Bricklayer Seriously Injured After Roof Collapse, Oldham 2026

Key Points

• On 4 June 2024, an employee who is a 25-year-old bricklayer suffered serious injuries following the collapse of a floor beneath him at Lynn Street, Oldham.
• This worker received fractures to his right leg, hip and left hand, and he needed surgical intervention followed by hospitalization for one month.
• Oldham Business and Construction Management Limited, the principal contractor, had not planned, managed and monitored construction work properly, the HSE reported.
• The floor which collapsed was overloaded with concrete blocks and not constructed according to the manufacturer’s design, the HSE investigation revealed.
• Other health and safety violations in addition included unsafe scaffolding, no suitable arrangements for work at height, no fire alarms and inadequate competent site management.
• This company pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the requirements of Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, and was fined £30,000 and £4,883 in costs at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 11 August 2026.
• According to HSE Inspector Karen Farley, the injuries were caused by basic failures to manage health and safety, which were completely foreseeable and preventable.

Oldham (Manchester Mirror) August 18, 2026 – A 25-year-old bricklayer was left with serious injuries after a floor collapsed under him while he was working on the upper level of a house under construction on Lynn Street, uk/local/oldham/">Oldham, on 4 June 2024, according to reporting by ITV News Granada and a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) press release. The worker fell along with multiple concrete blocks that had been stored on the upper floor, sustaining fractures to his right leg, hip and left hand, which required surgery and resulted in a month-long stay in hospital, as reported by the HSE.

The incident has led to a prosecution and a £30,000 fine for Oldham Business and Construction Management Limited, of Bath Street, Oldham, which pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 11 August 2026, according to the HSE. The company was also ordered to pay £4,883 in costs, to be paid within three years, the HSE stated.

How did the HSE investigation describe safety failings at the Lynn Street site?

As reported by the HSE in its press release, investigators found that Oldham Business and Construction Management Limited, acting as the principal contractor, had failed to properly plan, manage and monitor the construction work on site. The floor that collapsed had been overloaded with concrete blocks and had not been constructed in accordance with the manufacturer’s design, the HSE said.

The investigation also identified a number of other health and safety failings at the site, including unsafe scaffolding, inadequate arrangements for work at height, a lack of fire alarms and inadequate competent site management, according to the HSE. As a result of these failings, HSE inspectors issued multiple enforcement notices, the regulator stated.

HSE guidance states that effective management of health and safety is crucial to the successful delivery of a construction project and that principal contractors have an important role in managing the risks associated with construction work, the HSE noted in its release. Principal contractors must plan, manage and monitor the construction phase, ensuring that effective preventative and protective measures are in place and that appropriate supervision is provided, according to the HSE.

What did HSE Inspector Karen Farley say about the Oldham building site incident?

As reported by ITV News Granada and the HSE, HSE Inspector Karen Farley said: “The injuries suffered by this worker were the consequence of fundamental failures to manage health and safety.” She continued: “Our investigation revealed that this was not an isolated failing but part of a broader pattern of poor health and safety standards across the site.”

Farley added: “The construction industry remains one of the highest-risk sectors, and employers must ensure that work is properly planned, supervised and carried out safely.” She said: “This incident was entirely foreseeable and could have been prevented had the floor been constructed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and safe systems of work been in place to ensure it was not overloaded with construction materials.”

The HSE prosecution was brought by HSE Enforcement Lawyer Arfaq Nabi and Paralegal Officer Hannah Snelling, according to the HSE press release.

What were the injuries sustained by the 25-year-old bricklayer in Oldham?

The 25-year-old worker sustained fractures to his right leg, hip and left hand, requiring surgery and an extended hospital stay, as reported by ITV News Granada and the HSE. He was hospitalised for a month following the incident, which took place on 4 June 2024 at a house under construction on Lynn Street, Oldham, according to ITV News Granada.

What fines and penalties were issued to Oldham Business and Construction Management Limited?

Oldham Business and Construction Management Limited, of Bath Street, Oldham, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, the HSE stated. The company was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £4,883 in costs, to be paid within three years, at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 11 August 2026, according to the HSE.

Background of the particular development

The incident occurred at a residential construction site on Lynn Street, Oldham, where a new house was being built, according to the HSE and ITV News Granada. The 25-year-old bricklayer was working on the upper level of the property when the floor he was standing on collapsed, causing him to fall along with multiple concrete blocks that had been stored on that floor, the HSE reported.

Following the incident, the HSE launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse and the broader health and safety management on the site, according to the regulator’s press release. The investigation found multiple failings, including the overloading of the floor and the failure to construct it in accordance with the manufacturer’s design, the HSE said.

The HSE also identified additional safety issues, such as unsafe scaffolding, inadequate arrangements for work at height, a lack of fire alarms and insufficient competent site management, according to the regulator. These findings led to the issuance of multiple enforcement notices and ultimately to the prosecution of Oldham Business and Construction Management Limited, the HSE stated.

Prediction: How this development can affect the construction industry and workers in Greater Manchester

This development is likely to have several effects on the construction industry and workers in Greater Manchester and beyond. Firstly, the £30,000 fine and the public nature of the prosecution may serve as a deterrent to other construction companies, encouraging them to review and improve their health and safety practices to avoid similar penalties, according to the HSE’s emphasis on the foreseeability and preventability of the incident.

Secondly, the detailed findings of the HSE investigation, including the specific failings related to floor construction, overloading, scaffolding, work at height, fire alarms and site management, may prompt other principal contractors to conduct internal audits and ensure compliance with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, as highlighted by the HSE.

Thirdly, for workers in the construction sector, particularly bricklayers and those working at height, this incident may raise awareness of the importance of reporting unsafe conditions and the need for proper planning and supervision on site, as emphasised by HSE Inspector Karen Farley’s statements.

Finally, the case may lead to increased scrutiny from the HSE and other regulatory bodies on construction sites in the region, potentially resulting in more inspections and enforcement actions, which could improve overall safety standards but also increase compliance costs for businesses, according to the HSE’s broader guidance on managing health and safety in construction.