Grzegorz Waluszkowski, 40, was helping to lay a drainage pipe at the park on Lady's Mile Farm, Exeter Road, Dawlish on 23 July 2010, when the wall of the two-metre deep trench caved in. He was dug out by others at the scene before the emergency services arrived but had suffered multiple fractures to his skull, jaw and cheekbones.
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the park operators Main Gate Leisure Limited after an investigation into the incident found that the company had failed to plan the work adequately or put the necessary safety measures in place.
Torquay Magistrates' Court heard how Mr Waluszkowski, who lived on the site, was working on the trench with two directors of Main Gate Leisure. The trench walls were propped with plywood and metal plate, with a piece of softwood between the two sides holding them up. This gave way and Mr Waluszkowski was trapped when one side of the trench collapsed.
Frantic effort were made by staff at the site to release Mr Waluszkowski, who was unconscious, using shovels and eventually one of the directors used an excavator to help to dig him out from the rubble.
HSE Inspector Jonathan Harris said: "The trench was clearly inadequately supported and the plywood and metal plate were no more than a rudimentary attempt to support the trench walls. Normally trench boxes would be used as shields whenever workers need to briefly enter a trench. These boxes can be rented from hire companies.
"This incident could easily have led to a fatality and shows the vital importance of proper planning and adequate safety measures when carrying out this sort of work."
Main Gate Leisure Ltd, of Lady's Mile Farm, Exeter Road, Dawlish, pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 31 (1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. It was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £2,198 in costs.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
