Construction companies are facing increased scrutiny from the state’s workplace watchdog and brickies launching legal action over devastating falls amid a spike in injury claims.

Bricklayer Nicholas Hopkins is preparing to launch legal action against his former employer after he landed on his head after a fall in February last year.

The 26-year-old was working on a residential building site in Keysborough when he fell from second story scaffolding that did not have any guard rails.

“I was stepping down to the next bay and fell off the scaffolding because the rails had been removed by builders. I fell to the ground landing on my head,” he said.

Mr Hopkins’ lawyer Travis Fewster of Arnold Thomas and Becker said the young father’s fall was “completely preventable”.

“The fact that these types of accidents are still occurring should be a wake-up call to employers in the industry to ensure they are keeping their workers safe with secure scaffolding that complies to safety standards,” Mr Fewster said.

“No amount of compensation can take away the pain and trauma that this injury has caused for Nick, but we hope we can provide closure for him and raise awareness about the importance of proper safety and supervision on construction sites.”