Construction Company Fined Over £40,000 Following Teenager's Death at Acton Site
A 19-year-old labourer tragically lost his life after falling through an inadequately covered ventilation shaft at a construction site in Acton, West London. The incident, described by authorities as "wholly avoidable," occurred on July 5, 2023, at the Ark Soane Academy development on Mill Hill Road.
Renols Lleshi was assisting with the dismantling of scaffolding on the 12th-floor roof garden when he stepped onto a ventilation shaft cover that gave way. The teenager plunged six floors to his death. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive revealed that the shaft had been covered only with a single sheet of plasterboard and roofing foam, which provided insufficient protection.
Safety Failures and Regulatory Breaches
The HSE investigation determined that regular building inspections had failed to include the roof garden area, allowing the hazardous condition to remain undetected. Furthermore, no warnings were issued to the scaffolding team working in that zone. This series of oversights directly contributed to the fatal accident.
Jerram Falkus Construction Limited, the employer, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 at City of London Magistrates' Court. The 140-year-old firm was fined £42,200 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs plus a £2,000 surcharge during the March 18 hearing.
Family's Anguish and Company's Demise
In a statement to the HSE, Lleshi's family expressed that knowing his death was "entirely avoidable" has made their loss "harder to cope with." His father stated, "We are grateful to the Health & Safety Executive for their efforts to investigate the accident and prosecute one of those responsible for Renols's death. However, nothing anybody can do can bring our loved one back or lessen our grief in any way."
HSE Inspector Natalie Prince emphasized, "Falls from height are one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries. This was a wholly avoidable incident that led to the death of a young man."
The tragedy has had lasting consequences beyond the courtroom. Jerram Falkus Construction, a family-owned company that operated across London and the South East, ceased trading last month and called in administrators from FRP Advisory.
This case underscores the critical importance of rigorous safety protocols and comprehensive site inspections in the construction industry, particularly when working at height. The substantial fine reflects the severity of the safety failures that led to a young worker's preventable death.
