Lessons learned · HSE-2025-005
Removal of load-bearing elements without temporary support caused collapse
During structural alterations to a house, removal of load-bearing elements led to a roof collapse that destroyed the property and injured three workers. The contractor received a suspended custodial sentence and the homeowner was left with a substantial rebuild bill.
Published by the Institute · reviewed
What happened
The work involved structural alterations to a domestic property, understood to have included removal of load-bearing walls or supports to the roof structure. No adequate temporary works were put in place to support the structure during these alterations, and the building collapsed, causing significant structural damage and injuring three workers on site. The investigation found that the contractor had not properly planned the sequence of works, had not arranged for a competent assessment of the structural implications of removing load-bearing elements, and had not provided temporary propping or shoring appropriate to the risks. This case illustrates the danger of treating structural alterations to houses as routine building work rather than demolition or structural engineering tasks requiring specific competence, sequencing and temporary works design. Domestic-scale projects are frequently under-resourced in terms of engineering input, and workers are often exposed to collapse risks that would not be tolerated on larger, more visibly regulated sites.
Contributing factors
- No temporary works design
- Removal of load-bearing structure without support
- Inadequate competence assessment
- Poor sequencing of works
What to take from it
- Obtain a temporary works design before removing any load-bearing element
- Identify load paths and structural dependencies before starting alterations
- Never assume domestic-scale work is exempt from proper engineering control
- Sequence work so that no structure is left inadequately supported
- Appoint a temporary works coordinator even on small residential jobs