A CARPENTER working on a housing development was taken to hospital with traumatic injuries yesterday after being hit with construction materials which then left him trapped.

The man was putting up roof trusses alongside another colleague while working on the new Croudace Homes properties currently being built on Braintree Road in Great Bardfield.

Despite using scaffolding for protection and safety, however, the man was struck by one of the trusses which left him with traumatic injuries and trapped at roof level.

The site team quickly contacted the emergency services, who attended the scene shortly after 2pm.

After arriving at the site, the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service found a man trapped under roofing materials on the third storey of the one of the new buildings.

In a bid to access the man safely firefighters used an aerial ladder platform to reach him before removing the trapping materials.

By 3.11pm the fire crew had managed to lower the man to safety by using an external scaffolding staircase.

They then left the victim within the care of the East of England Ambulance Service who took him to Broomfield Hospital where he received further treatment.

A spokesma from Croudace Homes said: “There was an incident involving a carpenter yesterday.

“He was erecting roof trusses while working in a pair at roof level.

“He was using full external and internal scaffolding for protection in accordance with his method statement.

“He was struck with roof truss and we are now undertaking a full investigation internally.

“The site team acted in an appropriate matter and contacted the emergency services and he was taken to hospital.

“He was discharged yesterday evening and is expected to return to work next week.”

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 1.59pm with reports of a person with traumatic injuries in Braintree Road, Great Bardfield.

“We sent the Hazardous Area Response Team, an ambulance and a rapid response vehicle.

“One man was taken to Broomfield Hospital for further treatment.”