A building site where a Slovakian worker was seriously injured was so dangerous that a countryman left after just two days, a jury heard today.
Migrant worker Dusan Dudi had been demolishing a wall as part of a house extension project in Allerton Road, Bradford, in November 2005 when he suffered life-threatening injuries in an accident.
The alleged manager of the site, Shah Nawaz Pola, 35, has denied breaching health and safety regulations, but yesterday another worker Gejza Guman told Bradford Crown Court that he had not received any instructions about health and safety on the site.
"Were you given any protective clothing such as a jacket, safety boots or a hard hat?" asked prosecutor Simon Jackson QC. "No," replied Mr Guman.
When asked why he had only worked on the site for two days Mr Guman replied: "On the second day we were eating and I said I would not come back because it was dangerous to work there."
Mr Guman said he felt afraid because the boards they had to walk on were moving. He claimed that he spoke to Pola when he went to the site looking for work and he agreed to pay him £25 per day. The court heard that Mr Gunam had started working on the site four or five days before Mr Dudi.
Mr Dudi had been standing on a temporary platform when part of the wall collapsed and he was hit by a concrete lintel. It was initially thought his injuries would be fatal, but after his life support machine was turned off he carried on breathing.
The jury heard earlier this week that Mr Dudi had been left with severe disabilities.
Pola, of Springcliffe Street, Bradford, has denied being in charge of the site and has pleaded not guilty to breaching health and safety regulations and breaching a prohibition notice.
The jury also heard today from Brian Truesdale, who worked as a sales manager for Manningham Concrete in 2005.
He said he had discussions with Pola and another man, Mr Shah, about the materials they wanted for the extension work. He said Pola told him that Mr Shah would be the contractor on the site and the workers would be brought in by Mr Shah.
Mr Jackson asked whether he formed an impression about who was in charge of what was going on and Mr Truesdale replied: "Mr Pola was definitely in charge of the site. He was in charge of the organisation of the site, the ordering of materials and... Mr Shah was the contractor."
Mr Truesdale said as the work went on he saw Pola and Mr Shah having arguments about money, but he said Pola always had the final word.
The jury heard that Mr Truesdale did talk to Pola about the workers' lack of boots and protective clothing, but he said Pola told him it was nothing to do with him because they were working for Mr Shah.
When he was pressed by Pola's barrister about the responsibilities on the site Mr Truesdale maintained that it was Pola who "called the shots".
The trial continues.
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