The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted two roofing companies, after a worker fell nine metres through a skylight onto concrete flooring below.
On 15 December 2015, ACG Roofing Limited was working as subcontractor to JDB Industrial Roofing Limited in completing re-cladding work on a fragile roof. At the time of the fall, no nets or guardrails were being used – and the Mobile Elevating Working Platform provided as an anchor point for the fall arrest equipment did not have enough capacity.
When the worker fell, he did not have his harness attached to any supporting structure and suffered life changing injuries in the fall, requiring surgery to insert metal rods into his back.
Coventry Magistrates’ Court heard how a Health and Safety Executive investigation found that the principal contractors of the work, JDB, had failed to put in place effective management systems to control the risk associated with working at height and on fragile roofing.
JDB Industrial Roofing Limited of Brooklands Court in Kettering, Northamptonshire pleaded guilty of breaching Section 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £112,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £2,216.68.
ACG Roofing Limited of High Street in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £35,000, with costs of £1,721.78.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Edward Fryer said:
“This incident could have been fatal – the worker has suffered life changing injuries due to the company failing to properly plan and supervise work at height.
“This case highlights the importance of proper planning, supervision and implementation of work at height, especially on fragile roofing.”
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