Two companies have been criticised by health and safety investigators after an 87-year-old man fell down an open lift shaft.
The man fell one floor on to the top of the lift at Nevyll Court, in Station Road, Thorpe Bay, last month while the doors had been wedged open by decorators who were painting them.
The Health and Safety Executive has now issued improvement notices on Peverel Management, the managing agent on behalf of the landlord of Nevyll Court, and JCH Contractors UK, based in Colchester.
A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said: "We have investigated this incident and on the back of that have issued improvement notices on Peverel Management and JCH Contractors UK.
"The signs in the home warning of the painting were not adequate and the residents should have been notified of the work.
"If work like this is going to be done again both companies need to review their risk assessments, inform residents and ensure that there is adequate signage."
The man who fell down the lift shaft is expected to make a full recovery.
Steve Cieslik, of Peverel Management, said: "We have already got health and safety consultants in and we will be changing our procedures straight away as a result of this improvement notice."
Colchester-based JCH Contractors UK, the company who carried out the painting, said they did not wish to comment.
Published Wednesday, February 5, 2003
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