A HADLEIGH man has been jailed after a labourer was killed in front of his father while working on a building site.

Richard Golding, of High Street, Hadleigh, was sentenced to nine months in prison after labourer Anghel Milosavlevici was crushed to death when a wall collapsed while he was working on a basement extension in London.

Golding, 43, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court for failing to take reasonable care of the health and safety of others.

He was alongside 46-year-old Conrad Sidebottom, Siday Construction commercial director, of Park Road, Hertford, who was imprisoned for three years and three months for manslaughter.

In a statement, Mr Milosavlevici’s sister Cristina and fiancee Claudia said: “Anghel’s death is such a tragic loss.

“He was the most gentle, kindhearted and generous man you could ever hope to meet.

“We hope today’s verdict makes other construction company directors take stock of their working practices, and ensure they are doing everything possible to keep their workers safe.”

Mr Milosavlevici, 37, was working to build a lower ground floor for a £3.9million home in Ellersby Street, Fulham, on December 2, 2010.

A technique called underpinning was used in which the basement was partially excavated and concrete piles were installed to support the building.

However the excavations were not properly supported and they collapsed on top of Mr Milosavlevici.

Emergency services arrived at the scene within minutes, but Mr Milosavlevici could not be saved.

He died in front of his father, Gheorghe, after a load-bearing wall collapsed on him, crushing his chest and abdomen.

Golding, who was employed by AllDay Safety Services at the time of the accident, was responsible for drafting a statement which set out a system of work to be followed to ensure the safety of labourers.

However, the court heard this document was inadequate and was not followed.

He was also responsible for carrying out safety inspections on site with the authority to stop any dangerous work, but failed to do this.

Det Ch Insp Tim Duffield of the Metropolitan Police said Golding had failed to act on risks he himself identified.

He added: “There was overwhelming evidence that Sidebottom and Golding’s failure to carry out their respective roles, directly resulted in the death of Anghel Milosavlevici.

“In this case, the danger of collapse was not only foreseeable, it had been specifically identified by Golding in his risk assessments.

“Sadly, for Anghel’s family this lapse would have tragic consequences and give rise to his untimely death.”

FATALITY COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, SAYS INSPECTOR

HEALTH and Safety Executive says the death “could have been avoided” and labelled the failings “shocking”.

Inspector, Dominic Long, of the Health and Safety Executive, said: “Mr Milosavlevici’s tragic death could easily have been avoided had the basement work been better planned and managed by company owner and site manager Conrad Sidebottom. Had all the excavations on site been properly shored and propped the fatal collapse would not have happened.

“In addition, had Richard Golding inspected the site properly during his earlier visits he would have identified both that work wasn’t being carried out in accordance with a written safe system of work, and that the excavations posed a clear risk.

“By failing in his duty he allowed unsafe work practices to continue with devastating consequences.

“Both parties are culpable and their failings are shocking.

Anyone involved in basement excavation must recognise the significant dangers this type of work poses and ensure safe systems of work are in place at all times.

“This involves the appointment of a competent temporary works engineer, clear and competent site management, and adequate shoring and propping of excavations.”