion of construction-related accidents, many of them serious and sometimes fatal, occur as a result of inadequately planned, managed or monitored work. This was a wholly avoidable incident. Had both companies taken appropriate measures to ensure workers’ health and safety, the life-changing injuries would not have occurred.”
He added that the penalties reflected the seriousness of the failures. “The fines imposed on Axis Europe Limited and Premier Property and Construction Limited should underline to everyone in the construction industry that the courts, and HSE, take failures to follow the regulations extremely seriously. HSE will not hesitate to take action against companies which do not do all that they should to keep people safe.”
Lessons for Employers
The case demonstrates the need for construction companies to review how they manage health and safety responsibilities across multi-contractor sites. The HSE stresses that employers must have clear oversight of subcontractor activity, ensure all lifting equipment is tested and certified, and verify that workers are trained to carry out lifting operations safely.
Health and safety experts say such incidents also highlight the human cost of poor planning. Workers in high-risk sectors such as construction face daily hazards that can lead to long-term disability or death if safety procedures are ignored. Employers who prioritise compliance, invest in supervision and maintain a safety culture are less likely to face legal action or reputational damage.
Industry observers note that while overall workplace fatalities have declined in recent years, falls from height remain the single biggest cause of death and serious injury in UK construction. The HSE recorded 45 fatalities in the sector in 2024–25, with falls accounting for more than a quarter of the total.
A Broader Workplace Safety Reminder
The latest prosecution serves as a reminder that employers in all sectors share a duty to plan work that protects both employees and contractors. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations make clear that principal contractors must coordinate all site activities, monitor safety standards, and ensure that risk assessments are conducted and reviewed regularly.
Experts warn that safety failures often stem from cost pressures, tight deadlines and unclear accountability. When accidents occur, the financial and reputational costs far outweigh the investment required to comply with safety law.
The HSE continues to urge all organisations involved in construction or refurbishment projects to follow its official guidance on managing health and safety in construction, known as L153, which outlines the legal duties of clients, designers and contractors.
The prosecution against Axis Europe Limited and Premier Property and Construction Limited was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Arfaq Nabi and paralegal officer Mellisa Wardle.