Bristol builder injured by one-tonne concrete panel
A builder working on a shop refurbishment in Bristol's Broadmead suffered a fractured skull when a one-tonne concrete panel hit him in the side of the head.
The 21-year-old was working on a new Sainsbury's Local in Broadmead when part of the shop's concrete fascia fell from the building and hit him yesterday afternoon, crushing the scaffolding gantry he was standing on.
Colleagues dragged the man to safety and called 999, and paramedics were on the scene within minutes to stabilise him.
He was taken to the Bristol Royal Infirmary shortly after 3pm, where doctors confirmed he had a fractured skull.
Andy Weston, a critical care paramedic for Great Western Ambulance Service, said: "The man was working on removing an outside shop fascia with a drill when a two-and-a-half-inch thick panel of concrete fell from the building and struck the side of his head.
"He collapsed to the gantry and, even though he was wearing a hard hat, sustained a serious head injury. On arrival, we put a spinal collar on the patient as a precaution and administered IV access and an anti-sickness drug before immobilising him on a stretcher to transport him to hospital."
No information on the injured man's condition was available last night.
The Sainsbury's Local, a former clothes shop, is due to open in the new year and is expected to employ about 20 people.
Sainsbury's spokeswoman Emily Annable said: "I can confirm there has been an incident at our Broadmead Local site. This matter is now in the hands of the emergency services and we can offer no further comment."
The Health and Safety Executive said it was aware of the incident.
12 Comments
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by jo keegan, dorset
Monday, February 15 2010, 11:47PM
“it's sad to see that some people can find this awlful accident almost amusing, shame on you!! and so he should be entilted to compansation- loss of earnings??? what did he pay his taxs for????”
by aaron woodley, bri bristol
Tuesday, November 10 2009, 7:10PM
“hey guys thanks 4 your concerns, it was i who sustained the brutal injury, still in my hospital bed but chuffed 2 be alive, cant stress enough how important hard hats are to be worn as this deffinatly saved my life. feeling rotten but hanging in there.”
by Pedant, Bristol
Friday, November 06 2009, 2:34PM
“Poor guy, hope he recovers fully, and soon. Hey! 'The grammar police, Bigben school of English' You picked up on the in/on grammatical faux-pas but what about Sam, "my hearts go out to his family" (The new Dr who?) and as for "the poor bloke some of it hes only 21" Eh?”
by Jake, Bristol
Friday, November 06 2009, 1:30PM
“Is there a plastic hard hat available,that would fend off a 1 ton concrete block/”
by derek, Not in Briz
Friday, November 06 2009, 1:18PM
“I genuinly feel sorry for the lad & hope he gets better.On a rather cryptic side,I can see the phones burning in the offices of the compensation lawers!”
by sam, bristol
Friday, November 06 2009, 12:07PM
“it's quite sickining to be honest, i was in broadmead at the time and saw it happen, the poor bloke some of it hes only 21 and might end up having brain damage, my hearts go out to his family!!”
by the grammar police, Bigben school of English
Friday, November 06 2009, 11:12AM
“TUt,Tut,Tut...write out 100 times...a concrete panel hit him ON the side of the head..not IN the side of the head..I must try harder....”
by Tina, Hengrove
Friday, November 06 2009, 10:53AM
“"Hard Hat" unless somthing hits you on the head whilst wearing it! Suddenly become a "useless Hat".”
by Joe, Bristol
Friday, November 06 2009, 10:03AM
“Watch out, the Health and Safety clowns might step in here and ban building. !!!”
by Mike B, Bristol
Friday, November 06 2009, 9:34AM
“Not suggesting that it happened in this case, but most builders I see wearing hard-hats are not wearing them properly, or not fitted properly, or wearing them at a ''jaunty'' angle, so if they are struck on the head the hard-hats provide no protection. Sad but true :-(”