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.