A contractor has been fined £17,000 after a worker fell three metres from an unprotected stairwell and shattered his left heel.

Folkestone Magistrates’ Court heard that on August 17, 2017, a sub-contractor to Brown Construction Ltd was laying bricks for the second storey of a new build house in Ash, Canterbury.

There was an opening in the floor where the stairs were to be installed.

The worker slipped and fell through the opening and landed on his feet shattering his left heel, which required surgery to repair.

The investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found no measures had been taken to prevent workers from falling from height through the stairwell opening.

Brown Construction Ltd, of 8a of Ashford Road, Maidstone, admitted a breach of Regulation 4 (1) of the Working at Height Regulations 2005 and fined £17,333.

Speaking following the hearing, HSE inspector Ross Carter said: “In this case a worker suffered serious injuries which could have been avoided by taking simple measures, such as installing guardrails around the opening, to prevent workers falling from height.”