A BURNLEY company has admitted health and safety charges after the death of a 17-year-old trainee scaffolder.

Steven Burke, fell almost 50 feet from scaffolding which health and safety inspectors said was too dangerous to climb.

He suffered fatal head and abdominal injuries and died later in Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester.

The tragedy occurred just a fortnight after Steven's bosses have been served with a warning notice because two safety harnesses were in such poor condition.

Whilst Steven himself was wearing a harness at the time of the tragedy it was not clipped to the scaffolding.

Inquiries revealed his team were due to earn a bonus if their job was completed within a day.

Structural repair specialists RAM Services Ltd of Holyoake House, Lowerhouse Lane, Burnley, which employed Steven's employers 3D Scaffolding Ltd, pleaded guilty to health and safety charges.

3D Scaffolding Ltd, of Brunnell Drive on the Northbank Industrial Estate in Irlam was ordered to face sentence after admitting health and safety offences.

3D site supervisor David Swindell, of Barrington Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire denied health and safety matters but was convicted after a trial.

All face unlimited fines when the case is dealt with in February.

The accident occurred on January 30 2004 when Steven, of Levenshulme, Greater Manchester was working inside an empty sewage digester tank being refurbished at the Davyhulme Waste Water Treatment Plant in Trafford.

Two weeks earlier on January 16, health and safety inspectors confiscated two harnesses in poor condition at the Davyhulme site and notice was issued to prohibit work on the erection of birdcage scaffolding within digester tank 4 because no adequate fall arrest equipment was available'.

Later on January 28 just 48 hours before the tragedy a HSE inspector visited 3D to talk to senior managers about training of scaffolders and the use of personal protective equipment.

A court heard that the contracts mangers responsible for these issues admitted that he had no training in them.

HSE construction inspector Nic Rigby said: "Steven Burke's death, at the very start of his working life was not only a tragedy, it was also entirely preventable.= "He was let down by virtually everyone who had a role to ensure his safety.

"Had those responsible assessed the work properly and ensured that he was supervised at all times by a qualified scaffolder, then Steven would not have been killed.

"My thoughts go out to his family."