Contractor gets fined £57,000 after fatal accident, former footballer, turned bricky encourages others to join the trade, and K-Briq gets nominated for Earthshot prize
A building contractor was fined £57,000 by the Health and Safety Executive last week, after an employee was crushed when a retaining wall collapsed.
Gary Austin, a 57-year-old builder from Bristol died from his injuries.
The HSE investigation found that H Mealing & Sons failed to properly plan and supervise the construction of the wall at Swainswick School.
The incomplete wall became unstable when a large load of aggregate was placed against it.
HSE inspector Ian Whittles said the incident happened because of a lack of planning and coordination, “which is all too common in construction.”
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A former footballer turned bricklayer is encouraging others to get an apprenticeship.
Toby Egan joined Ipswich Town when he was 12 and played as a goalkeeper until he abruptly let go when he was 19.
After struggling to find even minimum wage work, he signed on as an apprentice bricky.
Now 24, Egan runs his own bricklaying firm.
He told The Sun: “I’d urge other youngsters who once had dreams of becoming football stars to do what I did.”
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Kenoteq has been nominated for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize after developing an eco-brick from recycled construction waste.
The K-Briq produces around 95% less carbon emissions than traditional clay bricks.
The Earthshot Prize hands out £1 million to five winners annually to accelerate and scale innovative solutions to environmental problems.
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