A CONTRACTOR has been fined £7,000 after a wall collapsed and fell on a builder, breaking his back in three places and causing severe damage to his internal organs.

Keith Gardner of Cairns Avenue, Woodford Bridge, pleaded guilty to breaking health and safety regulations following the incident in March last year.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the wall, which had been built the previous day on the third floor of a block of flats, and had not been properly secured and that a gust of wind blew it over.

Jason Lunnon, 41, from Barnet, was working underneath at the time and was hit by the full force of the concrete blocks as they fell seven metres onto him.

HSE Inspector Paul Hems said: "Despite his terrible injuries, Mr Lunnon is lucky to be alive. This could have so easily been a much more serious incident.

"As the builder in charge of the project, Mr Gardner was responsible for ensuring the health and safety of everyone working at the site. This included ensuring the stability of walls during construction.

"Mr Gardner was made aware of the wind affecting the newly -built walls, but failed to take appropriate action to ensure their stability.

"The HSE investigation also found other safety failings at the site, including failure to properly manage risks of falling. There was a comprehensive failure to implement key elements of the construction phase plan."

The HSE investigation concluded that Gardner had failed to properly plan, manage and monitor work at the site in Field Road, Newham.

Gardner, who operates under the trading name K P Gardner Builders, was also ordered to pay costs of £6,969.50p.