Work restarts on Everton Stadium
Construction was halted last week following the death of 26-year-old Michael Jones while working on the football club’s £500m ground at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Laing O’Rourke, the main contractor on the 53,000-capacity Everton Stadium, has confirmed that work on the venue has restarted today.
Work was suspended on site to allow Merseyside Police and the Health and Safety Executive to carry out investigations following last week’s incident.
A spokesperson for Laing O’Rourke said the decision to restart construction was made following discussions with health and safety officials, Everton, and Jones’ family.
“We have put in place additional support for everyone, including access to trained counsellors, and have done everything possible to return to work in an appropriate and respectful way following last week’s tragic incident”, the spokesperson said.
Jones, a lifelong blue, was working for a subcontractor when he was “seriously injured” on site before being taken to hospital where he died.
A statement from Everton FC said the club was “heartbroken by the news”.
“The thoughts and condolences of everyone connected with Everton are with his family, friends, and colleagues at this unimaginably sad time,” the statement added.
Figures published by HSE in July showed that construction is the UK’s most dangerous profession in terms of workplace fatalities.
Of the 135 workplace deaths in the UK in 2022/2023, 45 were on construction sites, according to HSE. That number is substantially higher than the year before when the HSE logged 30 fatal injuries in the construction sector.
