A building contractor from Norfolk has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), after an employee without a harness or safety equipment fell seven metres through a fragile roof.
The employee of sole trader Leighton Johnson injured his back – and had to wear a full body brace for six weeks, after falling through a light and landing on a pallet stacked with ceramic mugs.
Johnson says that since the incident at an unnamed factory in King’s Lynn on 11 August 2014, changes have been made to the way he carries out work.
At West Norfolk Magistrates Court, Johnson of Hare Close in Mulbarton was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £3,415 in prosecution costs after pleading guilty to a breach of the Work and Height Regulations 2005.
He was also ordered to pay a £300 victim surcharge. Speaking after the hearing, Johnson said:
“We’re incredibly sorry – and since the incident, we have made significant changes to the way we work.”
The lead investigator in the case – health and safety inspector Paul Unwin –
added:
“Work on fragile roofs must be correctly planned and managed to ensure the safety of all involved.
“The inadequate and unsafe way in which this job was carried out highlights the risks of working at height – and how important it is to do it safely right from the start.”
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For expert legal advice on no win no fee Falls from Height Personal Injury Claims, call Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 020 7923 4020.