A scaffolding company and its director have been fined for safety failings after a worker suffered life-changing injuries when he fell from a scaffold platform.

The worker, who was untrained, fell 2.5 metres from the first lift of the scaffold as it was being dismantled. He was passing boards down to a colleague when he lost his footing and fell to the concrete below.

The man, from Rainham, who does not wish to be named, suffered severe head injuries and needed surgery to remove the frontal lobe of the brain. He spent weeks in hospital and now has memory and behavioural problems and is unable to walk far. He is unlikely to be able to work again.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Paramount Scaffolding Ltd and director Luke Jessop after investigating the incident at a house in Meopham, in January this year.

The court heard Paramount Scaffolding had a three-man team on site to dismantle the scaffolding but director Luke Jessop was the only trained scaffolder among them.

Paramount Scaffolding Ltd, based in Wigmore Road, Gillingham, and Mr Jessup of Wigmore Road, Gillingham, both pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Both were fined £2,000 with £1,000 costs each.

After the hearing HSE inspector Melvyn Stancliffe said: "This is a very stark example of the tragedy that can result from a task carried out at height without proper thought and planning. It has resulted in life-changing injuries for the worker and has had a devastating impact on his family.

"What happened that day was totally preventable if simple working methods had been followed and the untrained workers had been more closely and better supervised to ensure they carried out the work safely."