Essex Police has confirmed that it responded to an incident in which a man died after falling from height at work near Southend-on-Sea on 27 March.
News
Gogglebox star’s death puts spotlight on falls from height at work
By
on 28 March 2024
The man has been named in media reports as 40-year-old George Gilbey, a self-employed electrician who found fame on TV shows Gogglebox and Celebrity Big Brother.
George Gilbey, centre, found fame on TV show Gogglebox. Photograph: C4 Gogglebox
Channel 4 said in a statement: “George was part of the Gogglebox family alongside his mum Linda and step-dad Pete. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Linda, and George’s family and friends at this very sad time. The family have asked for privacy.”
A spokesperson for Essex Police said it had “received a report of an incident at Campfield Road in Shoebury at around 10am [on] 27 March, during which a man who was working at height had fallen and sustained an injury”.
The spokesperson added: “The ambulance service, including air ambulance, were in attendance. Sadly, the man died at the scene. We will continue liaising with partners, including the Health and Safety Executive [HSE].”
A man in his forties from the Witham area has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in relation to the incident, said Essex Police.
A spokesperson for HSE confirmed that it is “working with Essex Police in their investigation”.
Gilbey’s LinkedIn profile shows that in addition to his TV work, he was a self-employed electrician for a Clacton-on-Sea-based company called WindG Ltd.
The latest HSE figures show that 40 people lost their lives due to a fall from height in 2022/23, with falls from height being responsible for 30 per cent of all workplace deaths.
To raise awareness about the consequences of falls from height and how to prevent them, the No Falls Foundation – a charity dedicated to the work at height sector – is launching its first ever No Falls Week on 13-17 May.
NEWS
Calls for more mental health support for NHS workers grow amid burnout fears
By Kerry Reals on 12 April 2024
Calls for the reinstatement of UK government funding for the provision of mental health and wellbeing hubs for NHS workers have amplified, as a new survey by the UNISON union warns that the threat of burnout could compound healthcare staff shortages.
Assault of retail workers to become a standalone crime in UK shoplifting crackdown
By Kerry Reals on 10 April 2024
Retailers have welcomed a UK government decision to make assaulting a shop worker a standalone criminal office in England and Wales, but civil liberties groups have criticised plans to ramp up the use of facial recognition technology in town centres to help catch shoplifters.
Teaching union calls for HSE to include suicides in work-related deaths figures
By Kerry Reals on 03 April 2024
Teaching union NASUWT has reiterated calls for suicides to be included in the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) annual figures on work-related deaths, and is calling for suicide prevention training to be provided for all school leaders.