A construction company has been fined after an employee was crushed to death when a 1.8-metre retaining wall collapsed during work at a school in Bath.
The employee was working at Swainswick School on 19 March 2019 when the incomplete wall gave way after a large load of aggregate was placed against it.
An HSE investigation found the company had failed to plan and supervise the temporary works adequately. The retaining wall was not properly designed or supported to withstand the applied loads.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. The firm was fined £56,775 and ordered to pay £44,000 in costs at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on 11 September 2025.
‘This was a horrific incident with heartbreaking consequences,’ said HSE inspector Ian Whittles after the hearing. ‘It resulted from a lack of planning and coordination – something we see far too often in construction. With clear procedures and appropriate training, this tragedy was entirely preventable.’
The HSE reminds dutyholders that all temporary structures must be properly designed, installed, and used in line with that design. Competent supervision, written plans, and trained operatives are essential to maintaining structural stability and preventing collapse.
Source – IOSH
