Hamblett Building Services Limited in Warwickshire has been fined after a self-employed roof worker fell approximately three and a half metres through an unprotected skylight opening.
Coventry Magistrates’ Court heard that the incident took place at a site off Waverley Road in Kenilworth, when the worker was trying to attach lathes to a roof in preparation for tiling. The worker sustained multiple fractures however, the fall could have potentially been fatal.
When investigating, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that where there was scaffolding on-site, there were unprotected and unsafe openings on working platforms. The skylight openings across the site had no personal or collective edge protection and there was no scaffold or edge protection on the roof shared with neighbouring properties. This ultimately increases the risk of falls and the business should have protected their workers by undertaking a thorough risk assessment before carrying out the work.
Hamblett Building Services Limited of Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £1,078 in costs, after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Following the case, Health and Safety Executive Inspector Tony Mitchell stated “The risks associated from falls from height whilst working on a roof are widely known throughout the building industry. Failing to protect workers from this risk is inexcusable. Simple safety measures could have prevented this incident and the injuries to the worker.”
In order to prevent similar cases occurring in the future, risk assessments should be carried out and acted upon promptly at all working environments. Health and safety advice should be sought, if needed, to ensure that the necessary measures are put in place as well as ensuring that employees have received sufficient relevant training.
If you have any queries regarding health and safety, training including working at height and carrying out risk assessments, please get in touch with one of the team on 01924 827869.
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